Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-08-20

effect Of conscious strength, as tlmidlty
is OF conscious weakness.
II must not however. DO supposed
that any one takes to the hedri or
arsenic-eating quite openly. On the
contrary, il is generally begun in secret
and at the increase Of the moon--and
In some villages with superstitious OBJ
servances. A very small dose Is at first
taken once week bread and butter
is the favorite meiium--then twice a
week, and so on, until, when the indi-
vidual arrives at dose daily. the dose
itself is increased till as much may be
taken as in ordinary circumstances
would kill two or three individuals.
BUTT must not be understood that those
people can consume the drug altogether
with impunity. When they first begin
with their very small doses they are
seized with nausea and burning pains in
the mouth. throat and stomach, and
are probably very much more uncom-
Portable than a boy who has taken his
first cigar. But one peculiarly OF
arsenic-eating Is this. that when a man
has once begun to indulge in it he must
continue TO indulge. for IL he ceases the
arsenic in his system poisons him; or,
as it is popularly expressed. the last
dose kills him. Indeed, the arsenic
eater must not only continue his indul-
gence but he must also increase the
quantity of the drug so that II is ex-
tremely difficult to stop the habit; for,
as sudden cessation causes death. the
gradual cessation produces such ter
rible heart-gnawing that 1t may proba-
bly, be said that no genuine arsenic
eater ever ceased to eat arsenic while
life lasted.
IL is curious that while. on the one
hand, the human organism is so re-
markably sens tive to arsenic. mRu
may. on the other hand. indulge in
these poisonous doses for years. This
is probably ow ng TO the fact that ar
senic acts on the skin, and thus is bein@
constantly carried out OF the syste.Si
and also be ause It is readily eliminated
by the kidneys Now, this prevents
any accumulation going on in the tis.
sues, and thus. what might seem al
most mythical, is at least brought with
in the range of possibility. 1t has been
calculated that this process of elm ma
tion has to be carried on for fourteen
days before a given dose Is entirely re-
moved. But yet the fact remains that
these Austrian peasants can swallow
arsenic to an extent aud with an i'm
punity unprecedented in the annals of
toxicology. For the solution of the
problem we may offer the following
considerations; First of all. the human
organism may become accustomed to
most. II not all, 10 sons If they are adj
m nistered at first in exceedingly
small doses; and IN this way poison.
as is well known. may become a
"mithridaten to itself Secondly,
though the human organism is ex-
tremely sensitive to arsenic, yet some
constitutions may be less so than
others; thus. for instance. the arsenic
eaters OF Styria are all of them robust
mountaineers. whose forefathers have
eaten arsenic from generation 10 cen
Grafton. so that. as may lie supposed.
each generation has become more ar
senic-proof than the one before It. Third
ly, like most mountaiueers, the Styrians
consume large quantities Of milk aud
butter, as well as other food rich in
fats, when the oily matters to a certain
extent unite with the arsenic, forming
an arseuical soap, which does not so
readily enter into the blood, so that
the total amount OF arsenic actually as
simulated Is proportionally small. From
this we see that il the Syrian partakes
of an unusual amount Of this deadly
| drug. he is at the same time not only
less susceptible to its influence by his
hereditary descent and his habits, but
his food supplies him with some sort Of
an antidots.
One other fact may be noticed in
connection with arsenical poisoning 80
namely. that the preliminary symptoms
Of accidental poisoning have often re
suited from the apparently insignih-
/ cant cause of the use OF the ilimsy,
bright green tartalan ball-dresses so
much in vogue few years back. as
also from sleeping in rooms papered
with hangings containing the beautiful
| ly brilliant color known as Schuele' s
green. The dangerous activity OF the
very minute quantities Of arsenic which
under such circunstances enter the
! system may probably he explained By
| the fact that the poison in all such
cases acts directly through the lungs,
and not through the stomach. whore II
would be subjected to the modifying in
huences already mentioned.
These last points bringus 10 the treat
ment Of a person suffering from arsenic
al poisoning. This poison is so fire.
/ quently the cause Of death both By ac-
cident and design. that it is important
that every one should know the proper
remedies TO be used In such circum-
stances. Until m deal man arrives.
the vomiting which generally occurs
when an overdose OF arsenic is swal-
lowed. should be freely encouraged.
followed by demulcent drinks, switc ed
eggs. cream. oil, or. better still. mkt
ure Of equal parts Of oil anil lime
water. ln recent years, a more strict
| " chemical antidote than any of the
foregoing has been employed with We ~
great success namely, hydrated per.
oxide OF iron. This antidote. il can not
be too well known, may be extempo-
rized in very efficient manner by add
ing ordinary carbonate Of soda TO tinct.
ure Of iron better known as steel drops
of pharmacy A tablespoonful OF
soda may be added to each iluid ounce
Of the tineture with water. aud as this
mixture has 30 Injurious effect on the
gystem, II may be administered as large.
ly aud as quickly as possible.
The whole subject Is Of great inter-
est; for il seems passing strange that
the delicate framework OF our bodies,
which may be annihilated with two
grains Of a white powder. may be so
far changed as 10 require. nay. even 10
crave for a daily heavy dose Of this very
same poison. - Chambers Journal
ss
MINERS.