3. As an antiseptic it is injected in solution through the vessels of subjects for dissection. Of course in this case the body would show signs of the anatomical examination it had undergone. In the trial of Professor Webster for the murder of Dr. Parkman, at Boston, U.S., March, 1850, the absence of arsenic and other preservative substances in the corpse proved that it had not been a subject for dissection.
4. In glass making and the production of opaque white enamels. Here most of the vapour passes up the chimney and is diffused.
5. Some of the patent preparations for preventing “fur” in boilers have contained alkaline arsenites.
6. Formerly wicks of candles were steeped in arsenic solution to prevent a long “snuff” forming. Moreover, it was incorporated with the candle itself to improve its appearance. The result was a constant diffusion of arsenic vapour in the room. Tapers were also coloured with emerald green (copper aceto-arsenite), which likewise gave rise to arsenical fumes. These objectionable practices have been fortunately given up, owing to the strong representations of scientific men.
7. Wood is sometimes preserved by a solution of arsenic, and then tarred. This use would be practically free from danger, except to the operatives.
8. An alkaline arsenite is used for washing sheep to destroy vermin. The workmen sometimes suffer. (Lancet, 1857, p. 281.) Streams have been poisoned, the solution has been drunk in mistake (Ibid, 1856, p. 447), and lastly, the sheep themselves have been killed (Taylor’s Med. Juris., i. 272). Carbolic acid would probably answer better.
9. Cupric arsenite (Scheele’s green) and aceto-arsenite (Schweinfurth or emerald green) are used as pigments. In one case, where a baker’s shelves had been painted with this colour, emerald green was found adhering to the bottoms of the loaves (Med. Times and Gaz., 1854, p. 326). Blancmange (R. v. Franklin & Randall, Northampton, 1848[132]), ornaments on cakes (Lancet, 1849, Feb. 17th), sweets, dresses, and artificial flowers (Husemann, Jahresbericht, 1872, p. 480), lamp-shades, insides of pasteboard cigar-holders, toys,[133] wrappings for chocolate, &c., wafers, water and oil colours, and wall papers have all been coloured with emerald green. Whenever such things have been swallowed, the green colour is seen in the vomit. Boxes of paints should never be given to young children. Cakes of emerald green and of other poisonous colours have often been sucked or eaten with fatal result; they are the more tempting as they are generally made up with honey or glycerine. Bright green wall papers have gone out of fashion, still many of the dull colours have emerald green in their composition. Such papers certainly give off arsenical dust, even if they do not evolve arseniuretted hydrogen or other arsenical gas, and the symptoms they produce have been well authenticated. In a new house the papers should always be tested. Messrs. Woollams, of Marylebone Lane, were, I believe, the first to disuse arsenical pigments in paper-hangings.
These arsenites of copper give, with a little ammonia, a blue solution (due to the copper), in which a crystal of silver nitrate becomes covered with a yellow coating of silver arsenite. The As can also be easily found by the other tests.
Dr. Raseden of Mersberg finds that arsenical papers cause rheumatic pains, neuralgia, cough, lassitude, and emaciation (Lancet, 1849, April 7th). They also cause skin eruptions. These effects disappear when the patients are removed. In Germany the use of these pigments is prohibited; it should be so in England. Unfortunately no other permanent green colour is so bright in tint.
The copper arsenites are insoluble in water, but soluble in acids, hence are dissolved by the gastric juice, and then absorbed.