The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-12-03

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t"asiasfed usaitht.
Many points II Interest afe brought ont
~ description W technical Journal oi NE
way ~ which arsenic a. ohiained from one
% The most famous minss w England The
Devon Great Consoi- The milne wa orig
lneily worked for copper alone. and would
have been abandoned but for the discovers
that the waste thrown out ~ WORTHLESS
when the copper was sought proved rich IN
arsenic Although copper 4 still raised. n
u IN small quantities, and the mine has
been resolved into nm arsenic works The
arsenic pyritcs consist ~ 20 10 ~ per cent
VI iron, 1875 TO u per cent Of arsenic and
The rest Of earthly matter
After being crushed. this IL sorted by girls
from % 10 70 yearSof age II isthen washed
and "jigged % or sifted, and passed on 10 the
hfst calciner, where II Il burned with low
class ocal aud produces arsenic SCOT
that u. arsenic 40 mixed with smoke SCOT
from the ccal ~ 70 be- gray color The ar.
senic and SCOT. deposited In combination In
the chimney, or condenser, are scraped ont
and taken to the second calciner for purih.
cation. These ralcincrs consist II revolving
iron drums, through which n FIRE II anthra
cite coal Is carried on rotating iron furnace.
cd TO the influence II this heat the arsenic
II sublimed aud condensed.
This operation has to be carefully
watched. and IL the workmen burn the ar
henic badly they have 20 pay for IL. Thre,
men In four weeks will make 100 tons Of mr.
senic The chimney IN which the arsenic Il
condensed is a mile long. II "a carried on
mn incline up hill, with iron doors In the
side. As the hot blast passes upward Il de
posits n crust Of arsenic crystals on III,
brickwork all around to depth Of frou
two to three inches, and minute dust q
crystals falls TO the floor. The smoke ha,
then to pass into an upright chimney l2l
feet high. but just before doing 80 1t has Il
traverse a shower of water, which catche
what remains Of the arsenic, nothing bu
sulphurous acid being allowed TO escape
The arsenic Ia liable to produce sores !
permitted to lodge In wrinkles and folds o
the flesh or about the mouth aud nostrils
As n rule, however, this only happens whei
there IL care.essness as TO personal cleanli
ness, and the arsenic workers simply hav,
to wash themselves thoroughly every day
on returning from work.
Otherwise the work is considered healthy
1t prevents all eczema, and the fumes o
sulphuric acid, as well as the arsenical dust
are fatal to germs Of the disease Mos
workmen remain at the works for a mum
Der Of years without suffering but occa
sionally the symptoms OF arsenical poison
ing-loss Of appetite, nausea, frontal head
ache and anamia - declare themselves
When this takes place, the work has to b
given up entirely.
The greatest danger to which the work
men are exposed is met when II Is necessar
for any purpose TO enter the upright shaft
The effect on the eyes is most painful, nn'
a further curious evidence Of the virulenc
Of the peryading atmosphere becomes man
! fest. The men wear linen garments line
/ with flannel, and the sulphuric acid fume
completely destroy the linen In few mt
ments, leaving the flannel intact, 30 tina
the men go into the shaft in linen and com
out clad in wool. Fortunately II Is seldom
! necessary to enter the shaft or great loss c
sight would ensue.