Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1892 — PARALYSIS FROM ARSENIC. [ARTICLE]

PARALYSIS FROM ARSENIC.

Poison In Wall Paper and Its Effects Upon Health. “Arsenic in wall paper?" That was the subject of the hearing before the Public Health Committee in the green-room at the State House yesterday. Senator Gilman, of Newton, presided, and at the appointed time called the meeting to order. .. Arsenic in wall paper and its effects upon life has been the subject of considerable comment of late, but what truth or falsity there may belli the question was the subject-matter of to-day’s hearing. Henry Saltonstall, Treasurer and Manager of the Pacific Mills, was next heard. He said: “I am in favor, of a commission which would decide what amount of arsenic should be used. When we cannot determine the amount to be used without endangering life I think that the Legislature should determine.” Dr. Francis 11. Brown, of the Children’s Hospital, next spoke as follows: “Several years ago I had a large number of cases which resulted in finding the presence of arsenic. Then some persons grew well on beiug removed from certain rooms, and grew worse on being taken back. The very insidiousness is a part of the danger, and is only discovered by examination and study. “We do not ask that the use of arsenic be prohibited, but that it be so to a dangerous amount. We are not fighting against the trace of arsenic, but the amount of color.

“We find paper-hangers frequently affected with sores on their hands, face, and affections of the nose, which no doubt is due to arsenic. “A sample of paper referred to in 1872 contains 8 07-100-grains of arsenic to the square inch. Here is one (showing a sample) with over five grains of arsenic to the yard, nut kindergarten, but wall; here is a card which belongs to the dispensary, and here is a cloth, plum color, worn by one of our prominent physicians who was very susceptible to arsenic. “I canno.t tell you the amount which should be used to the square yard, but should imagine that l-50th of a grain would be safe. “Wall paper on ten years will not give off yearly one-tenth of its arsenical contents, because there are so many things to consider. . The first year morearsenicwillbegivenoff than in the second, because the coating of the first protects the second in a measure. The danger is growing less each succeeding year as far as quantity is concerned, but not as concerns effect, but the charge is by no means the less.

“This room surrounded by paper will give off arsenic until you take off all the paper. As long as the paper remains upon the wall it is just as dangerous as ever; that is, you shovel sand # from a certain place, there is sand there until the sand is all removed. As long as tbe pigment remains the danger is not diminished.” Dr. James J. Putnam said: "The testimony thus far presented only covers a small portion of the State. I don't care to say anything in particular as to the arsenic in papers, but these papers which I have here (showing a number of slips) I would like to pass around to you. I examined a number of samples recently and found no arsenic. I have samples which contain twelve drachms, and are accordingly very dangerous. “We find the digestive system affected, the eyes and the nervous system, without necessarily exhibiting other or ordinary symptoms. “Within the last two months two such cases have been treated in the Massachusetts Hospital. They were paralyzed to such an extent that they could not work. One was from taga used by an expressman and the other from wall paper." Dr. E. W. Abbott, of the State Board of Health, was tho next called. He said: “There was one case reported in 1883, in which the person was seriously ill, due to arsenical poisoning. There are other methods of getting arsenic into the system besides inhaling. Tho case I speak of is a servant girl in Wakefield, who was employed in picking up scraps of paper. She showed all the symptoms of arsenical poisoning, and, on examination, the wall paper showed indications of the poison. The poisoning was caused by the girl handling old paper which had been taken from the wall and burning it up in the stove. She inhaled the fumes or smoke and thereby suffered the same as though she had taken the poison into her system in the ordinary way. “I know a case where paris green was manufactured and the leaves of the trees about the factory dropped off just the same as they would in the fall. The time, however, was the spring. Within the distance of 300 feet every tree was stripped of its leaves. It was due to the methods of manufacture which allowed the paris green to escape, and being wafted by the wind was carried to some distance. At our suggestion a change was made, the result of which was to do away with the evil. A large portion of paris green is arsenic, probably half.” Dr. Charles P. Putnam said of the subject under discussion: “I went to an infants’ hospital not long ago and found not only the children but the nurses affected with sore fingers, and later two of tho children with trouble of the respiratory organs. They died. There was no wall paper about, yet it occurred me that the effects were due “The nurses, I found, wore blue dresses, from which the arsenic in question was given off. The dresses were discarded and the children and nurses recovered, but later were again affected by the nurses resuming the dresses after being washed. They thought that by washing the garments the arsenic would be removed." “I don’t think I could say anything positively of the danger line, but would say that one-fiftieth of a grain to a yard would not be dangerous. ” Boston Globe.

A dentist does not always have fair sailing. Sometimes he runs igainst a snag.