The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-04-26
ARSENIC EATERS.
The styrians Arc Addicted to the Use OF the
Deadly Drug.

For many years the habit OF arsenic
eating by the people OF Styria, duchy
of Austria, has been known to the
scientific world. Travellers who have
! passed through Styria have come back
with reports on this practice, saying
that the people of this country were
accustomed to taking white mlneral'
which was arsenic.
That this was so was denied oy
MANY. who said that the mineral taken
was nothing more nor less than chalk
There was much discussion over the
matter. and the subject proved ltsen
of such interest and importance that
, scientific societies took the question
up and investigated at, and 1t was
, pretty we'll proven that such a usage
! did exist, but not SO widespread as
A was generally supposed. Many ph1y
t sicians have gone there simply to IN
l vestigate this practice of arsenic eat
S ing. While some Of them have found
II out much about the custom, Others
Il have come away no wiser than they
y went. owing to the secrecy whlcf
r exists among those addicted to th'
habit. AS it is against the law tt
u obtain arsenic without prescription
IS from a physician, of course those wh'
" do so are anxious to keep it quiet
o There are also found among tn
&c peasants of Salzburg and Tyrol thos
t. who follow the same practice' l
ih these regions several arsenic work
is are situated, and the only way tn
I'd employes can stand the polsonoot
C. fumes is by taking the drug INTERNAL
I'd at first in small doses and gradual
be increasing the dose until the syste
of tolerates large quantities.
an 1t is probably from these arsen
Fry workers that the custom spread
er others, principally to the lower class'
an as hunters, wood cleavers, stat
ho grooms and charcoal burners. !
aw forms of arsenic are taken-the PIT
or arsenic, the red sulphide and I
yellow sulphide, or orpiment.
The arsenic eaters began with
t dose about the size of a pms he'
and increase this amount gradua
the until they are taking piece abb
nce the size Of pea.
it The habit is generally begun at
uch age OF fifteen and continued up to
,ept ages of seventy and seventy-hve. !
INV. users of hidri, as arsenic is knc
o is among the peasants, are gener'
IDLY long lived people, but unless at
arh age of fifty they commence to gra
ney ally discontinue the use OF it, t
ner- invariably die a sudden death,
ting the fact that death occasionally oc'
cous from poisoning by hidri eating sh
wing that even the Styrians are not lnvl
! get Bile to the deadly effects OF this q
ally. The reason for this custom is as
f. 7. ed by some to be for their pers
,e. appearance, but the fact that the I
per exists principally among the male
disproves this. 1t is said by the |
ants themselves that it is done to n
,os them strong ard healthy, and
''0 really are strong and healthy PEI
Nav Enormous quantities of the
Lady are taken by some OF 'hem. IN ~
d 1t we'll authenticated case, the ma
de in manager of some arsenic works,
gifted daily a dose of twenty three g
: The each dose large enough to Kill Sc
napa. men unaccustomed to its use. An
strange thing about this case is.
Edith man began it first by taking
story, grams, an amount ",'ol W.
Odds consider decldeoly dangerous
ote of several occasions he attempte
" sur leave off taking the drug, bu
pond made violently i'll, only to recoy
resuming his usual allowance
t." by in9ton STAR
;ao ~ A Humorous Fact.