The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-02-13
POISON BY THE TON.
ENOUGH ARSENIC IMPORTED TO DE-
POPULATE AMERICA.
a Small Amount Used for Medicinal
Purposes-Arsenic Acid the Best
PreserVer of Fabrics and COIors-
What HOrse-DeaIers Do.
New York Herald

There are imported annually in this
city from Cornwall, England, and from
the mines of Austria, Hungary and b.
hemia, about l 900 kegs Of arsenic, which
average 400 pounds of weight each.
physicians say that a dose of two and a
half grains of arseniOus acid is pretty GER
tain TO prove fatal i little simple figur-
ing will therefore show that if the impor-
tatlons OF single year were divided up
into ual portions corresponding in
number with the number Of inhabitants
in the United States, and each man,
woman, and child took one of those por
tlons on given day, human life would
on that day cease TO exist in the territory
now covered by the stars and stripes. N
recent years the importation has rapidly
increased and the fact that numerous
cases of arsenical poisoning appear from
time to time on the police records and be-
fore coroner s jurieS renders an inquiry
desirable as to the purposes to which the
enormous shipments of this deadly min
eral are applied.
A reporter visited several Of the great
drug importing houses. and consulted
chemists IN reference to this matter. All
admitted that the quantity of arsenic
used for medicinal purposes is insigniti-
can't, and that the bulk of the importation
Is used for manufacturing, preserving,
decorating and identifying purposes.
Some of the chemists while, expressing a
desire not TO be quoted, freely admitted
that health and life were being endan
gered by a too free introduction Of the
poison into articles of everyday use.
A chemist who is engaged in the serv-
ices OF one of our leading importing
houses, and who is an acknowledged au
thOrity among his brethren, said: 1T is
no secret that the careless and unskillful
handling of arsenic and arsenical prepare
tIons result, in serious illness and in heavy
loss of life every year "
is it not a fact that arsenic in one
shape or another is making inroads into
fashionable households year after year?"
This can not be disputed Arsenic
acid Is the very best preserver not only of
fabrics but of colOTs and it is but natural
that decorators should take some risks in
using it. In many of our fashionable
mansions the bright colOrs on the walls
are made fast by arsenic; the same may
be SAID of the carpets and tapestries, and
of the gaudy, tinted robes which have
fascination for some young ladies' "
Does the presence Of arsenic in an
apartment necessarily imply that it must
be an unhealthy place of abode?"
Not of necessity; still, myself would
lat care to sleep in such a room. OdOrs
may be given out that are sure to sicken
the stomach if the work is unskillfully
done. In my opinion this accounts for a
good deal of the debility and nervous all |
ments that prevail in fashionable circles |
here and elsewhere. Quite recently a
woman lost her eye-sight in this city |
while cleaning a carpet that was found to |
have its colOrs fastened with arsenic. l |
do not believe any physician would main |
tain that it was proper to place such a |
carpet for use in any room.
Are the dangers of using arsenic prep |
arations fully recognized by the manu-
facturers who use them"
They certainly should be; there is no !
excuse for ignorance in a matter of this |
kind 1t is our business to import and !
sell our goods under proper safeguards; |
after that all our responsibility ends
Are there dangers in the preparation of |
the article for the market"
The preparation of arsenfous acid is a |
most hazardous occupation. The work |
men employed generally die before the |
age OF 40, and their mean term of lite |
runs from 30 to 30 years. They are com
PEELED to avoid alcoholic drinks, and TO
live principally on leguminous vegetables. !
with plenty of butter. taking very little |
meat, and that fat To each man two
glasses of olive oil are administered daily
To what extent is the drug used as
medicine?"
"A very small fraction of the importa-
ton is used for that purpose 1t is used
as tonic occasionally, and actresses use
1t to pretty considerable extent to i'm
part bright hue to the complexion and
luster to the eyes. When once used for
that purpose it must be taken right along
OF the young lady will find that not only
her dazzling vision but her bodily
energies will melt away with incredible
speed Horse dealers know thing or
two about arsenic. and they also use it
r or what purpose?"
6TakR an old railroad bOroo hot hoe !
become emaciated in the service, or a
racer, and dose him with
arsenic under the advice of a veterinary
surgeon for few weeks. His appetite
will come to him, his old hair will drop
off, and new coat will come out and
the animal will become as frolicsome as a
2-year- old. In the horse market he is
bound to bring a good price and the
who buys him will be proud
Of his bargain-at least for a day or so. !
When the effect of the drug dies out the
horse falls away and he never regains his
strength.
is arsenious acid used nlegitimately
BY manufacturers?
"On this question think there can be
10 doubt There may be recklessness I'M
Ter the guise of law in using the acid to
'asten colors on paper, carpets, tapestries,
)r articles of wearing apparel and tech
l1cally speaking there may be nothing
Legitimate in all this. 1t is pretty gener-
lily understood, however, that some con-
ecioners use arsenical preparations in
:oloring their goods and this is certainly
! most serious offense. Cases of this kind
;rop up from time to time. many of
which result fatally. but l know of no
Instance IN which the offender received
he punishment he merited Arsenic is
llso used with dangerous results in paint
ng toys and in coloring trimmings for
'all dresses All these things should be
stopped by the board of health. The
public have enough to engage their atten-
ion IN dealing with the scores of Iegiti-
maze neids OF industry in which the poison {
becomes a valuable agent if handled with
scientific skill A" $