The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-02-05
ALICE HAMILTON GETS or DOC BRADY IN DUTCH

In an informative article printed fin this wretched column a few weeks ago, under the infelicitous heading Beware of Lacquer" there appeared this statement: "The solvents in most lacquers are benzene (benzol, not bezin), anilin and nitrobenzenc. These when in- haled are quite poisonous.
 Numerous lacquer manufacturers and officers of paint, varnish and lacquer associations have chided me 50 gently and so courteously about this misstatement that am feeling quite depressed. Frankly, I'm a lacquerophile, If you know what I mean. My notion of having e swell time Is to open at least 4 dozen cans of lacquer, each q beautiful shade, and sail In and touch up everything in sight with 1t. I get a big thrill out of tho way one has to sneak up on the piece of furniture and apply the stuff before 1t can slip out of ones hands, Then when you've got the six colors applied in just the right nonedscript pattern, it's more fun than a game of lawn bowls to sit back and let out your breath Tn ( long "Kee-e-e.e!"
 The paint and lacquer people as- sure me that I'm months or years behind the times. Some kinds OI lacquer in the dim early thirties may have contained little benzoI or even a dash of nitrobenzene, but blessed If they know of any that ever had anilin in 1t. Anilln Is used only for shoe dressings or dyes and such stun.
 Upshot of the whole sad affair is that suppose now I'll nave 10 buy a new edition of Alice in Won derland--I mean Alice Hamilton's Industrial Poisons in the United States" My edition of that med- ical classic, by Alice Hamilton, 4: M. M. D., (wOmen are doing great things in medicine these dayD, published way back in 1925, men, tions the manufacture Of Iacqpers as one of the largest commercial uses of benzene (benzoD:
 AS a matter of fact, the paint, varnish and lacquer people assure mo, benzene (benzol) has been al- most entirely discontinued py the American paint, varnish and lac- QuGE lHuuDtEys ~ W&b 0OS0 S0sSt v ago in quick drying paints, but to- day is found only in certain spo- ciai iacquers for sealing cans or for roller coating metallic surfaces in factories, but not in lacqucrs sold to the general public. LacQuers to-day, the kind sold to the public, contain only coin- paratively harmless solvents suca anatatA afhW M 0lnnhnf. fAs Iuene. and for certain special pur- poses, amyi acetate ("banana oiPD. am glad to have this oppor. tunity to reassure our readers that we may continue dabbling in lac- auer to our hearts content without much risk of needing medical at- tention after each artistic job. But Tin disappointed in Alice. I'm going to give that girl just one more chance. This time 1 hope she'll give a fellow e run for his money. The 1925 edition was Il good buy, though. Darn few books | in the medical arts will stay back of you for ten years!
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Porter. atf. Has porter any medical vaiuAY w HUI ID At1 1ASVAVhAN ~vsss~~ss "
 Answer--No. It contains s per cent alcohol.
 sulphur and AfoIasses In making sulphur and moiasseb do you add water? Should you take 1t before or after mealsY CD. P.)
 Answer--No, just mix about equal quantities of flowers of stiI- phur powder with the fItolasses. Better take it only at bedtime. It is merely a mild laxative, with no other remedial effect, so far aS l know. ,as.@ .
 Surgeons Knot
 You once referred to the differ. ence between surgeons knot and ] the ordinary knot. (Ma1e Man). Answer--surgeon ties c single knot twice around, and double knot with the last tic or hitch re- versed. This prevents slipping ana loosening of the knot under ten- sion.
 | Mole
 Large dark mole on my baclsi shows through dresgeesn Please nd. vise way to cover it up so 1t will not show % pIainly. (A. s.)
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