Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-02-13
ARsEN1cAL POISONING.
Said to Be a Cause Of Cancer and
Other Diseases.

For long time it has been known,
says the London Hospital, that ar
senic was capable under certain con-
ditions of producing serious LESSONS.
The very serious outbreak Of arsenic
al poisoning arising from gross con-
tamination Of beer which recently
caused SO much suffering in the north
of England has done much to arouse
interest in the nature of the toxic ac-
ton of arsenic. Much important ma
terial has been collected and numer-
Gus suggestions have opened up fresh
paths for investigation. 1t would
seem that much of the alcoholic neu-
Htis" so long common clinical en-
tity in Manchester and district, was
really of arsenical origin.
1t is, of course, irrational and unr
scientific to jump to the conclusion,
as some have done, that all peripheral
neuritis in alcoholics was of arsenical
caSsation, but the proof is clear that
in some districts arsenic has for many
years been present in appreciable
quantities in malt liquors. There is
also good ground for believing that
the muscular degeneration which SO
conspicuously involved the myocardi-
nm Of beer drinkers, produced the So
called alcoholic dilatation of the
heart" formerly exceedingly COM
mon in Lancashire, also arose in many
cases from the action of arsenic. 1t
would seem that alcohol has the pow
er Of increasing the toxic action Of
arsenic on human tissues.
An attempt has been made to show
that beriberi, an important tropical
disease fortunately but rarely met
with in this country, is also depend
ent on the introduction of arsenic.
The main evidence presented is that
arsenic has been found in the hair of
beriberi patients. But DR.. Patrick
Mason has recently shown that Chi
nese tobacco often contains appre-
cable quantities Of arsenic intro
duced apparently mainly with the
idea Of giving the weed a garlic flavor.
And Gautier, it will be remembered,
has contended that arsenic must be
considered normal constituent of
hair and other human tissues, al
though it must be admitted that such
contention has not received adequate
substantiation.
Mr. Jonathan Hutchinson seeks to
show that arsenic may have an
Geological relationship to cancer. In
the Polytechnic he accepts as proved
that chimney-sweepers' cancer is
caused by the local irritation Of ar
senic 'The fact that neither coal
dust nor wood ashes would cause it
has been long recognized Neither
charcoal burners nor coal miners are
liable to SCOT cancer. It's subjects are
chimney sweepers, stokers, gardeners
and others who come in contact with
coal SCOT. Now coal SCOT contains
large quantities Of arsenic, and the
in chimney sweepers is, in all re-
spects, exactly like that which occurs
occasionally in connection with the
long continued medicinal use of ar
senic. The chain of evidence APP
pears therefore to be complete. -
Mr.. Hutchinson now advances still
a step further "That the habit of
smoking is productive Of cancer may
be taken to be as well established as
that exposure to coal SCOT can cause
it; but we have not yet demonstrated
that in this instance it is the presence
of arsenic in tobacco that is inhuen-
tial." Mr.. Hutchinson is rich in sug-
gestions, but we venture to think
that, until more adequate evidence is
forthcoming, pathologists must alb
stain from any dogmatic expression
which can only hinder progress and
give rise to needless anxiety to the
public.