The Russellville Democrat., 1885-08-20

almost useless. AltcI consulting u
doctor he paid visit to the country,
taking with him an easy wide-awake
hat Before long q complete cure had
been effected; but IN his return to town
the eruption re-appeared. In consc-
qucnce, he paid another visit to the
doctor, and on entering the room placed
on the table the chimney-pot hat he
was in the habit of wearing the bright
maroon lining of which at once caught
the eye of the doctor, who suggested
that it was the cause of all the mis-
chief. A portion of the lining having
been cut out and examined, arsenic was
found in considerable quantity. On the
gentleman then giving up the use of the
hat, the eruption again disappeared;
but, to make quite sure, he went from
home with the hat, and on the second
day all the previous symptoms reap
peared, thereby clearly proving the
poisonous character OF the lining.
Here we have seen that the presence
of arsenic is not confine1 to green col
oring materials, and it is sometimes
found, although much less frequently,
in red, brown and yellow cloths, and in
various colored portions of printed
fabrics, chintzes, carpets. ribbons.
gloves, etc.
Pasteboard boxes are often covered
with colored paper which contains
arsenic; but, perhaps, in this class of
goods the greatest danger arises from
CONNECTIONS, and the brightly colored
wrappers which are used to make them
more attractive. Such deadly poisons
as red lead, vermllion and verdigris are
in general use for the production of
these colors and emerald green, COM
pound of arsenic and copper, is large
ly sold for like purpose, under the
innocent name of ''extract of spinach
Some time ago case occurred of two
children being poisoned by eating
sweet-meats in the shape of watch,
the face of which was green paper,
the coloring material being found, on
analysis, to consist of this emerald
green. or Scheele's green. and the
whole amount of arsenic on the watch
being estimated at eighteen grains.
Here it may not be out of place to
draw attention to another source of dan
ger which our children are exposed to,
that from toys, whicr are often
painted with poisonous material. The
subject is deserving of attention on the
part Of parents, and it would be well 1t
they would never allow their children to
be in possession of colored articles
whose nature may be doubtful, for almost
everything a child gets hold of must go
to its mouth.
As poisoning ingredients OF frequent
lnnd ,tr salts
rank next in importance to arsenic.
Lead is so commonly used with safety
for domestic purposes. especially the
storage and transmission of water, that
the dangers attendant upon its use are
apt to be neglected. Soft water acts
rapidly upon metallic lead, and many
instances have occurred of lead-poison-
ing in new houses supplied with q soft
or peaty water. 1t has been found,
however, that by allowing the water to
run through new pipes or stand in new
cisterns for some time, danger may be
avoided, owing to the fact that such
water acts only upon clean metallic
surfaces, and that lead, when exposed
to its action for some time, gets coated
with a VIII tish film of oxide or carbon
ttC vi ltstO, WhlGh CACCbuttif1 PlCNChbo
any further action OF the water. People
entering new houses would therefore do
well to let the water tap remain open
for a day or two, and meanwhile bor-
row water from their neighbors for all
dietetic purposes. For the same reason
leaden cisterns should never be
out, or the true surface of the
lead in any way scratched or exposed.
Knowing that water thus acts upon
lead, it will not seem surprising that
this metal should occasionally be found
in considerable quantity in aerated
waters through the action of the water
upon the leaden alloy OF the machine.
In like manner the artificial waters pre-
pared in gasogcnes, which are partly
of lead, have been found in
some cases to contain a considerable
and dangerous amount of lead in solu-
ton.
Again. in cleansing bottles, shot is
frequently made use OF, and white de-
posit of carbonate of lead is thus in
many cases left upon the sides
of the bottle. This, would, of course,
be imma.erial if only water or some
such liquid were to be kept in the boz
tie; but the chances are that it will be
used for holding some acid liquor
beer. wine, vinegar, pickles, fruit, etc.
and the result is that the carbonate Of
lead is dissolved by such acid, obviously
to the detriment of the person who may
afterward consume the contents.
Here we may refer to the action of
acids upon brass or copper
pans; for, although the fact is general
ly known that poisoning may sometimes
occur from the use of such utensils, 1t
is not so generally understood that the
danger lies in allowing the acid liquor
to cool in these pans, the metal Of which
is quite unacted on by such acids when
hot, but is readily attacked when cold
Such are some of the most common
domestic poisons; but, alas the list is
not by any means exhausted.
Hams are occasionally done up in
canvass loaded with yellow chromate of
lead, and some of this poison is conse-
quently found adhering to the ham.
Arsenic has leen largely used in the
of violet and face powders,
while carbonate of lead, or the acetate
(sugar of leadD, and sulphur, are
the common ingred ents of
some hair-restorors. Arsenic, either as
yellow orpiment or as arsenic white, is
mixed with sugar for the manufacture
OF fly-papers; and vermn-killers usual
ly consist of a mixture containing the
well-knowp poison phosphorus. Har-
pe,'s Bazar.
The whirlwinds OF dust observed
BY Preieyalsky IA Central ASIA, like