The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-11-21
THE PERIL THAT SURROUNDS Us.

Mankind from the cradle to the grave
are beset by many pains and dangers
and for that matter womankind are more
80. First comes the peril of soothing
syrups and cordials. The tumbing-
down-stair epoch, though painful and for
the time being hard to be borne, is rather
salutary than otherwise, developing mus
Gle. Life's current is then besct by sore
toes, cut fingers the measles, whooping.
cough, young but tough tree sprouts ear
ache, watermelons, green apples and
many unpleasant accumulations and
mishaps, growing out of the gregarious
habits Of school life. Love, courtship
and marriagc-the positive, comparative
and superlative degrees of human veal
or woe, as the case NAV be nass him on
into wide world of unknown and una
yoidable perplexities
Weighed down thus, why do modern
scientists take pleasure in narrowing up
the human soul by pointing out new dan
gers? Prof. Arnold informs the public
that cherries peaches and red cabbage
contain prussic acid, poison so deadly
that the small quantity that can be taken
up on the point of fine needle if applied
to the tip of dogs tail will kill the
owner of the dog in thirteen seconds.
There is a degree of consolation, however,
in the further fact that man would
have to eat bushel and a half of
peaches, three pecks of cherries, or
wheebarrow load of red cabbage at one
sitting to acquire sufficient hydrocyanic
acid to produce fatal results. Rye is very
seldom used without containing more or
less ergot-a reason why the enterprises
Of men who use that grain in excess are
apt to ,miscarry. Tea contains fannie acid,
apples contain malic acid, lemons and
oranges citrc acid; a very small portion
Of either of which, in its pure state,
would pass a man into the hands of the
undertaken. The egg plant and the Irish
potato belong to the same species as the
deadly nightshade, bitter-sweet and the
Jerusalem cherry, the fruit Of every one
Of which is more or less poisonous. The
poison of the potatoes, very luckily, de-
velops itself in the potato bolls instead of
the tubers, and only acts as general al
teratiye upon the enterprising potato
bug, illustrating the old proverb, that
"what is one mans meat
is another mans poison"
Pieplant and tomatoes have their weak
points-the former containing oxalic
acid, a powerful poison-and the latter is
accused of begettipg cancers, though this
latter charge is pronounced groundless by
Professor Arnold.
The Professor enjoins moderation in
the use of these acid-bearing vegetables,
especially would it be necessary to the
person having great deal Of acid in his
system, or one who had been soured by
Teverses in politics, business or betting or
baseball or horse races. 1t is question
able whether this kind of scientific
information adds much to the happines:
of the human family-"where Ignorance
is bliss It's folly to be wise" 1t is calcu
lated to weaken appetite and impair
digestion. 1t might occasionally act a.
a restraint upon glutton and restric
him to half bushcl Of potatoes at {
single meal, and other things in proper
ton. A man ate market basket O
asparagus for supper. His life was saved
after the most imminent peril, by th'
use of blacksmiths tongs. Had tina
man been informed by Professor Arnold
of the danger of eating inordinat
quantities of asparagus he would hav'
been saved much suffering and doctor
bill
A new danger to the human family ap
pears in the use of dyestufs for wearing
apparel. Arsenical poisonings hav
been traced to the wearin
of scarlet and blue stockings, ha
Innings and bronze-green and navy-blu
kid gloves and the highly -colored lining