Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-02-27
A DANGEROUS TRADE
RISKS THAT THOSE ENGAGED IN MAX
ING POlSONS RUN.

Some of the Acids Manufactured Are
So Fatal TO Lie That to Even In
hale Their Fumes Would Mean Ger
tnIr Death.
II is not generally known that Gin
cinnati has within her confines n half
dozen factories that manufacture every
day enough deadly poiSons TO annihi-
late the entire population OF the city.
These factories are carefully guarded
from oil intruders. and even the en-
ployees have TO be skilled in their
work and be well aware of the risk
they take before Ambulance is granted.
Some OF the pOiSonS are so deadly
that inhaling the fumes that arise from
their manufacture would mean certain
death. This is especially the case with
anhydrOus acid. 4 drug that is never
placed on the market in its pure state.
and even in the chemists laboratory il
is handled with all the care that would
be given 20 poisonous reptile. If the
fumes of this acid should escape the
chemist would never live TO tell the
tale. The man who discovered il was
killed by inhalinS its fumes. and other
men have met similar deaths.
Probably the most dangerous OF the
drugs manufactured here is the cy-
anide of potassium. Its fumes are
said not TO lee poisonous. and one can
work in the room where il is manufac-
tured without fear. except that he
must not touch il. The slightest guam
tity OF the poison in its pure state
would Kill instantly if swallowed. The
fumes arising from IL have rather a
pleasant odOr, and II Is said that IL
produces 4 witching effect upon the
WOrkmcn. The finished poison looks
like cryStallized sugar. and as you gaze
on il and smell the fascinating odor
there is strong temptation TO taste
il. The fascination is probably much
like that which draws a man over a
steep precipice. Al any rate. the at
traction 10 taste OF the poison Is so
well recognized that a workman is
never allowed to remain alone In the
room where il is being manufactured.
Nitric and SulphUric acids are poi
sons equally fearful in their results
when once liberated. These poisons
eat away and through almost any
thing. and they can only be kept i'm
carboyS. When one Of these carbovs
Is broken. the factory is doomed. The
acid spreads round and begins 10 eat in
70 everything it touches and incidental
ly sets everything infammable on fire.
To collect the acid or TO pour anything
over IL to cOunteract its effects Is an
impOSsihility. As il burns and spreads
around its fumes become deadly i'm
their effect. and fremen attempting 10
put out the flames would suffer. The
fumes do not kill at once but If breath
ed for II hours they poison the sys-
tenn. and death Ofttimes results.
The fumes OF corrosive sublimate
are as deadly rs almost any poison.
and in factories where the drug is
made the greatest care Is used 10 pre-
vent them from escaping.
There are many other D0iSons made
for commercial use that are only a lit
tie less powerful. hut nearly all Of them
are diluted when placed on the mar
ket Some OF these are yellow prus-
slate OF potash. nitrate OF silver. ace
tate OF lead and copper. ferrocyanide
OF potash. white and red lead and
many other poiSons. BY their being d.
luted the danger OF using and handling
is minimized.
There is one factory I'm Cincinnati
that does n thriving business securing
nitrate of silver from cast of photOg-
rapherS' stock and still another that
makes the drug in n crude way. The
proprietor Of the latter establishments
is 4 native Of Switzerland. and the gar
ret OF his house is his workshop Some
time ago he was overcome by the
fumes from his crucibleS and came
near dying. He had met with a young
German learning the trade. and the ap-
prentice suddenly quit his job when
he discovered that his skin was turn
Ing n blush hue.
The accidents that have resulted from
handling this class of poisons are many
Several years ago a carboy OF nitric
acid was accidentally broken In fac
tory in Eastern avenue. and the acid
began TO have its way without opposi-
ton. II sOOu started the interior Of tie
factory on fire. and il was eating its
way into an adjoining room. where
large quantities OF other pOisonS were
stored. Several wOrkmcn volunteered
10 put out the flames and 20 check the
acid in its deadly work. Several hours
were occupied before they succeeded,
and when matters seemed all right
they returned home. The next day all
were sick. and one OF the men died the
fumes OF the acid having been inhaled
and enough Of the poison absorbed 10
cause death. - Cincinnati Commercial
Tribune.