Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-09-01
WHAT POISON-EATING MEANS.
There is n Horrible Side as Well as a
Pleasing One.
from the London Standard.l


From the London Standard
1t is not generally known that the
strange habit of eating poison prevails
very extensively on the continent, and in
recent years the number of persons in
Great Britain addicted to this injurious
and dangerous practice has greatly in
creased. The aim of the poison eaters is
two fold, one object being to obtain a
fresh, healthy appearance and acquire a
certain degree of embonpoint. On this
account many young ladies make use of
the dangerous arsenic that they may make
themselves attractive in the eyes of the
opposite sex, and il is really astonishing
with what favorable results their efforts
are attended. The second aim of the psi-
son eaters is to improve their breathing
capacities anR render respiration easier
With this object in view the practice of
eating arsenic is almost universal among
the peasantry of the mountainous districts
of Austria, Hungary and France, and
they ascend with ease heights which they
could only otherwise climb with great dis
tress to the chest.
The dose of arsenic with which the poi
son eaters begin consists, according to the
confessions of some of them, of a piece
the size of lentil, which in weight would
quantity, which they take fasting several
mornings in the week, they confine them
selves for considerable time; and then
gradually and very carefully they increase
the dose according to the effect produced.
II is well TO observe that the symptoms of
chronic arsenical poison never show them
selves in individuals who adapt the dose to
their constitution, even though that dose
should be considerable. II is not less
worthy of remark, however, that if from
any cause the perilous indulgence is
stopped, symptoms of illness are sure to
appear, which have the closest resem-
blance to those produced by poisoning
from arsenic. These symptoms consist
principally in a feeling of general discom-
fort, attended by a perfect Indifference to
all surrounding persons and things. great
personal anxiety, and a number of dis
tressing sensations arising from the diges-
tive organs, and for all these symptoms
there is but one remedy-a return to the
enjoyment of arsenic.
According to inquiries made ON the sub
iect, it would seem that the habit of eat
ing arsenic has not grown into a passion.
as is the case with the opium eaters in the
east, the chewers of the betel nut in India
and Polynesia, and of the cocoa tree
among the natives of Peru. When once
commenced, however, it becomes a neces-
sity.
Some persops use snblimate of quick
silver in the same way. There is an au-
thenticated case of q great opium eater
who daily consumed the enormous qIlanti-
ty of forty grains .of corrosive sublimats
with his opium. - 1nItsthe mountainous
parts of Peru eaters of corrosive subli-
mate are frequently met with, and in Bo-
livia this practice is still more frequent,
and the poison is openly sold in the mar
kets. These facts are interesting as refer
ring to poisons of quick and deadly ma
ture. Our ordinary ''indulgences" in this
country are the same in kind, though not
in degree, for we are all poison eaters. To
say nothing of our opium and alcohol con-
sumers, our teetotallers are delighted with
the briskness and sparkle OF spring water,
although these qualities indicate the pres
ence of carbonic acid or fixed air. In like
manner few persons will object to a drop
or two of the frightful corrosive. sulphu-
ric acid (vitrioD in a glass of water, to
which it communicates an agreeably acid
taste; and most of us have, at some peri
od or other of our lives, imbibed prIissic
acid, arsenic and other deadly pOisons un-
der the order of the physician, or the first
of these in the more pleasing form of con
fectionery.
Arsenic is said to be as harmless as
glass of wine in the quantity of one-six
teenth part of a grain. and in the cure o.
agues it is so certain in its effects that tn
French directory once issued an edict t.
the surgeons of the italian army. unds
pain of military punishment. to banisl
that complaint at two or three days no
tice from among the vast numbers of sol
diers who were languishing under it in til,
marshes of Lombardy. 1t would appear
that no poison taken in small and diluted
doses Is Immediately hurtful, and the sam'
thing may be said of other agents. This
tap of fan, for instance, Is a blow. anG
so is the stroke of club: but the on'
gives an agreeable sensation and the othe
| fells the recipient to the ground. In lik
manner the analogy holds good betweel
| the distribution of a blow over a compare
lively large portion of the surface OF tn
body and the dilution or distribution q
the particles of a poison.
The misfortune, however, is that poi
i son swallowed for the sake of the agreea
BILE sensations they occasion owe this ei
feet to their action upon the nervous sys
| TEN, and the action must he kept up by
| constantly increasing dose till the consti
tuition is irremediably injured. In til
| case of arsenic, 50 long as the eXcitemen
is undiminished all is apparently well, bu
| the point is at length reached when to pro
ceed or to turn back is alike certain deatl
The moment the dose is diminished or eI
tirely withdrawn symptoms of poison n
pear, and the victim perishes because h
has shrunk from killing himself. 1t
Just so when the stimulant is alcohol.
The morning experience of the drink
prophesies on every succeeding occasiC
of the fate that awaits him. II may
pleasant tn get intoxicated. but to get $
Der is horror. The time comes. howeve
when the pleasure is mt an end and II
horror alone remains When the habitu
stimulus reaches its highest and the u
dermined constitution can stand no NOR
then comes the reaction If the excit
ment could 60 ON nd infinitnm the progn
sis would be different, but the p0isC
symptoms appear as soon as the dose @
no longer be increased without produciI
| instant death. and the drunsard dies 4
the want of drink. AS for arsenic eatiI
it is to be devoutly hoped that it will new
be added to the madnesses of our countr
but there is unfortunately little room f
doubt that the dreadful practice is gainiI
. ground among us. Medical men. vi
} have better opportunities of Judging al
! knowing of these things than most peop
assure us that il is so, and unfortunate
: certain journals have given publicity to
paragraph describing the agreeable phas
5 of the practice without mentioning
2 | shocking results
3 An individual deliberately condemn
himself to devour this horrible poison,
J an increasing scale during his whole Ii
places himself in the certain position Il
\ If at any time, through accident, neoes
: ty, or other cause, he hold his hand.
l | must die the most agonizing of all deatl
s The number of deaths in consequence
. the immoderate enjoyment of arsenic
not inconsiderable where the pract
largely prevails. particularly among
young. and this is largely the case in CT
!. tinental countries. Every priest who
the cure of souls in those districts VIII,
! the abuse prevails could tell of such tr,
edies, The arsenic eater always conce
as much as possible the employment
a this dangerous poison, and genera
Q speaking, it is only the confessional or
7 deathbed that raises the veil from the
!; rible secret.
The use of arsenic is of every day
currence among horse dealers and Goa
,! men, who administer it regularly TO
n horses for the purpose of improving th
}, appearance. They either shake it in a p
Is verized state among the corn or they Il
II piece the size of a pea in piece of lin
N which they fasten to the curb when
horse is harnessed, and the saliva of {
1t animal soon dissolves it. The sic
g round, shiny appearance of carriage hon
?, and especially the mueh-admired foam
5; at the mouth, is the result of this arse
lie feeding, for arsenic produces an increa
0! salvation. 1t is a common practice
u sarr, Saryauts m straw n niaca of arse