Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-09-27
was to rest, going to their homes as if
nothing out of the way had happened,
and feeling as we'll as usual.

was " IeSt, SOlnS W tHelI MONIES as II
nothing out of the way had happened
and feeling as we'll as usual.
In each case, almost exactly four
hours to minute after the men had
subjected themselves to the acid
fumes, they became distressed, and in
less than an hour every one was dead
having suffered untold tortures mean.
while. An autopsy was held on one
of the bodies, and it was found that
there had been complete cautery or
soaring of the inner surface of the lin
ings OF the lungs, making it impossi-
BILE for the blood to absorb oxygen or
to give off carbonic acid, and thus be-
come purified. In other words, these
men were smothered to death, the
gradual effect of the acid being ex-
plainable from the fact that the fumes
as breathed in were diluted highly
with air. For such poisoning there is
positively no antidote. Remedies for
acids that have been swallowed are ef-
fective sometimes, if taken quickly, for
such remedies may be swallowed, but
you can't force liquid remedies into
the lungs, and nothing antidotal to
acids that can be inhaled has been dis.
covered as yet.
The precautions taken in acid man-
ufacture differ according to the sub.
stance made. Inhalers containing
sponges often are used. Sometimes
the sponges are saturated in plain
water; but often they are soaked ia a
solution OF something just as deadly as
the fumes to be guarded against,
though OF a neutralizing tendency.
Thus, ammonia is neutralized with
acetic or wood vinegar, itself deadly
poison in certain forms.
Some pOisons are manufactured
under an iron "hood," or in little
room which the workmen never enter
while the process is going on. This
hood has one opening. set with glass
at about the level OF the eyes, through
which he may watch the process and
see to do his part, and another, not
fitted with glass, near the floor,
through which tools for handling the
stuff can be thrust. The top of the
hood, or room, is open to the air
through chimney, or otherwise, and
| . ooast~mt-drsesht- il kept up by tho
heat OF the operation, il there be suf-
6cient, and by fans If there isn't, so
that all the poisonous smells and va
pors are carried into the open. There
they mix with air 70 as to lose their
deadly qualities, and, in fact, rarely
descend to earth at all, though there
are exceptions in some establishments,
such as ore-reducing concerns. which
use quantities of cyanide aud other
extremely deadly compounds.
1t is to aid in getting rid of the dan
gerous gases that the actual manuiac.
ture Of poisons is carried forward usu-
ally in the top story, the product de-
scending from floor to floor, till it
reaches the level OF the street, where
the boxing and shipping is done.
Mercurial poisons are most danger
GUS to make, and no amount of precau.
tions can render their manufacture
safe. The subtle vapors of mercury
cannot be carried away entirely by
means of the hood, nor can they be
neutralized by any type OF inhaler yet
discovered.
Altogether the worst mercurial com.
pound is bichloride of mercury, COM
monty known as corrosive sublimate.
The fumes of this poison produce the
most painful results in q short time.
In 10 minutes there is running OF the
eyee, nose and mouth; great desire to
expectorate follows, and then shiver.
ing. nausea and headache, There is
high fever and the finger nails turn
blue. Death surely follows lack OF
speedy relief, and the precautions
taken to guard against the escape OF
the fumes are exceedingly elaborate.
Compounds Of phosphorus are hard
to manage likewise. hence the many
stories printed and told of necrosis, or
rapid decay Of the teeth and bones
among employees of match factories.
Quinine comes from Peruvian bark.
Eaten in quantities such as would he
delicious were the substance powdered
sugar, which it resembles greatly,
quinine kills. Quinine is Of much Of
the same appearance 40 atropine.
another vegetable substance, and
well.known physician of New York
came near losing his life owing to his
inability to distinguish them apart.
Two great bins of wonderfully at
tractive looking crystalized powders
were shown TO him. "That is Qui-
nine," said the guide, pointing to q
couple of tons OF the powder which
conquers fevers and ague. The doc
tor stood next to another bin, also
containing a lovely crystallized pow
der, and he put forth his moistened
finger to take q taste OF the Quinine.
The guide stood some feet away, but
with a cry he rushed forward, seized
the doctor by the arm and dashed his
hand aside, barely in time to prevent
his tasting the powder.
THAT is atropine, DOCTOR" he said,
gasping, not quinine."
Even the doctor turned pale, for the
taste OF atropine be narrowly escaped
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