Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-08-02


We have made frequent protests against
the iudscrimnate and careless use of poi
sons like Paris green and London purple
Having seen scores Of reckless articles ad
vising the use of these poisons for spray
ing fruit trees and for killing insects ON
garden vegetables we are glad to call at
tention to the following article taken from
Popular Gardening
At the last meeting Of the Social Science
association, reports proved that not one
New England homestead out of twenty is
conducted on correct sanitary principles.
The cellar, as yet built and used, is still al
most invariably pestilential adjunct to
homes Probably the only means of avoid
ing the danger arising from these dug outs,
will be to dispense with them altogether.
In their place we should build underground
storehouses separate from the houses
Certainly it has become criminal affair
to reside and rear children above damp
rooms in which are stored large quantities
of vegetables and fruits undergoing slow
process of decomposition. The most care
full attention to ventilation and removal of
waste will not keep such apartments safe
when located under our living and sleeping
rooms Recent scientific investigation has
shown it to be beyond question that the ty
phoid fevers and diphtheria, with thous-
and minor forms of disease, are traceable
to precisely these causes. The skilled ply
sician finding the disease, Immediately
searches for a neglected cellar or sewer, or
poison infested well
But desire to call attention to some 9th.
er sources of danger.
At this moment | am suffering from a
unique and vet not uncommon sort of poi
soning. Having placed a lawn chair, GOV
cred with coat of cheap green paint, in
my study, the arsenic contained in the
/ paint was volatized by the heat of the ra
| diator until my whole system was penetrat
ed by the mineral. 1t will be months he
fore | will recover my health. The use Of
arsenicated paints is growing more an,
more common, but should never be toler
ated on furniture or walls inside the house
Green shades of wall paper are to be avoid
ed as probably containing arsenic. Who'll,
families have been poisoned by such appar
emily harmless decorations. The eXtensiv,
use now made of Paris green and othe
arsenical poisons should be warning to us
Some of our abest physicians insist tina
there are forms of disease traceable direct
" to the presence of arsenic in the potato
This doubt and vet 1t seems certain tina
the use of arsenic ON vegetation, more o
less checking the perfectly healthy devel
opment of the leaves, produces a chemica
change in the tubers detrimental to health
1t is getting to be almost impossible to pur
chase potatoes entirely free from tinge q
bitterness, while IA very large part of tn
potatoes that find their way to market ar
quite unfit for use Many farmers use fiv
or ten times as much Paris green on pc
tato field as is necessary for the purpose c
destroying the Colorado beetle. The praC
tice of sprinkling Paris green into cabbag
heads is criminal and inexcusable ! hav
recently seen the account of five person
having been killed 10y the use of such cal
bages.
Probably there is no direct danger fror
the recently derived method Of sprayiu
apple and plum trees to the fruit eater, bl
there is serious danger to those who hand
the poisons Paris green should be use
and stored with every precaution "
are getting quite too familiar with the drr
and are losing our fear of it.
Still another source of extreme dang,
to farmers families is the use of lead phi
and lead solder on iron pipes. This +,
precipitate solder is daubed on carelessly
ignorant plumbers on pipes that are thru
into our wells. One autumn | had remov,
, all lead pipes from my well, replacing the
. with iron pipes but more mischief folloN
ed from the solder during the next thr
months than would have followed the Il
of lead pipes in five years. Every mel
4 Der of the family was poisoned, and o
d nearly lost his life. Others have been pc
soned with the lead faucets in vinegar al
q cider barrels. A vast amount of sufferi
and i'll health might be traced to su
causes.