Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-10-08
Women Who Eat Arsenic.

Just take goOd look NJ thls Woman
coming toward US and tell me what
you think of her." was the low-toned
remark of well-known physician.
The woman to whom he referred was
elegantly dressed in polka dot silk
walking costume, and her plump. we'll
developed figure was displayed with
true fashionable precision.
$50 you didn't see anything queer
about her. eh?" asked the physician.
"Well. III tell you what / saw. First,
that woman's cyelids. particularly the
lower ones. were puffy and full. pre-
senting the same appearance that en-
sues when one INDUCES in good fit of
crying. That complexion which you
admired was really and truly of an ala
baster whitcness. but the delicate pink
was produced by paint and the dead
white by arsenic"
Arsenic! How do you know she
takes arsenic?"
because two years ago she came 10
me, thin. almost gaunt woman, and
asked me for n prescription for her
complexion, which was in n terrible
condition. You see she had been using
face powders and paints in her stage
make up and they had finally brought
on skin disease. Well, an arsenical
solution is the constituent part of any
prescription for the coplexion. gave
her such prescription, but warned her
that she must use it in small doses, and
after three months she must gradually
increase the Intervals between doses
until they finally ceased al the end of
the fourth month. She prom sed TO
obey me. but she didn't. Just as soon
rs she found that the arsenic was inn
proving her compexion | knew what
followed as if | were there to see it.
She commenced TO increase the doses.
in accordance with the popular fallacy
that if u little is good more must be
better"
We'll if arsenic produces all these
pleasant results, why shouldn't she
use it?'
because, replied the physician with
savage emphasis. 1.-THE good results
are only temporary, and She will soon
become physical wreck. Before She
gets back to town from the road next
spring she viii commence to notice,
while combing her hair. that it is drop
ping out very freely. | have written
to her warning her that this and other
symptoms Will soon develop. She don
believe me w. but rs soon rs the hair
falling commences she VIII know | am
speaking the truth. She VIII stop her
arsenic doses in a panic, and in two
weeks she VIII be the worst looking
object that ever wore female clothing,
The cutting off of tho arsenic supply
will precipitate the very trouble she
WI hope 10 avert Her checks will
sink in. her finger nails will commence
to crack aud split and before week
her complexion will be gone Out OF
sheer desperation she will resume hei
arsenic and will be temporarily benc
fitted. She viii have the worst symp.
toms of arscnical poisoning before next
summer is over. and will be so hid
eously ugly that she will have TO retir,
from the stage. whether She wants tC
or not.
What are the final results of the
disease?'
"Palpitation of the heart. deadly
oppression in breathing. itching eyes
stiffness of the joints and terrible
emacaton. In this condition the
slightest cold will bring on galloping
consumption and death, Yet | know
that arsenic eating is on the increase. >
-NcW York star.