Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-15

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II 10 Usrt.


Prssssssr f~nnass Tens ~ Nee MANI Wars
u 10 usvs.
/ +" Poison lines the walls of hundreds
OF rooms in this city, aud the occupants
receive it into their systems, and in .
majority Of cases do not know what
produces the ill-health which they srf-
fer" said Professor Henry Lehman to
Press reporter yesterday.
''ls the employment of arsenic in the
manufacture OF articles for domestic use
extensives- was asked.
IL is both extensive and dangerous.
The frequency with which il is found
in articles which one sees about the
house daily is alarming. 1t is discov-
cred in large quantities in many domes-
tic fabrics and in great many varieties
Of Wallpapers. know Of about forty
different wallpapers which contain
arsenic in dangerously large quantities.
II was once supposed 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 de-
pended upon. People became 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
<~Inr - I'D g.
green pigments used now for coloring
papers are. as a rule. mixtures Of non
arsenical blue and yellow, such as Prus-
sian blue and chrome yellow.
PAPERS TO BE AVOIDED.
You will find to-day that the red
and blue are more frequently arsenical
than the green wallpapers. Papers of
any color or shade may contain arsenic
in dangerous and fatal quantities. Pro-
fessor Edward 5. Wood, Of Massachu
sets, who has given me much important
information on this subject, says that
in his investigations he has found in diff
ferent 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 a humid
| atmosphere it would be set free and
form arseniuretted hydrogen"
lis arsenic used in the manufacture
of expensive papers?"
40. yes; | think that no safety OF
protection can be secured by purcha-
sing high-priced goods. In the sam-
pies of arsenioal paper here you see
that some pieces marked So bolt con-
tain more than five grains Of arsenic to
the square yard"
The poisonous samples were Of a
vast variety Of shades. colorS, patterns,
and prices. Some glazed papers con
tanned 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 o.
arsenic for an adult. Samples Of cal
leo showed the presence Of arsenic also
WHERE THE DANGER LIES.
The most dangerous papers" con
tinued Professor Lehman, ARE thu
glazed ones. They are dangerous be
cause they are used for 80 many pur
poses and are so heavily charged will
arsenic. Children are often given bit
of these papers TO play with, and it il
known how naturally a child carrie!
everything TO its mouth. Pretty, gaily
! colOred ornaments are fashioned from
them, and you may see them exten
siyeIy employed during the holiday sea
son. Candies are wrapped in them
and theatre-tickets and playing-cards
and other articles made from card
board are also very frequently manu-
featured from them.
lit is source Of surprise to me tina
more painful and fatal cases Of poison
ing do not occur among children. Tht
fact is. however. they do suffer from
arsenic good many times when then
parents and physicians do not know
Just what the trouble is. Hundreds o
children who have taken small quaint
ties of poison into their systems ha7,
had the symptoms which ensuet
ascribed to a severe cold or Indigestion
The paper in which cheap SaSSafra'
lozenges. such as are purchased in littl,
rolls by the schOol-children, are enclosed
| is highly arsenical. If the child were t
swallow or suck a portion Of it. thu
painful symptoms in the stomach whicl
would follow would probably be
charged TO the candy. Children seen
particularly subject to danger. Many
of the toys furnished to them contain
arsenical pigments. TOy-paints, build
ing-blccks. rubber balloons, painted
| dolls, children's books, and wax-can
dies often contain arsenic. The small
candles used or Christmss-trees have
been found to have IN them larg,
amount Of arsenite Of copper. This i,
an unusually dangerous form of tbs
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 in
visible dust.
POISON Is CLOTHING.
lit is surprising to find the number
1 Of articles in daily use which contain
arsenic. IL seems to be entering into
the composition Of nearly everything.
1t is used fooliShly and needlessly in a
majority. if not in all cases. ] find
candy toys cOlOred with it. Articles
Of clothing are by no means free from
it. Green tarlatan has poisoned the
people who use il 50 frequently that
it is seldom used as part Of an
article of apparel. but you will see II
on the walls at church-fairs for an orna-
ment. and it is rot uncommon to see
strips of il thrown over cakes or can
dies to protect them from the flies. The