Year: 1875

From the chicsgo Tribune, Nov. IL.


Yesterday it came TO the ears of the
Tribune that little daughter of well
known resident Of the West Side had
heen poisoned by wearing seal brown col
ored stockings. 1t has been known for
some time past that striped and colored
stockings generally, were dyed with poi
sonous substances, and that there was
danger of being poisoned by them, even
unto death. a reporter sought the faith
er of the child and obtained from him
the following statement:


Not long ago my wife bought some
seal brown stockings for our little girl
from a perfectly reliable firm. A few
days after the child began to wear them
she complained of pain in her feet.
There was also greenish discoloration
ON the soles of the feet which could not
be removed by washing. As the first
stockings were worn only two or three
days, the matter excited no special at
tention, but the soles of her feet were
quite discolored and considerably in
famed. As soon as we noticed the effect
we took off the stockings. But the
strangest part remains to be told. Would
you believe it, the week after there was
a greenish stain upon an undershirt of
my own just over the left breast. no.
ticed it, but thought it was the result of
some carelessness in washing, and gave
it no further attention until, just beneath
the stain, my chest became infiamed and
itchy, with slight pustules forming. l
traced the matter up and found that it
all came from the brown stockings which
had stained the shirt Even at second
hand the poison was SO violent as to
leave its effect upon myself And to-
day-it is some four days since / took off
the undershirt, having worn it about
half a week-I still perceive the red
mark corresponding to the stained spot,
and feel the itchiness and irritation of
the skin"


The reporter obtained the stockings
and took them to an analytical chemist
who now has them under examination.
The chemist, on inspecting the stockings,
said that they contained mineral poi
son, and gave the following interesting
facts concerning the use of arsenic in
aniline dyes: There ought to be some
method adopted by which the poisoning
of clothing could be prevented. Arse
mic is generally used largely in the
brighter colors of aniline dyes, and late
ly in the darker ones, by unprincipled
men. They ought to be forced to know
that this is crime, punishable by law.
There are poisons in great many things
in general use, and | believe to-day no
less than 5000 persons are being slowly
but surely poisoned to death in Chicago
| have given this matter serious atten-
ton. Certain cosmetics and face pow
ders are made up largely of white lead,
which is an extremely dangerous poison.
Arsenic is used in the aniline colors for
the purpose of oxydation. 1t is an out
rage to use arsenic, for chloride of pot
ash, sulphate of copper, bichromate of
potash, peroxate of lead, and numerous
other articles well known in chemistry
might be employed for the purpose. But
the manufacturers and dyers use arsenic
because it is cheaper than the other
drugs mentioned, and more convenient
in many respects. The greenish discoI-
Grafton Of the skin is caused by the ac-
tion of the perspiration on the dyeing
matter. ANY poison introduced into the
system must naturally run with the cir
culation of the blood In this way it is
liable to cause death or permanent inju-
ry. | know of no case where death has
been caused, but the poison is capable
of doing it, The fact is, people general
ly notice these things and cut off the
cause in time to prevent death, but not
always the permanent injury which is
liable to result. Corrosive sublimate
would have the same effect as arsenic.
In my estimation, the brighter aniline
colors are the more dangerous all, how
ever, are more or less SO, as at present
Aniline dyes might be
made safe by using the substitute already
There is no virulent poison
in any of them"


The reporter heard of a number of
other cases of poisoning by wearing
striped and deeply colored stockings.
One instance was that of lady residing
on the west side, one of whose legs is
very much infamed, and who is now,
and has been for three weeks, under a
physicians care. There are also a num-
Der of children affected.


MAKING PAPER BARRELs.-The pro.
cess of making paper barrels, which. IL