The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-22
DANGER FROM ARSENIC.
The Numerous Ways in Which the olson Is
Used.
Philadelphia Press

The Numerous Ways in Which the p olson Is
Used.
Philadelphia Press.
Poison lines the walls of hundreds Of rooms
in this city, and the occupants receive it into
know what produces the ill-health which they
suffer- said Professor Henry Lehman to a Press
reporter yesterday.
rs the employment Of arsenic in the manu-
facture OF articles for domestic use extensiveF'
was asked.
'It is both extensive and dangerous. The
frequency with which it is found in articles
which one sees about the house daily is alarm
ing. It is discovered in large quantities in
many domestic fabrics. and in a great many
varieties of all-papers. know Of about forty
different wallpapers which contain arsenic in
dangerously large quantities 1t was once sup
posed that green papers were the only ones
which were arsenical, but at present arsenic is
more frequently found in all papers of other
colors. The color, however. is not a sure guide
and is not to be depended upon People be-
came afraid to buy green papers, and if they are
freer from poison than they formerly were it is
due to the fact that the manufacturers had to
make them without arsenic in order to find a
sale for them. The green pigments used now
for colorlng papers are, as q rule, mixtures of
non -arsenical blue and yellow, such as Prussian
blue and chrome yellow
You will find today that the red and blue
wall papers. Papers of any color or shade may
contain arsenic in dangerous and fatal quanti-
ties. Professor Edward S. Wood Of Massachu-
sets, who has given much important infor-
nation on this subject, says that in his
Investigations he has found in different rolls Of
the same paper that some contained arsenic and
that some did not. This, take it, is explained
by the fact that the coloring matter used in
the manufacture of the two rolls came from
different lots, one being pure and the other
poisonous.
arsenic is sometimes found in the white
groundwork of paper sold to cover the walls of
nurseries In this case the poison was probably
used in the paste which fastened the pigments
to the paper, and when used in this way it is
dangerous because it can be detached in the
form of dust or in q humid atmosphere it
would be set free and form arseniuretted hydro
gen.
rs arsenic used in the manufacture of expen-
sve papersa"
80, yes think that no safety or protection
can be secured by purchasing high priced goods
In the samples of arsencal paper here you see
that some pieces marked So bolt contain more
than five grains of arsenic to the square yard. "
The poisonous samples were of vast variety
of shades, colOrs, patterns and prices. Some
glazed papers contained as much as fifty grains
of arsenic to the square yard, and one sample
showed by analysis that one square foot held
double the fatal dose of arsenic for an adult
Samples of calico showed the presence of arsenic
also.
''The most dangerous papers, continued
Professor Lehman, ''are the glazed ones. They
dangerous because they are used for so
many purposes and are 80 heavily charged with
arsenic. Children are often given bits of these
papers to play with, and it is known how
naturally g. child carries everything to its
mouth. Pretty, gai!y colored ornaments are
fashioned from them, and you may see them ex-
tenslvely employed during the holiday season
Candies are wrapped in them, and theater tick
cts and playing cards and other articles made
from cardboard are also very frequently manu-
factured from them"
"ltis source Of surprise to me that more
painful and fatal cases of poisoning do not occur
among children. The fact is, however, they do
suffer from arsenic a good many times when
their parents and physicians do not know just
what the trouble is. Hundreds of children who
have taken small quantities of poison into their
systems have had the symptoms which ensued
ascribed a severe cold or indigestion. The
paper in which cheap sassafras lozenges, such
as are purchased in little rolls by the
school children are enclosed. is highly arsenical
If the child we're to swallow suck portion of
it. the painful symptoms in the stomach which
would follow would probably be charged to the
candy. Children seem particularly subject to
danger Many of the toys furnished to them
contain arsenical pigments Toy paints, build
ing blocks, rubber balloons, painted dolls,
childrens books. and wax candles often contain
arsenic. The small candles used on Christmas
trees have been found to have in them large
amount of arsenite of copper. This is an unu-
Suaily dangerous form of the metal, because
when the candle is burned one of the products of
the combustion will be white arsenic. and it
floats through the room as an invisible dust"
Mt is surprising to find the number of articles
in daily use which contain arsenic 1t seems to
be entering into the composition of nearly every
thing 1t is used foolishly and needlessly in a
majority, if not in all cases. l find candy TOYS
colored with it, Articles Of clothing are by no
means free from it. Green tarlatan has pois-
oned the people who use it so frequently that it
is seldom used as part of an article of apparel,
but you will see it on the walls at church fairs
for an ornament. and it is not uncommon to see
strips of it thrown over cakes or candies to pro-
tect them from the flies. The arsenical pigment
so loosely adhereS to the cloth that portion of
it will separate upon the slightest disturbance.
1t is estimated that twenty or thirty grains of
the poisonous pigment would separate in an
hour from dress worn in ballroom.
SFoulard cambria contains arsenic, and wear
ers of dresses made from it have suffered from
nasal catarrh, pharyngitis and gastric irritation
in consequence. Painful irritation of the skin is
not infrequently caused by wearing stockings
colored with arsenical pigments. Poison is most
often found in light red, magenta -colored and
| brown stockings. Some cases of death from
poisoning by this means have been reported.
Persons have been fatally poisoned by the green
| flannel lining in boots. by maroon flannel shirts,
! by calico shirts, coat sleeves, hat Innings
| and paper collars. Some manufactu-
| TcEo VI paper COlldTS anu Cuuo III
| troduce arsenic into the finishing in order to
| impart brilliant gloss. 1t has been discovered
that the secret which many ignorant laundry
women guard so closely, and upon knowledge
of which they rely for producing beautiful pol
sh on linen, is the use of arsenic In the starch
| what are the general symptoms of the poi
soningT asked the reporter.
| 1.-THE general symptoms are due to the action
| of arsenic upon the system after it has been alb
sorbed They are indicated by severe neuralgia.
inc 1An1 anal dahl sfxz
fainting spells, and even arsenical paralysis in
extreme cases. What we need here Is O compre-
hensive, stringent. wel-enforced law regulating
the use Of arsenic