The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-09-12
ynte1liyetater.
Women Who Eat Arsenic.

Women who Eat ArseAic,
The sensational trial, conviction, sen.
tence and communication of sentence of
Mrs. Maybrick, charged with poisoning
her husband, and her defense, through
which she claimed that the presence of
arssnical fly paper in her boudoir vas for
toilet purposes, have turned public
attention to the use of this poison by
women of fashion. Mrs. Maybrick
endeavored to explain away the presence
Of the poison by alleging its use for the
improvement of her complexion. She
explained how she skillfully prepared it
for toilet purposes, and, in view Of the
strictness of English law regarding the
sales of poison when not absolutely q
necessity, her explanation would proba'
bly, have been accepted By the court and
her diversions from the path of wifely
daty been less notorious.
It is appalling to note how the demand
for arsenic has increased of late years.
Before the anterprisiDg American women
of the middle s:olass discovered the
complexion::improving qualities of the
deadly drug, its use was confined to
wealthy women of fashion, Soon all
women began to learn of the desirable
pale pink tint impaired to the skin when
arsenic mas judiciously taken, and drug
gists began to find in arsenic profitable
source Of revenue.
Druggists do not deny (nor do reputa.
BILE phyuiciaus) that arsenic carefully
administered maysimprove the complex.
ion or even benefit the system under
certain conditions. But they deplore the
prodigal use which the poisonous drug
has reached. English law is so strict
regarding the sale of such drugs that
conscientious apothecaries refuse to
supply customers except upon the pre-.
acription Of q physician. In America
the laws are more lax, and the most
trivial;excuse given by the lady customer
will pave the way for the purchase Of
arsenic which an unscrupulous customer
may apply to an unlawful purpose.
a well-known druggist makes the
statement thas fly paperis largely used
in England by women for the same
purpose TO which Mrs. May ybrick devoted
it. Soaking, the paper in water will
extract sthe arsenic from the sheet and
transfer the poison to the liquid. tits
then applied to the skin or drank in
minute doses with the resultwhich; so
apparent in Mrs. Maybrick's appearance.
4 Like the opium habit, arsenic eating
grows upon the victim, and its work is
slow but sure. Arsenic is used for
amounting purposes, too, by large mum.
bers Of working girls who toilin, themills
and factories. They have not yet learned
the art of eating the drug, and employ it
in crude fashion by disso!ving the
lubstance in water and applying it in
lotion.like form to the face and hands.
lis beautiful effects are not so quickly
apparentas are those of arsenic eating,
but sooner or later tho foolish victims of
the poisonous drug contract an appetite
for it, and their death is but matter Of
months.
8 Ills not possible to estimate the mum.
Der of deaths among women for which
the use Of arsenic is responsible, owing
To- their secrecy in using the drug. But
8 goodly proportion Of ao.called blood
poisoning cases can be traced to an
ignorant use Of arsenic. There is no
denying the fact that its use is daily
increasing: American women, favored
by the looseneSs of laws governing
druggists, are enabled to buy arsenic in
its pure state, and do not take kindly
to Ay paper. Doubtless they sympathize
with Mrs. Maybrick whose confession
has laid before the & world ths dire
emergency toWhich3 women arsenic slaves
in England have been reduced. With
characteristic American independence,
II 80 =