Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-12-17
For the vnnroNT fAaxsR.
Lack Of Knowledge.


H.rH III mha N. Y. RUE.
"a little learning is dangerous thing
wrote the cynical poet Of Twickeuhan,.
Sometimes, perhaps, Il is, but propose 10
cite some cases where little knowledge
could have been an eminently safe thing.
A few years ago, farmer 10 this state
went to bis barn one autumn evening. 10
kill a chicken, taking with him lantern
which had not been used for some months,
and containing but little oil. Having tho
fate Of Chicago in his minds eye, he hung
up his lantern, lest the hoof OF some rowing
bovine should overturn il, but he had
scarcely done 50 when it exploded, setting
FIRE to the barn, which was consumed with
all its contents. Had that man known that
a lamp in which small amount Of oil had
stood, was liable TO explode when lighted,
still more so if taken into the cold air, this
catastrophe might have been averted.
A woman poisoned her whole family by
giving them stewed peaches which had been
dried on boards painted white. Another
served up pie-plant which was put up in tin
cans, with the same terrible result. A lit
tie chemical knowledge 10 both instances
would have prevented such serious mistakes.
A lady was fatally poisoned by partak-
ing Of some acid dish in which her cook had
left German silver spoon. In this case
The ignorance Of the cook was less culpabe
than that Of the mistress, who permitted
such thing as German silver spoon ia
have place among her cooking utensils.
Several college students came near losing
their lives in consequence Of eating corned
beef at their boarding house, which had
been boiled 10 copper kettle. The deadly
oxide was found among the meat. Others
have been made very i'll by eating beaus and
pork baked 10 brass. A knowledge on the
part Of the cooks, of the results of certain
chemical combinations, would have been the
reverse of dangerous, ia these cases.
In England, milk is, in some dairiss
set In copper or brass pans. A
dairy-maid who was 10 the habit OF
scraping of the cream adhering to the
sides and eating it, lost her health, and
eventually her life, in consequence, but this
poor girls ignorance was her misfortune
rather than her fault. In land Of graded
schools there will soou be small excuse fol
such lack Of knowledge.
lq town in the state Of New York, .
few years ago, there occurred one of the
most lameutable affairs, a. the result oil
ignorance ito which charity compels us to
attribute it), that have ever known an limo
cent community to suffer from. A miller
extensively engaged in tho Touring business
was in the habit Of filling up the worn places
in the mill.stones, with lead The Aoul
and meal which catered largely into the daily
food Of the people in the region round about
contained more or less Of this poisonous sub
stance, and after time, the effects Of such
diet began to manifest themselves. So alarm
ing did they become, that investigation be
came imperative, aud resulted in bringing Il
light the fact above stated. Many recov
ered but for some, the solving Of the mys
terry came all too late.
There is a case on record Of a man whose
health failed in an unaccountable manner
He consulted several physicians, none o
whom afforded him any relief or discovered
the cause Of his illness. At length on,
wiser than the rest, examined bis teeth, anC
found one filled with lead For such {
crime in an educated man, as q dentist il
supposed 10 be, there is no excuse. Not al
extenuating circumstance can be urged---no
even the plea Of ignorance.