Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-13
POISON IN WOODS.
Otter the Cause Of Disease and Much
Suffering to Workmen.
From the HGlzmarkt.

From the 6GlZnlaTkt.
Everybody connected with woodwork
ing knows that there is a series OF woods
which have more or less poisonous quail
ties and for this reason can do more o"
LESS damage to those who handle and
especially to those who work them.
More than one good workman has heen
laid up through illness contracted by con-
tact with some sort of poisonous WOOD,
without however. having the slightest
idea of where the danger lay or even that
one existed. But now, as rule. every
new sort of lumber which comes into the
market or is offered for importation is
tested chemically as to its constituents
so that any dangerous property which II
might possess would be likely to come to
light.
Several different kinds Of substances
are contained in one wood or another
which can be considered as daneerous
Sometimes they are widely distributed
alkaloid vegetable poisons, sometimes
acids sometimes. again. essential oils.
And finally there are plants poisonous on
account Of a milky juice. which. for in
stance. is the case with the euphoroioclne.
or VOLTS milk family, which is to be
found all over the world. In central
European ATTITUDES one of this family Is
10 be found large enough to come under
the head of trees. There are. however,
in the so-cailed temperate zones. many
trees tie wood of which is poisonous.
Among these IS the yew, TaSus baccata,
the wood of which is very highly rrized
for its other qualities. but which on ac-
count OF its comparative rarity does not
come very prominently into view aan use.
The Juniper So bina. which does rot grow
in northern Europe. is a representative
of the juniper class, the wood Of which
betrays by its strong and unpleasant odor
its poisonous qualities.
lst;a ,& &c .,,f,
ouently used in the manufacture Of Lead
pencils and other small articles. nd
finally we can recall the well known la
bulnum The wood of which b. reason Of
its poisonous qualities should be excluded
from use.
The diseases which can be caused by
these woods are seldom severe il char
acter, and generally manifest themselves
by headache, nausea and light oefange-
ment of the heart But much more dan
gerous are the results OF working with
several of the exotic woods from africa,
Asia and Australia. This is especially i
the case with the various sorts CT box
wood. Among the most poisonous va
rieties of wood may be considered the
sandal. which receives so much praise. |
and is especially sought after On account !
of its perfume. Various kinds OF rose !
wood which exhale special perfume, |
and especially the Indian variety from
the kmyris balsamifero. despite their per-
fume. are dangerous ard can cause Sc |
we're illness in those working them.
Many of these sorts or wood are used
in medicine. exactly on account of the |
poisonous materials which they contain |
and yield, the healing art, as Is well |
known. making especial use OF poisons to |
effect cures. DR.. Grossman. In an article |
on poisonous woods in the Journal fur |
PEarmazie und Chemie. calls attention |
also TO the coccbolo, the MAZDA tree of |
the Moluccas. the wood Of the nutmeg |
tree. the so-called violet wood and finally |
the popular mahogany. which latter can |
occasion to those working 1t inhamma- |
ton of the pulmonary organs.