West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-09-04

which Must Be Continued to Preserve
Life-Facts Stranger than Fiction.
In 1878, at the fortv-eichtb Animal
meeting of the German Society of Nat
uralists and Physicians. which was held
Mt Gratz. DR. Knapp, practicing i'm Sty-
ria, introduced two male arsenic-eat-
ers to the assembly. One of these men
consumed in their presence about six
grains of white arsenic that is. enougb
TO poison three mem without suffering
the slightest Inconvenience; and il was
stated that he mad been accustomed IN
tins state of things for years. He was
10y calling an ex-herd, and after the
custom OF his countrymcn, had admin
lstcred TO the cattle under his cbaroe a
daily dose of arsenic for the purpose Of
rendering their hair glossy, and of
otherwise improving their appearance
lie had been so far successful that he
was led to argue that what was good
lor the oxen was good for h 'msef; and
that he was TO certain extent justified
IN his conclusions was proved bv the
fact of his being in the enjoyment of
robust health. Or. Knapp's other sub
JCct partOok of rather more than four
grains of the yellow arscnic-that is. of
orpiment and he too. had done the
same with impunity for years. This
man stated that. having to enter
house IN which fifteen persons had died
OF typhus fever, he prepared himself for
the attempt by taking a dose of less
than half grain of orpiment This
caused some disagrceablc results: but
the unpleasautnes having worn of, he
repeated the dose, entered the house
Without contracting the disease. and
was so pleased with the success of his
experiment that he had continued TO
take arsenic ever aftcrward. He, too.
was I'm the enjoyment of robust health.
We believe that it was Mr. Heiscb.
teacher of chemistry at the Middle
sex Hospital. who first brought the
subject of arsenic-eatiug prominently
before the notice of the profession in
tins country. This was some time about
the year 1922, but since then the fact
mas again and again been demonstrated
by the researches of medical men and of
travellers, so that now there are few
persons who would venture to express
any doubt on the question. Indeed.
II has long been acknowledged bv the
best authorities that arsenic-eatin0 is
eXtensiyely practced in the southwest
corner OF Austria-that is. i'm Upper and
Middle Styria, especially in the dis
trirts OF Hartberg, Laprecht, Loeben
AMI Oberzcirung also in Carinthia.
Saizburg, the Iyrol, Lower Austria and
the Erzgebirge IL is, 10 q certain ex-
tent. acknowledged that these people
attain green old age; and it is even
suggested that in some sort they owe
their longevity TO the balcful practice.
though there is room for the gravest
doubts on this score. When arsenic
eating was first brought before the no
tice of the world, IL was treated as a
gross imposture would be; and the
stories about it were classed with those
of Welsh fasting-girls and universal
remedies; indeed. the profession con
fdently asserted that these Sivrian
peasants partook of nothing more un-
wholesome than piece of chalk, for it
was deemed utterly impossible that
man could, unscathed, consume enough
poison TO effect a dozen persons, and
certainly enough to xiii three.
fact, however, Is stranger than fc-
ton, and fact so strange as this could
not lie unhoticed i'm the region of mvths.
In 1901 Tschudi brought the matter
again prominently forward; and since
that time il has teen so clearly demon
sirated, with all the requirements OF
Sc cni'iic research that it would bc alb
surd TO deny il 10 be a sober reality
Bot All the world takes poison i'm some
form or other every day ether alcohol
opium. hasheesh, nicotine. essences and
so o1. and that without calling forth
any particular expression Of wonder
10 Is 20 common habit that with some
reOilc this taking Of poisons has be-
cone condition Of existence. Med
icoi men, too, derive some of their best
remedies from pOIsOns, and are as q rule
we'll justified by results. But while one
man may axe his daily dose Of somc
narcotic. and another Of his medicinal
po son, third man, unfortunately. Is
only able 20 still the cravings Of his an
peutc by swallowing n substance
which has probably cost more lives
than any other drug, whatever it may
be- namely arsenic.
The arsenic eater may. it is true. be
fortifyinR him elf against the machina
uOus Oi secret pOisOner. and he may
De indeed, after many years use Of 10.
he very likely is administering dose
Of something absolutely necessary 10
bis existence thus giving some sort OF
color TO the claim Of the Styrian that
it lengthens life AZ the best, however.
It is a playing with danger. n
tempting Of Providence most reprehen-
sib'c, and it is habit so degrading
that IL makes as feel sorry for
human nature. II is, however. well
known among medical men that arsenic
taken internally IS useful In many dis
eases more especially such as affect The
skin, and under the form known as
fOwler's Solution It is often enough
prescribed in small doses The
veterinary surgeon administers DC to