The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-07-27
IN AN ARSENIC MINE.
The Production Of the Deadly Drug
Not Unhealthy To the Miners.

The Production of the Deadly Drug Is
Not Unhealthy to the Miners.
Many points Of interest are brought
out in a description in . technical jour
nal of the way in which arsenic is oh
tained from one of the most famous
mines in England. the Devon Great
Consols The mine. says the Montreal
star was originally worked for copper
alone and would have been abandoned
bu, Tor the discovery that the waste
thrown out as worthless when copper
WI, sought proved rich in arsenic. Al
though copper l. still raj. ed. il Is in
small quantities. and the milc has been
resolved in.o an arsenic works The
arScnicIl Pvritcs consist of twenty-five
to thirty per cent. OF iron twelve and
onc-half to fourteen per cent. of arson
l. and the rest Of earthly matter.
After being crushed this Is sorted by
girls OF from thirteen to sixteen years
Of are. Il l. then washed ami ''ji-ged'
CT sifted and passed on u the first cal
cinCr. where it i burned with low class
coal. and produces arsenic SCOT" so
mixed with smoke SCOT from the coal
as To be a gray color.
The arsenic and SCOT. deposited in
combination in the chimney or con-
denser. are scraped out and taken to
the second calciner for publication.
The calcinyrS consist of revolving iron
drums. through which a fire of anthra-
cite coal is carried on rotating iron
furnaces kept red hot. As the arsenic
SCOT * subjected to the influence OF this
heat he arsenic Il sublimed and con-
dcnsed. This operation has to be care
fully watched. and if the wor!lmcn
burn the arsenic badly they have to
pay for it. Three men in four weeks
viii make one hundred tons of arsenic.
The chimney in which the arsenic Is
condensed Il mile long. 1t i5 carried
to an incline up hill. with iron doors
in the side. AS the hot blast passes
upwards il deposits Il crust of arsenic
crystals on the briclzwOrlI all around to
Il depth Of from two to three inches.
and minute dust of crystals fall To the
floor. The smoke has then to pass into
an upright chimney one hundred and
twenty-five feet high. but just before
doing 50 it has II traverse a shower of
water. which catches what remains of
the arsenic. nothing but SulphurouS
acid being allowed to escape.
The arsenic i liable to produce sores
if permitted to lodge in wrinkles and
folds Of the flesh. or about the mouth
and noStrilS A. rule. however. this
only happens when there iS careless
ness as II personal cleanliness, and the
arsenic workers simply have to wash
themselves thoroughly every day on
returning from work. Otherwise the
work is considered hcalthful. 1t pre-
vents all eczema. and the fumes of sui
phuric acid a. well as the ar>enical
dust. are fatal To germs OF disease.
Most worllmcn remain al the works for
a number Of years without suffering,
bat occasionally the symptoms of ar
Senical poisoning. loss OF appetite. nau-
sea. frontal headache and anaemia de
clare themselves. When this takes
place the work has to be given up en-
tirely. The greatest danger to which
the wurllmen are exposed l. met when
1t Is necessary for anv purpose to enter
the upright shaft. The effect on the
eyes Is most painful and further Gu
riuus evidence Of tn virulcncc of the
pcrvadinr atmosphere becomes mani
fest. The men wear linen garments.
lined with flannel. and the SulPhuric
acid fumes completely destroy the linen
IL a few moments. leaving the flannel
intact. 80 that the men 90 into the
shaft in linen and come out in wool.
Fortunately. ii l. seldom necessary To
enter the shaft. or great loss OF sight
would cnsue.