The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-03-17
INJURIOUS FURS.
Poisonous Chemicals Are Ised In
Their CoIOriag.

Poisonous Chemicals Are L seo IN
/ Their CoIOring.
| There have been within the past few
seasons a number OF cases of irritation
Of tlae skin of the outside of the throat.
| These have been attributed 10 several
| causes. but finally have been traced 70
| the wearing of fur collars or boas. The
| first symptoms were a slight eruption,
then a pronounced rash and finally an
acute Inflammation that caused very
serious discomfort.
The doctor who attributed the
trouble to the fur declared that some
poisonous chemical must have been
used in its curing, and had the fur ex-
amined for arsenic and mercurial COM
pounds, but failed to find any traces Of
dangerous or even injurious drugs.
The fur theory was beginning 10 fall
into disrepute when some one suggest
ed that the cause might be mechanical
rather than chemical, and the furs were
examined under n microscope and test
ed as TO their ability TO inflict injuries
by contact with the skin. 1t was found
that many Of the hairs were very stiff
and sharp pointed, sufficiently so to
cause the irritation complained of.
This discovery led to a careful looking
over of large number of furs, when
II was suggested that the fur of old ami
mais might be more rigid and irritat-
ing than that of young ones. This in
turn seemed not TO be n plausible the
DRY, as almost all animals shed their
coats yearly, and therefore the fur is
new, or, at least, partially so. A rather
he a h., hot L.
in the quality OF their fur as human be-
ings do in the quality of their hair. We
all know people whose locks are almost
as coarse as bristles and others whose
tresses are like floss silk. Why should |
not all animals be the same? There is !
a surprising difference in the coats of |
horses and cattle, and there is no rea-
son TO suppose that those creatures |
that furnish the material for our fur |
garments are subject to any different
peculiarities.
As it is an admitted fact that a large
of persons are very susceptible
to anything in the way of rough or
scrdtchy clothing. it would be we'll for
this class of individuals TO take pains
in buying furs, and select only those
With the softest possible hairs
Some children and. indeed, adults as
we'll, are made uncomfortable to the
'erge of misery by ordinary qualities
1f flannel underwear or hosiery. Only
he finer grades can be tolerated, and
hese only after they have been washed.
/ is very easy to say that such peculiar
ties are fancy and foolishness. When
hey occur in adults they may possibly
re so, but little children. too young to
understand why they suffer, are some
lines tortured for years before anyone |
lnds out what is the matter with them. |
And thousands of grown-up people
ndure all sorts of little discomforts | I
nd distresses in silence partly because
hey have been brought TO think II fool a
sh to complain and partly for THE rea- /
on that they really know no other way a
D get along. and as they have from r
heir cradles been taught to think they d
aust suffer just about so much. they l
ave turned philosophers and have v
earned TO grin and bear it."
All of our lives we have heard that l
must eat our peck of dirt during our
lrthly career, but There is no reason c
by we should take it with a table Il
boon or look with any degree of COM
lacency on those who cater to our ap- a
cities If they are culpably careless, or II
lat we should be annoyed ard irritat- u
by trifies that we can easily cure or
Fod.-N. Y. Ledger Ia