The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1898-01-28
INJURIOUS FURS.
P..-onous Chemicals -. Used IN
Their CoIoring.

There have been within the past few
seasons a number of cases Of irritation
Of tf7e skin Of the outside of the throat.
These have been attributed 10 several
causes. but finally have been traced 10
the wearing Of fur collars or bOas. The
first symptoms were a slight eruption.
then a pronounced rash and finally 2
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 Ia its curing. and bad the fur ex-
smipcd for arsenic and mercurial CON-
pounds. but failed TO find any traces Of
dangerous or even injurious drugs.
The fur theory was beginning TO fall
into disrepute when some one suggest
ed that the cause might be mechanical
rather than chemical. and the furs were
examined under a microscope and test
ed as to their ability to infiict injuries
by contact with the skin. II 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 4 large number of furs, when
il was suggested that the fur of old ami
mails might be more rigid and irritat-
ing than that of young ones. This IN
turn seemed not TO be plausible the
ory, as almost all animals shed their
coats yearly. and therefore the fur is
new. or. at least. partially so. \ rather
better reason may be that animals vary
in the quality of their fur as human be-
ings do in the quality of their hair. We
ali 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 10 suppose that those creatures
that furnish the material for our fur
garments are subject to any different
peculiarities.
As il is an admitted fact that large
number of persons are very susceptible
10 anything in the way of rough or
scratchy clothing. it would be well for
this class of individuals 10 take pains
IN buying furs, and select only those
with the softest possible hairs.
Some children and. indeed. adults as
well, are made uncomfortable to the
verge of misery by ordinary qualities
of flannel underwear or hosiery. Only
the finer grades can be tolerated. and
these only after they have been washed.
/; is very easy to say that such peculiar
tiles are fancy and foolishness. When
they occur in adults they may possibly
be so. but little children. too young to
understand why they suffer. are some
times tortured for years before anyone
finds out what is the matter with them.
And thousands Of grown-up people
endure all sorts Of little discomfo-ts
and distresses in silence partly because
they have been brought to think il fodl-
ish to complain and partly for the rea-
son that they really know no other way
to get along. and as they have from
their cradles been taught to think they
must suffer just about so much, they
have turned philosophers and have
learned TO grin and bear it,"
All of our lives we have heard that
VIC must eat our peck of dirt during our
earthly career, but there is no reason
why we should take it with a table
spoon or look with any degree of com
placency on those who cater to our an
petites if they are culpably careless. or
that we should be annoyed and irritat-
ed by trifles that we can easily cure or
avoid.-N. Y. Ledger.