American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-01-23
POiSOnS.

WE noticed, a few weeks ago, the &C
ton taken by the American Academy OF
Science, at its last meeting upon the in
furious results likely to issue from the
| free use of Paris green and other poiSOns
| in the determination of insects. The
idea was advanced by Prof. LIE Conte,
and Endorsed by the Academy. that the
continual and extensive use of mineral
poisons, such as at present prevail in the
great fight with the potato beetle, might
end in so vitiating the soil as to render it
barren, or the poison might even infect
the vegetation and make it baleful. In
support of this argument, case was
cited where the fumes of a copper-wOrks
in Massachusetts had injured the sur
rounding forests and grass lands.
The discussion has led to the recital of
similar investigation in Europe, which
was pursued some years ago. Prof.
| Freytag, of Bonn, was at one time en-
ployed to study the effect upon vegeta-
ton of the fumes from two of the largest
| copper-works in Europe, situated in the
same town. In his report the professor
| contended that the ground could not be
injured by the smoke from the works,
although this contained copper, sulphur,
lead, zinc, arsenic, anthony and other
metals. He affirmed, also, that plants
could not take up these poisons,
and showed that healthy cattle
were raised in the immediate vi
entity of the works. The injury which
vegetation might receive from the poi
sonous fumes, in his opinion, would come
from the condensation of the latter by
rain, dew, etc, and the deposition of the
acid liquor upon foliage, eating and de-
stroying it's tissues. Solid particles might
also be deposited upon the plants, chok-
ing their pores and, in solution with rain
corroding their substance. Animals eat
ing such fodder would fail to obtain
nourishment, and, if solid poisons re-
manned on the leaves, would be poisoned
These views, which are entitled to con-
sideration, are in direct antagonism to
the theories of Prof. LIE Conte and other
members of the American Academy.
The deleterious effect of poisons in col
oring matter is exciting general atten-
ton. At the Glasgow Philosophical So
cicty paper was recently read by MIR.
James Mcfarland, detailing experiments
made by him to ascertain the nature of
the coloring material in wax tapers. The
results of his tests are as follows: White
tapcrs were found to be harmless; little
ash. Yellow tapers were also proved
harmless, being colored with chromate of
lead; ash, metallic. Blue tapers, harm
less; colored with ultramarine. Red
tapers proved highly poisonous, contain
ing l 90 per cent. of vern.ilion; slight
ash. Green tapers also proved poison
Gus; color due to arsenic; metallic ash;
quantity of arsenic, about l per cent
Chicago Iiibune.
Warm! The Empress of Russia
wears IA crimson velvet and r-lined
cloak valued at 100000. 1t is lined with
two hundred and twenty eight skins of
Russian sable, each of which is worth
$50. The Gar possesses still more
costly mantle, lined with the fur of the
blue fox, which is worth 100000. He
presented to Adclina Patti, on the occa-
sion of her last benefit in St Peters
burg, set of furs of the value of
$4,000.