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LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

University  of  California. 

GIFT    OF 

w^JiLjQ^js*" 

Class 


' 


4 


^PS.  DEPARTMENT  OF   AGRICULTURE. 

BUREAU  OF  CHEMISTRY— BULLETIN  No.  86. 


H.  W.  WILEY,  Chief  of  Bureau. 


ARSENIC  m  PAPERS  AM)  FABRICS. 


BY 


^  J.  K.  HAYWOOD, 

Chief,  Insecticide  and  Agricidtural  Water  Laboratory, 
WITH   THE  COLLABORATION  OF 

H.  J.  WARNER, 

Assistant  Chemist. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING     OFFICE, 

1904. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT   OE   AGRICULTURE. 
BUREAU  OF  CHEMISTRY— BULLETIN  No.  86. 


H.  W.  WILEY,  Chief  of  Bureau. 


ARSENIC  IN  PAPERS  AND  FABRICS. 


BY 


J.  K.  HAYWOOD, 

Chief,  Insecticide  and  Agricultural  Water  Laboratory, 

WITH   THE  COLLABORATION   OF 

H.  J.  WARNER, 

Assistant  Chemist. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT     PRINTING     OFFICE. 

19  04. 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


IT.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 

Bureau  of  Chemistry, 
Washington,  D.  C. ,  August  4,  1904.. 
SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  for  your  approval  the  results  of 
an  investigation,  made  in  the  Insecticide  and  Agricultural  Water 
Laboratory  of  this  Bureau,  of  the  arsenic  content  of  papers,  especially 
wall  papers,  and  fabrics  used  for  clothing  and  draperies.     The  mate- 
rials which  are  the  subject  of  these  investigations  are  made  from 
important  agricultural  products,  and  the  results  of  these  studies  have 
intimate  relations  to  the  public  health.     A  compilation  of  those  laws 
of  the  United  States  and  of  foreign  countries  which  bear  upon  this 
question  is  included.     I  recommend  that  this  report  be  published  as 
Bulletin  No.  86  of  the  Bureau  of  Chemistry. 
Respectfully, 

H.  W.  Wiley,  Chief. 
Hon.  James  Wilson, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture. 

3 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

Microsoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/arsenicinpapersfOOhaywrich 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Introduction 7 

Investigations  of  the  causes  of  poisoning  by  arsenical  papers 8 

Cases  of  poisoning  by  arsenical  wall  papers  and  fabrics 14 

Arsenic  content  of  wall  papers  and  fabrics  sold  on  the  American  market- . .  21 

Compiled  investigations 21 

Investigations  made  in  the  Bureau  of  Chemistry 25 

Method  of  determining  arsenic 25 

Description  of  samples  and  analytical  results .' 27 

Conclusions  _ . 44 

Laws  governing  sale  of  arsenical  papers,  fabrics,  etc 45 

Austria 45 

Belgium 46 

Canada 46 

Denmark . 46 

England 46 

France . . 46 

Germany 46 

Italy 49 

The  Netherlands 49 

Russia 49 

Sweden 50 

Switzerland 52 

Canton  of  Geneva 52 

Canton  of  Zurich L 52 

United  States . 53 

Massachusetts  _  _  _ 53 

5 


ARSENIC  IN  PAPERS  AND  FABRICS. 


INTRODUCTION. 

While  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  many  cases  of  arsenical  poisoning 
have  been  caused  by  the  use  of  arsenical  compounds,  or  compounds 
containing  arsenic  as  an  impurity,  in  the  coloring  of  papers  and 
fabrics,  the  question  as  to  the  form  in  which  the  arsenic  leaves  the 
paper  or  fabric  and  the  form  in  which  it  is  absorbed  by  human  beings 
has  been  much  discussed.  Some  assert  that  the  arsenic  is  simply  set 
free  as  a  dust  or  powder  which  upon  being  breathed  gives  rise  to 
symptoms  of  arsenical  poisoning,  while  others  maintain  that  the 
arsenic  is  set  free  as  a  volatile  compound  which  upon  being  breathed 
causes  even  more  serious  symptoms.  As  long  as  wall  papers  were 
colored  with  green  pigments,  consisting  almost  entirely  of  arsenical 
compounds,  it  was  easy  to  understand  how  the  dust  of  arsenic  might 
be  rubbed  off  of  the  paper  and  thus  inhaled  with  the  air  of  the  room ; 
but  when  indisputable  cases  of  poisoning  were  discovered^  where  the 
paper  containing  arsenic  was  covered  by  another  one  which  was  free 
from  arsenic,  or  where  the  paper  in  question  only  contained  arsenic 
in  very  small  quantities  as  an  impurity  in  the  dye  used,  it  became 
necessary  to  assume  that  some  volatile  compound  of  this  metalloid 
was  formed. 

It  may  be  as  well  to  state  at  the  beginning  of  this  article  that  the 
writers  are  fully  convinced  from  data  which  have  been  published 
that  volatile  compounds  of  arsenic  can  be  set  free  from  wall  papers, 
and,  therefore,  that  cases  of  poisoning  by  this  class  of  substances  are 
due  both  to  the  formation  of  a  volatile  compound  and  to  the  actual 
dusting  off  of  arsenic  into  the  air  of  dwelling  places,  or  to  either  of 
these  causes.  While  practically  all  cases  of  poisoning  by  arsenical 
dress  goods,  playing  cards,  and  like  articles  are  due  to  a  continued 
absorption  of  arsenic  from  such  articles  by  the  pores  of  the  skin, 
there  may  be  a  few  cases  in  which  the  arsenic  dusts  off  into  the  air 
and  is  breathed. 

The  following  brief  historical  sketch  is  given  to  show  upon  what 
grounds  the  opinions  expressed  above  are  based. 

7 


8  ARSENIC    IN   PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

INVESTIGATIONS  OF  THE  CAUSES  OF  POISONING  BY  ARSENICAL 

PAPERS,  a 

In  the  following  brief  sketch  no  attempt  will  be  made  to  present  a 
complete  survey  of  the  literature,  but  only  those  cases  will  be  men- 
tioned which  at  the  time  of  their  publication  seemed  to  throw  light 
on  the  subject  in  question. 

In  1852  Krahmer*  performed  a  series  of  experiments  to  determine 
whether  arsenic  could  be  set  free  from  wall  paper  or  organic  matter 
as  a  volatile  compound.  He  first  mixed  an  arsenical  compound  with 
paste  and  lime  and  placed  this  mixture  in  a  double-necked  flask.  At 
the  end  of  nineteen  days  he  could  not  detect  the  odor  of  arsenic.  He 
next  drew  air  through  the  bottle  for  twenty-one  days  and  passed  it 
through  a  potash  solution.  He  was  not  able  to  find  arsenic  in  the 
potash  solution.  Silver  nitrate  solution  was  then  substituted  for  pot- 
ash and  it  was  not  discolored  after  fifteen  days,  but  no  test  for  arsenic 
was  made  in  the  solution.  Next  the  air  was  passed  through  a  heated 
glass  tube  for  five  days,  but  no  arsenic  mirror  was  observed.  Krah- 
mer  states  that  he  lived  in  a  room  for  eight  years  the  walls  of  which 
were  painted  with  arsenical  pigment,  and  during  that  time  suffered 
no  inconvenience,  and,  further,  that  he  could  detect  no  arsenic  in  the 
dust  of  the  room.  The  method  of  examination  used,  however,  was 
such  that  he  very  likely  would  not  have  found  arsenic  even  if  it  had 
been  present.  From  these  experiments  he  concluded  that  arsenic  was 
not  set  free  from  wall  paper  either  in  the  form  of  dust  or  as  a  volatile 
compound. 

During  the  year  1858  Abelc  made  some  experiments  along  this  line, 
using  a  room  whose  walls  were  covered  with  a  paper  containing  259 
grains  of  arsenious  oxid  per  square  yard.  He  first  closed  the  room 
for  thirty-six  hours,  then  passed  the  air  of  the  room  through  a  silver 
nitrate  solution  and  then  through  asbestos  saturated  with  ammoniacal 
silver  nitrate  for  several  hours.  At  the  end  of  this  time  no  arsenic 
could  be  found  in  either  of  the  solutions.  Then  gas  jets  were  burned 
in  the  room  and  the  experiment  was  conducted  just  as  before,  but 
again  no  arsenic  could  be  detected.  He  next  performed  several 
experiments  by  filling  glass  tubes  with  arsenical  paper  and  passing 
(1)  the  air  of  the  room,  (2)  the  air  of  the  room  with  gas  jets  burning, 
and  (3)  the  concentrated  gases  coming  from  burning  gas,  etc.,  through 
the  tube  and  thence  through  the  silver  nitrate  and  ammoniacal  silver 
nitrate  mentioned  above,  but  arsenic  could  not  be  detected  in  the  solu- 
tions in  any  of  the  experiments.     Decomposing  paste  was  then  com- 

0  The  authors  had  partially  collected  the  references  on  this  subject  when  an 
article  by  Sanger  was  found  (Proc.  Amer.  Acad,  of  Sci.,  1894),  which  contained 
a  very  complete  resume  of  the  literature.  A  number  of  the  cases  quoted  by  Sanger 
which  had  not  been  already  found  are  given. 

b  Deutsche  Klinik,  1852,  43:  481,  through  Sanger,  loc.  cit. 

^Pharm.  J.  and  Trans.,  1858,  p.  556. 


CAUSES    OF   POISONING    BY    ARSENICAL    PAPERS.  9 

bined  with  arsenical  paper  and  hot  air  passed  through  the  tube  for  a 
number  of  days,  but  no  arsenic  could  be  detected  in  either  of  the  silver 
solutions.  Here  again  was  evidence  that  the  arsenic  of  wall  papers 
is  set  free  neither  as  dust  nor  as  a  volatile  compound.    . 

In  1869  Sonnenscheina  tested  the  air  from  a  room  where  the  paper 
was  arsenical  and  the  occupant  was  suifering  with  symptoms  of 
arsenical  poisoning.  He  passed  the  air  through  a  heated  glass  tube 
and  obtained  a  mirror  which  appeared  to  be  arsenic. 

The  above  paper  is  especially  important  in  that  it  seems  to  be  the 
first  case  in  which  a  true  indication  was  obtained  of  the  presence  of 
a  volatile  arsenical  compound  in  the  air  of  rooms  papered  with  arsen- 
ical paper. 

In  1874  Hamberg6  tested  the  air  of  a  room  which  was  papered  with 
an  arsenical  paper,  for  the  presence  of  this  compound.  The  appara- 
tus was  so  arranged  that  both  arsenical  dust  and  gaseous  compounds 
of  arsenic  could  be  determined.  It  was  found,  after  the  air  of  the 
room  had  run  through  this  apparatus  for  a  month,  that  both  arseni- 
cal dust  and  volatile  arsenic  compounds  were  present,  as  shown  by 
the  Marsh  test. 

In  188G  Hambergc  published  another  paper  on  the  action  of  decay- 
ing animal  matter  on  arsenious  oxid.  A  general  outline  of  his  scheme 
is  as  follows:  Mix  1  gram  of  arsenious  oxid  with  a  mixture  of  sand, 
broken  glass,  and  various  parts  of  the  body  (lungs,  liver,  etc.),  and 
place  the  whole  in  a  large  flask.  To  this  attach  a  system  consisting 
of  a  tube  containing  cotton,  then  a  tube  containing  test  paper,  then 
one  containing  silver-nitrate  solution,  and  finally  a  guard  tube. 
Draw  air  through  this  apparatus  from  outside  the  laboratory. 

This  experiment  was  continued  for  about  nine  years,  the  air  of  the 
flask  and  the  silver-nitrate  solution  being  tested  at  intervals  for  the 
presence  of  arsenic.  Mold  began  to  grow  after  about  two  weeks. 
The  total  amount  of  arsenious  oxid  found  in  the  silver  solution  dur- 
ing the  whole  course  of  the  experiment  amounted  to  only  about  1.5 
milligrams  actually  determined  and  various  smaller  amounts  deter- 
mined qualitatively,  but  upon  analyzing  the  residue  in  the  flask  it 
was  found  that  only  551  milligrams  of  arsenious  oxid  remained,  so 
that  449  milligrams  must  have  passed  off  as  a  volatile  arsenic  com- 
pound, only  1.5+  milligrams  of  which  was  caught  by  the  silver- 
nitrate  solutions.  During  the  experiment  the  air  of  the  flask  was 
often  tested.  It  was  found  to  possess  a  very  disagreeable  odor, 
which  at  times  resembled  the  odor  of  arsin  or  kakodyle. 

In  1894  Sanger d  mentioned  some  work  performed  by  Kinnicutt  in 
1888,  which  indicated  that  in  a  room  with  wall  paper  containing  0.1 

"Handbuch  d.  gerichtlichen  Chem.,  p.  153. 

&Pharm.  J.  and  Trans.  (3),  5:  81,  through  Sanger,  loc.  cit. 

cPharm.'Ztschr.  f.  Rnssland,  25:  779. 

(/  Loc.  cit. 


10  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

grain  of  arsenic  per  square  yard  no  arsenic  was  set  free  either  as  a 
volatile  compound  or  as  a  dust  during  the  course  of  seven  days. 

In  1893  Gosio  published  a  paper  upon  the  "Action  of  some  molds 
upon  the  fixed  compound  of  arsenic." a  This  is  the  most  important 
article  that  has  ever  appeared  upon  the  probable  formation  of  vola- 
tile compounds  of  arsenic  from  arsenical  wall  papers,  and  serves  as  a 
basis  for  our  present  conception  of  this  subject,  which  is  so  important 
from  a  hygienic  standpoint.     The  outline  of  Gosio's  work  is  as  follows : 

(1)  To  determine  whether  a  gaseous  compound  of  arsenic  can  be 
developed  by  means' of  cultures  containing  arsenic  and  exposed  to 
spontaneous  inoculation. 

(2)  If  the  affirmative  be  proved,  to  isolate  the  organisms  which  are 
capable  of  so  doing  and  to  characterize  them. 

(3)  To  point  out  the  compounds  in  which  this  activity  of  arseno- 
organisms  is  most  marked  and  to  determine  whether  this  activity 
extends  to  arsenical  products  emploj^ed  in  the  arts  and  industries 
(colors),  and  what  conditions  cause  the  organisms  to  increase  or 
decrease. 

(4)  To  study  the  volatile  compound,  using  pure  cultures  with 
arsenical  media. 

(5)  To  study  the  means  by  which  these  gases  are  produced. 

The  results  of  these  investigations  are  contained  in  the  following 
summary: 

It  is  confirmed  beyond  dispute  that  the  growth  of  molds  in  contact 
with  fixed  arsenical  compounds  can  develop  arsenical  gas.  Among 
the  molds  some  play  this  role  in  such  a  way  that  they  may  be  consid- 
ered as  a  special  class  of  arseno-molds. 

There  are  four  molds  which  up  to  the  present  time  have  been 
shown  to  be  capable  of  energetic  action  upon  fixed  arsenical  com- 
pounds, viz,  Mucor  mucedo,  Aspergillum  glaucum,  Aspergillum  virens, 
and  Penicillium  brevicaule,  the  last  being  the  most  important.  It 
does  not  follow  that  because  an  organism  grows  well  in  the  presence 
of  fixed  compounds  of  arsenic  it  will  produce  arsenical  gas.  A  large 
number  of  the  organisms  flourish  without  producing  this  decompo- 
sition. 

The  arseno-molds  can  grow  very  well  in  contact  with  certain  arsen- 
ical compounds  without  actively  transforming  them.  The  action 
depends  on  the  salt  used.  For  example,  in  the  experiments  upon 
Mucor  mucedo  the  action  was  very  doubtful  for  the  sulphides  of 
arsenic,  and  this  doubtless  depends  on  the  insolubility  of  the  material. 
In  all  cases  an  exception  must  be  made  to  the  general  law  just  enun- 
ciated under  the  following  conditions,  namely :  When  the  compounds 
just  mentioned  have  been  in  culture  for  a  long  time,  by  virtue  of 
indirect  forces   inherent  in  the   life  of  the  molds  themselves   their 

"Archives  Italiennes  de  Biologie,  1893,  vol.  18. 


CAUSES    OF   POISONING    BY    ARSENICAL    PAPERS.  11 

chemical  structure  may  be  modified  and  thus  they  may  be  transformed 
by  the  molds  into  gaseous  arsenical  compounds. 

The  conditions  which  facilitate  the  production  of  arsenical  gas  by 
the  arseno-molds  may  be  grouped  as  follows : 

(1)  Those  conditions  which  favor  the  life  of  all  fungi,  namely, 
abundance  of  oxygen,  humidity,  nutritive  material,  and  amounts  of 
arsenic  which  are  not  toxic. 

(2)  Such  conditions  as  depend  upon  the  ease  with  which  the  com- 
pounds can  be  transformed.  For  example,  arsenic  acid  and  arsenates 
and  arsenites  of  sodium  and  potassium  are  more  easily  transformed 
than  copper  arsenite. 

(3)  Presence  of  carbohydrates  and  especially  of  mixtures  of  glucose 
and  albumen. 

In  the  experiments  upon  Mucor  mucedo  it  was  shown  that  the 
arseno-molds  can  decompose  the  arsenite  of  copper  used  in  wall  paper 
even  when  they  grow  upon  the  paste  which  is  used  to  make  the  paper 
stick  to  the  wall. 

In  the  action  of  the  arseno-molds  upon  the  fixed  compounds  of 
arsenic,  arsin  may  be  developed,  but  only  a  small  amount  is  formed 
in  comparison  with  the  quantity  of  a  much  more  important  compound 
which  probably  results  from  the  combination  of  the  metalloid  with 
alcohol,  aldehyde,  or  other  organic  radicles. 

Without  excluding  the  probability  of  some  reducing  and  hydrogen- 
ating  action  of  certain  molds  upon  traces  of  fixed  arsenical  com- 
pounds, it  is  probable  that  in  a  great  majority  of  cases  the  gasification 
of  such  compounds  is  intimately  associated  with  the  development  of 
special  chemical  substances  (the  work  of  biological  activity)  capable 
of  combining  with  the  metalloid.  The  power  to  form  such  compounds 
is  not  possessed  by  all  molds. 

These  conclusions  are  based  chiefly  upon  researches  made  on  the 
Mucor  mucedo,  but  the  Penicillium  brevicaule  is  of  much  more  im- 
portance by  reason  of  its  biochemical  activity  and  sensitiveness. 
The  cultures  of  this  mold  in  the  presence  of  fixed  compounds  of 
arsenic  develop  the  arsenical  gas  in  such  quantities  that  it  is  danger- 
ous to  approach.  A  rat  upon  being  exposed  to  these  gases  died  in 
convulsions  in  a  very  short  time. 

In  the  number  of  the  Archives  Italiennes  de  Biologie  mentioned 
above,  on  page  299,  Gosio  discusses  the  detection  of  arsenic  in  wall 
paper,  dress  goods,  the  stomachs  of  animals,  etc. ,  by  growing  Peni- 
cillium brevicaule  in  contact  with  these  substances  and  a  suitable 
medium  for  growth  and  observing  the  garlic-like  odor  that  is  given 
off.  The  following  paragraphs  from  this  paper  are  worthy  of  particu- 
lar note  in  connection  with  a  study  of  arsenic  in  wall  papers: 

I  experimented  upon  wall  papers  colored  with  Scheele  and  Paris  greens,  realgar, 
and  orpiment,  with  the  result  that  the  Penicillium  brevicaule,  unlike  other  arseno 
molds,  attacked  all  the  ordinary  compounds  of  arsenic  energetically  (arsenic  and 


12  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

arsenious  acids,  alkaline  arsenates,  and  arsenites,  chlorids,  and  snlphids  of  arsenic, 
and  even  arsenic  itself) . 

The  reaction  of  these  molds  on  compounds  of  arsenic  is  extremely  delicate;  it 
is  sensitive  to  infinitesimal  traces.  For  amounts  of  any  importance,  provided 
that  they  are  not  so  large  as  to  be  toxic  to  the  molds,  the  phenomenon  lasts  for 
months  and  can  be  perceived  even  at  a  distance.  After  breathing  the  gas  with  this 
odor  of  garlic  for  a  long  time  one  feels  ill,  as  I  have  had  occasion  to  discover  in 
experimenting  on  myself. 

It  would  appear  that  this  paper  settled  beyond  a  doubt  the  possi- 
bility of  the  formation  of  gaseous  arsenical  compounds  from  wall 
papers  containing  this  element,  yet  because  of  the  many  conflicting 
results  which  had  been  obtained  in  times  past  even  this  most  con- 
vincing paper  could  not  be  accepted  without  substantiation.  To 
Sanger a  is  due  the  credit  of  substantiating  Gosio's  results  and  defi- 
nitely settling  this  vexed  question.  He  obtained  from  Gosio  cultures 
of  Penicillium  brevicaule  upon  strips  of  potato  containing  different 
amounts  of  arsenic.  In  one  of  Sanger's  experiments  1  gram  of  arseni- 
ous oxid  was  mixed  with  flour  and  water  in  a  liter  flask  and  the  mix- 
ture inoculated  from  the  tube  marked  "patata  essente  di  arsenico" 
(potato  impregnated  with  arsenic).  Air  was  first  passed  through  a 
silver  nitrate  solution,  next  through  the  flask,  and  then  through  a 
system  of  which  two  absorption  bulbs  containing  silver  nitrate  solution 
were  the  essential  part.  After  two  weeks'  passage  of  air  through  the 
flask  the  growth  of  mold  was  abundant,  but  on  opening  it  there  was 
no  odor  of  garlic  and  the  silver  nitrate  solutions  gave  no  test  for 
arsenic.  This  was  doubtless  due  to  the  fact  that  the  P.  brevicaule 
could  not  endure  the  large  amount  of  arsenic  present  and  died  out 
while  other  more  resistant  but  nonarseno  molds  flourished.  That 
this  assumption  was  true  was  shown  by  an  examination  of  the  molds 
present,  no  P.  brevicaule  being  found. 

In  another  of  Sanger's  experiments  three  Erlenmeyer  flasks  were 
fitted  with  double-hole  rubber  stoppers,  through  which  passed  two 
tubes,  one  reaching  just  below  the  stopper  and  one  to  the  bottom  of 
the  flask.  Potato  pulp  was  added  to  each  flask  and  moistened  with 
a  solution  of  sodium  arsenate,  so  that  each  flask  contained  about  0.1 
gram  of  arsenic  oxid.  They  were  thoroughly  sterilized  and  inocu- 
lated from  the  Gosio  tube  marked  "patata  bagnata  in  una  soluzione 
di  As205"  (potato  bathed  in  a  solution  of  arsenic  oxid).  The  flasks 
were  joined  in  a  system,  and,  as  in  the  previous  experiment,  both  the 
incoming  and  outgoing  air  was  passed  through  a  silver  nitrate  solu- 
tion. At  the  end  of  twelve  days,  when  the  flasks  were  disconnected, 
an  alliaceous  odor  could  be  observed,  and  the  silver  nitrate  solution 
through  which  the  air  of  the  flasks  had  passed  showed  a  well-defined 
mirror  of  arsenic  amounting  to  about  0.01  milligram  when  tested  in 
the  Marsh  apparatus.  In  this  and  other  experiments  all  the  reagents 
used  were  carefully  tested  and  found  to  be  free  from  arsenic.     The 


"  Proc.  Amer.  Acad,  of  Sci.,  1S04. 


CAUSES    OF    POISONING    LY    ARSENICAL   PAPERS.  13 

experiment  was  continued  further,  and  abou\0.11  milligram  more  of 
arsenic  was  obtained  from  the  two  silver  solutions.  The  silver-nitrate 
solution  that  had  been  used  to  wash  the  incoming  air  was  tested  for 
arsenic,  but  none  could  be  found,  showing  that  no  arsenic  could  have 
entered  the  flasks  from  the  air  of  the  room. 

In  another  experiment  3  square  decimeters  of  wall  paper  containing 
115  milligrams  of  arsenious  oxide  per  square  meter  were  placed 
between  slices  of  potato,  and  after  sterilization  in  flasks  similar  to 
those  mentioned  above  they  were  inoculated  with  one  of  the  Gosio 
cultures.  Without  going  into  the  details  of  the  experiment,  which 
was  similar  to  the  one  just  described,  it  suffices  to  say  that  an  alli- 
aceous odor  was  developed  and  a  mirror  of  arsenic  obtained  from  the 
silver-nitrate  solutions. 

The  papers  by  Gosio  and  Sanger  just  quoted  establish  beyond  ques- 
tion the  fact  that  certain  molds  can  set  volatile  compounds  of  arsenic 
free  from  fixed  compounds  of  this  element,  which  may  be  present  in 
wall  paper  or  other  materials  in  case  a  suitable  medium  for  growth  is 
present,  such  as  the  paste  used  in  putting  on  wall  paper.  The  fact 
that  Penicittium  brevicaule,  one  of  the  most  active  molds  in  producing 
such  effects,  has  been  found  upon  moldy  wall  paper  Avould  almost  be 
proof  of  the  formation  of  arsenical  compounds  in  rooms  papered  with 
arsenical  paper.  The  work  of  Hamberg,  who  actual!}'  found  volatile 
arsenical  compounds  in  rooms  papered  with  arsenical  paper,  seems  to 
complete  the  chain  of  evidence. 

In  1896  a  Emmerling  made  an  investigation  of  the  action  of  bacteria 
and  molds  upon  the  fixed  compounds  of  arsenic.  He  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  neither  of  these  classes  of  organisms  could  set  arsenic 
free  as  a  volatile  compound.  In  his  work,  however,  he  used  such  large 
amounts  of  arsenic  acid,  i.  e. ,  0. 5  per  cent  and  0. 2  per  cent,  that  it  is  pos- 
sible, in  fact  probable,  that  the  arseno  molds  were  killed  off.  In  his 
original  paper  Gosio  especially  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  these 
molds  are  most  active  in  media  containing  from  0.01  per  cent  to  0.05  per 
cent  of  arsenic  acid,  and  that  as  the  media  become  stronger  in  arsenic 
the  activity  of  the  molds  becomes  less  intense  until  with  quite  large 
amounts  of  arsenic  the  molds  cease  to  grow  entirely,  unless  they  have 
been  habituated  to  arsenic  by  a  progressive  augmentation  of  this  sub- 
stance in  the  medium.  Since  Emmerling  does  not  mention  any  of  the 
details  of  his  experiment,  we  have  no  method  of  judging  of  the 
accuracy  of  his  determination  of  arsenic,  etc. 

Having  now  established  the  fact  that  fixed  arsenic  can  be  set  free 
from  organic  substances  containing  this  element  as  a  gaseous  com- 
pound, or  from  wall  papers  containing  it  as  a  fine  dust,  and  that 
arsenic  in  both  these  forms  has  been  found  in  the  air. of  rooms  the 
walls  of  which  were  covered  with  an  arsenical  paper,  it  becomes  neces- 
sary, as  the  next  link  in  the  chain  of  evidence,  to  show  that  persons 


«Ber.  d.  chem.  Ges.,  1896,  2J):  2728. 


14  ARSENIC    IN    PAPEKS   AND    FABRICS. 

have  been  poisoned  by  lining  in  such  surroundings.  Scores  of  cases  of 
arsenic  poisoning  caused  by  wall  papers,  playing  cards,  dress  goods, 
etc.,  have  been  published,  but  only  those  cases  are  quoted  here  which 
appear  to  be  very  convincing  in  character.  No  cases  previous  to  1880 
will  be  cited,  since  a  very  complete  account  of  the  ones  previous  to 
that  date  can  be  found  in  a  paper  by  Professor  Wood."  In  selecting 
typical  cases  preference  has  been  given  to  those  in  which  a  chemical 
examination  of  the  patient's  urine  appears. 

CASES   OF   POISONING  BY  ARSENICAL  WALL   PAPERS   AND 

FABRICS. 

Case  I. 

A  lady  47  years  of  age  Degan  to  be  affected  with  supraorbital  neuralgia  on  the 
right  side  six  weeks  after  occupying  a  room  papered  with  a  dull  grayish  artistic 
green,  with  red  pomegranates.  The  neuralgia  steadily  increased  in  severity,  and 
no  benefit  was  derived  from  open  air  exercise  and  quinine.  It  was  made  worse 
by  Fowler's  solution.  Finally  the  wall  paper  was  suspected  and  found  upon 
examination  to  contain  arsenic  in  large  quantity.  This  paper  was  removed  and 
a  nonarsenical  one  put  on,  when  the  neuralgia  speedily  disappeared  without 
medicine. h 

Case  II. 

Dr.  George  Garlick  reports  several  cases  of  poisoning  in  members  of  the  same 
family  by  a  red  wall  paper.  Two  children  were  brought  to  the  out-patient  depart- 
ment of  the  Children's  Hospital,  Great  Ormond  street.  Their  mother,  who 
brought  them,  gave  the  following  account:  The  elder,  a  boy  of  8  years,  had  been 
suffering  some  time  from  pains  in  the  eyes,  nose,  and  different  parts  of  the  body; 
he  passed  restless  nights  and  during  the  day  was  depressed  and  inert.  His  diges- 
tion was  feeble,  and  he  had  flatulence  after  food;  his  tongue  was  furred,  pale, 
tremulous,  and  silvery;  and  the  motions  were  described  as  offensive.  There  was, 
besides,  a  small  patch  of  ill-developed  psoriasis  on  the  face.  The  other  child,  a 
little  girl,  also  had  pains  in  the  eyes,  nose,  and  shoulders,  described  as  of  a  shoot- 
ing character.  Her  tongue  was  also  furred,  and  she  had,  like  her  brother,  dys- 
peptic symptoms. 

This  remarkable  combination  of  symptoms — viz,  the  local  pains  in  the  eyes  and 
nose,  with  the  presence  of  dyspepsia — suggested  to  me  the  possibility  of  arsenical 
poisoning,  and,  on  further  inquiry,  this  supposition  was  much  strengthened  by 
the  statement  of  the  mother  that  she  was  much  surprised  at  her  children,  as  they 
described  exactly  the  same  symptoms  that  she  herself  felt  and  that  two  of  her 
other  children  at  home  suffered  the  same  way.  In  fact,  with  the  exception  of  the 
father  and  one  child,  all  suffered  the  same  way.  She  was  accordingly  directed  to 
bring  some  of  the  wall  paper  of  the  rooms  they  inhabited. 

A  sitting-room  paper  which  had  been  on  the  wall  two  years  was  found  to  be 
arsenical.  It  was  an  inferior  paper  and  consisted  of  red  stars  stamped  on  a  ground 
of  pale  yellow  and  gray  brown.  The  arsenic  was  contained  in  the  red  pigment. 
After  the  paper  was  removed  the  pain  complained  of  in  the  eyes  and  nose  at  once 
ceased.     The  dyspeptic  symptoms  were  slower  in  mending.  <" 

«  Report  of  State  Board  of  Health  of  Massachusetts  for  1883,  p.  213. 
&Wood,  Case  16,  Report  Mass.  State  Board  of  Health,  1883;  Practitioner  1880, 
24:  110. 

«  Wood,  Case  30,  Report  Mass.  State  Board  of  Health,  1883;  The  Lancet,  Jan.  3, 

1880,  p.  12. 


CASES    OF    POISONING.  15 

Case  III. 

Doctor  Kelsey  related  some  facts  regarding  arsenical  poisoning  from  wall  paper 
as  it  had  recently  occurred  in  his  own  person.  The  last  two  years  he  had  suffered 
from  occasional  attacks  of  gastric  and  intestinal  disturbance,  attended  with  slight 
fever,  and  from  inability  to  do  hard  work,  either  mental  or  physical.  The  walls  of 
his  office  were  papered  with  a  very  rich  green  "  velvet. library  paper."  During  a 
recent  house  cleaning  the  paper  was  thoroughly  swept  down,  and  as  a  result  a 
green  powder  was  observed  on  the  floor  all  around  the  edge  of  the  room.  On  test- 
ing this  he  found  it  to  be  almost  pure  Paris  green.  A  paper  hanger  was  sent  for 
to  remove  the  paper,  and  after  working  a  few  hours  he  was  seized  with  all  the 
symptoms  of  acute  arsenical  poisoning  and  was  obliged  to  desist.  Another  who 
took  his  place  to  finish  the  job  suffered  the  same  way  on  the  following  day.  It 
was  discovered  that  at  some  former  time  the  ceiling  had  been  covered  with  Paris 
green  and  subsequently  a  coat  of  another  color  had  been  laid  over  it.  The  servant 
who  attempted  to  wash  this  was  confined  to  his  bed  for  three  days  with  cramps 
and  diarrhea.  Finally  the  two  members  of  Doctor  Kelsey's  household  who  had 
taken  considerable  interest  in  what  was  being  done  were  attacked  with  similar 
symptoms,  and  he  himself  had  one  of  his  old  familiar  attacks.  Since  repapering, 
now  six  months  ago,  he  has  had  none  of  his  old  trouble. « 

Case  IV. 

A  child  in  Troy,  N.  Y.,  while  playing  with  some  water-color  paints,  used  a  small 
book,  attracted  by  the  bright  green  color  of  its  cover,  for  a  palette.  He  mixed 
the  paints  on  the  cover  of  the  book  for  some  time.  Then  he  was  suddenly  taken 
with  convulsions.  Physicians  who  were  hastily  summoned  declared  that  he  had 
been  poisoned.  They  administered  antidotes,  but  the  child  went  into  convulsion 
after  convulsion,  and  it  was  only  after  three  days'  incessant  labor  that  the  physi- 
cians saved  his  life.  They  afterwards  investigated  the  manner  of  his  being 
poisoned.  They  discovered  that  the  dye  with  which  the  bright-colored  book  was 
covered  contained  the  poison.  In  wetting  the  paints  on  the  book  cover  the  child 
innocently  wet  also  the  dye  and  soon  transferred  some  of  the  poison  to  its  own 
lips.  b 

Case  V. 

About  the  middle  of  September,  1886,  my  patient,  Mrs.  S.,  changed  her  resi- 
dence from  the  country  to  the  city.  She  very  soon  discovered  that  some  ferns  in 
her  parlor  were  withering,  but  not  from  neglect  nor  improper  care,  since,  although 
ultimately  dying,  they  revived  for  a  brief  season  on  being  removed  to  another  part 
of  the  house.  In  the  early  part  of  November  she  suffered  from  an  attack  of 
nausea  and  dizziness  so  intense,  especially  when  she  attempted  to  stoop,  that  for 
several  days  she  was  obliged  to  keep  in  bed.  These  symptoms  persisted  in  thei* 
intensity  for  about  a  fortnight  and  were  followed  by  a  sharp  attack  of  facial 
neuralgia  which  lasted  about  a  week.  In  the  latter  part  of  December  the  dizzi- 
ness reappeared,  but  in  far  milder  form  than  it  had  been  the  month  before.  At 
about  the  same  time  she  began  to  complain  of  extreme  lassitude  and  a  loss  of 
pleasure  in  pursuits  that  formerly  gave  her  pleasure.  The  quiet  of  her  own  room 
was  the  one  thing  that  she  eagerly  sought. 

Although  she  suffered  from  continual  nausea,  her  appetite  was  usually  good; 
there  was,  as  she  expressed  it,  an  almost  constant ' '  gnawing  in  the  stomach. ' '  After 
the  eating  of  food  the  nausea  would  increase,  and  she  would  complain  of  a  feeling 


«N.  Y.  Med.  Jour.,  1881,  33:  102. 

&Wood,  Case  32,  Report  Mass.  State  Board  of  Health,  1883. 

5050— No.  86—04 2 


16  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

of  heaviness  and  uneasiness  throughout  the  bowels,  especially  in  the  umbilical 
region.  Her  increase  of  adipose  tissue  began  to  be  distressing  to  her.  Although 
she  had  always  before  drank  very  little  water,  she  was  now  thirsty  all  the  time. 
The  patient  herself  was  disposed  to  think  her  symptoms  malarial  in  their  nature, 
although ,  contrary  to  her  expectations,  quinine  gave  her  no  relief.  Occasionally  she 
would  speak  of  her  eyes  smarting  and  watering  if  she  tried  to  use  them.  Suddenly 
on  March  16,  1887,  she  was  taken  without  any  apparent  cause  with  headache, 
extreme  nausea,  and  uncontrollable  vomiting.  The  usual  antiemetic  remedies 
internal  and  external,  dietary  and  medicinal,  were  tried  in  turn,  but  all  without 
relief.  On  the  contrary,  they  seemed  rather  to  increase  her  distress.  I  remem- 
bered the  withering  of  the  ferns  and  began  to  suspect  some  form  of  irritant 
poisoning  to  be  the  cause  of  the  sickness.  I  accordingly  sent  samples  of  all  wall 
papers  in  the  house  (except,  of  course,  plain  cartridge  papers,  which  I  knew  to  be 
practically  free  from  suspicion)  to  Dr.  Edward  S.  Wood  for  examination.  Upon 
analysis  he  pronounced  only  one  paper  arsenical,  but  found  such  an  amount  of 
arsenic  therein  that  he  advised  its  immediate  removal.  To  settle  decisively  the 
question  of  poisoning,  the  urine  was  also  examined  for  arsenic.  Six  ounces  col- 
lected on  March  23,  the  eighth  day  of  the  incessant  vomiting,  yielded  numerous 
crystals  of  arsenic  after  resublimation  in  the  tube,  while  a  quart  of  urine  collected 
three  days  later  yielded  a  very  dark  deposit  upon  the  tube,  but  after  resublima- 
tion scarcely  a  trace  of  arsenic  crystals.  This  seemed  to  indicate  not  only  that 
there  had  been  a  very  large  amount  of  arsenic  in  the  system  of  my  patient,  but 
also  that  a  rapid  elimination  of  the  poison  was  taking  place.  The  dangerous  wall 
paper  was  removed  while  the  patient  was  convalescent.  She  insisted  that  she 
was  not  yet  strong  enough  to  venture  from  home,  and  so  remained  in  the  house 
confined  strictly  to  her  room,  while  .the  work  went  on.  After  the  wall  had  been 
scraped  and  washed  and  the  room  thoroughly  cleaned  preparatory  to  the  laying  of 
the  new  paper  she  ventured  to  look  into  the  room,  but  remained  there  scarcely 
ten  minutes.  She  soon  had  a  return  of  nausea  and  vomiting,  which  lasted  nearly 
twenty-four  hours.  I  therefore  insisted  that  she  go  into  the  country  and  that  in 
her  absence  the  entire  house  be  entirely  cleaned  and  dusted.  This  was  done,  and 
since  her  return  she  has  presented  no  further  symptons  of  arsenic  poisoning. 

Another  member  of  the  family  was  affected  by  the  removal  of  the  paper,  his 
symptoms  taking  the  form  of  sharp  diarrhea.  The  other  two  members  did  not 
at  any  time  present  marked  symptoms  of  arsenical  poisoning,  except  a  noticeably 
sallow  complexion  and  a  pretty  constant  feeling  of  lassitude  all  winter.  They 
had,  however,  had  more  exercise  in  the  open  air  than  my  patient/' 

Case  VI. 

A  well-known  Boston  physician  had  two  or  three  attacks  of  sore  fingers.  He 
consulted  Dr.  J.  C.  White,  who  asked  him  whether  he  had  anything  to  do  with 
arsenic.  He  could  think  of  nothing  except  some  playing  cards  which  he  had 
used.  They  were  found  to  be  loaded  with  arsenic,  were  discarded,  and  he  has 
not  had  any  similar  trouble  since.  6 

Cask  VII. 

When  Doctor  Putnam  went  on  duty  at  the  Massachusetts  Infant  Asylum  in  the 
spring  of  1890  he  found  the  babies  looking  very  pale  without  any  apparent  reason. 
He  then  noticed  suppurations  on  the  fingers  and  a  slight  discharge  from  the  ears- 
Occasionally  a  nurse  had  sores  on  the  fingers.     One  had  an  aural  discharge,  and 

a  J.  Amer.  Med.  Assn.,  1887,  9:  699. 

^Shattuck,  Trans.  Path.  Soc.  of  Phila,  1891-93,  1<>:  285. 


RY 


Vo< 


A 


X< 


CASES 


17 


other  skin  eruptions  were  noticed.  Arsenl^jl  j3Dteo^ji*gwas  thought  of  as  pos- 
sible, but  there  was  no  wall  paper,  no  carpets,  or  other  suspicious  articles.  The 
health  of  the  inmates  of  the  asylum  grew  worse.  Bronchitis  appeared,  and  two 
children  died  from  inflammation  and  ulceration  of  the  air  passages,  involving  the 
pleura.  Some  blue  dresses  recently  furnished  by  the  asylum  to  all  the  nurses  fell 
under  suspicion  and  were  found  to  contain  much  arsenic.  They  were  discarded, 
and  the  health  of  the  institution  was  reestablished.  Much  of  the  arsenic  was 
found  to  be  loose  in  the  cloth.  The  dresses  were  therefore  thoroughly  washed  in 
the  winter  of  1901  and  resumed  by  the  nurses.  Very  soon  after  both  nurses  and 
babies  began  to  have  sores  on  their  fingers  and  other  signs  similar  to  those  which 
had  appeared  before.  The  dresses  were  again  discarded,  the  symptoms  again 
disappeared  and  have  not  recurred  in  the  past  two  years. a 

Case  VIII. 

W.,  a  clerk  in  a  large  dry-goods  house,  entered  my  service  in  the  Massachusetts 
Hospital,  in  the  fall  of  1891 ,  with  poor  general  health  and  marked  neuritis  in  all  the 
extremities.  It  was  with  much  difficulty  that  he  could  pick  a  pin  from  the  table. 
Neither  alcohol,  rheumatism,  lead,  nor  gout  could  be  considered  as  causative  of 
neuritis.  The  physician  under  whose  care  he  had  been,  a  gentleman  well  known 
to  me,  had  given  him  no  arsenic.  His  bedroom  wall  paper,  which  had  been 
applied  for  eight  years,  was  highly  arsenical,  and  arsenic  was  found  in  his  urine. 
He  soon  began  to  improve,  was  discharged  from  the  hospital,  and  after  a  time 
resumed  work,  discarding  the  arsenical  wall  paper.  I  saw  him  very  recently 
again,  and  found  his  general  condition  still  below  par,  with  some  neuritis  still 
present,  though  not  enough  to  seriously  interfere  with  his  work.  An  electric 
examination,  which  Dr.  K.  J.  Putnam  was  kind  enough  to  make,  confirmed  the 
diagnosis  of  neuritis.  & 

Case  IX. 

In  the  autumn  of  1883,  Mr.  A.  and  wife  took  a  house  in  Cambridge,  of  which 
four  rooms  had  been  recently  papered.  In  the  spring  of  1885  the  halls  of  the 
house  were  covered  and  either  in  1883  or  1885  the  other  rooms.  The  papers  con- 
tained the  following  amounts  of  arsenic,  calculated  as  arsenious  oxid: 

Determination  of  arsenious  oxid  in  wall  papers. 


Room. 

Arsenious 

oxid  per 

square 

yard. 

Room. 

Arsenious 

oxid  per 

square 

yard. 

Parlor 

Grains. 
0.830 
1.340 
(a) 
6.130 
1.230 

.013 
3.280 

.040 
1.960 

Another  bedroom: 

Walls 

Grains. 

Hall  . 

0.000 

Hall  border. 

Ceiling.. 

Border 

.026 

Dining  room 

7.630 

Bedroom  walls 

1.480 

Bedroom  ceiling 

Frieze 

Servants'  room 

Storeroom 

7. 130 

Study  walls 

.940 

Study  ceiling 

.339 

Study  border 

"Large  amount. 

For  several  months  after  taking  the  home  no  trouble  was  experienced,  but 
toward  the  summer  of  1884  Mr.  A.  and  his  wife,  together  with  a  gentleman  who 
occupied  the  house  with  them,  began  to  feel  some  discomfort.  This  disappeared 
during  the  absence  of  the  family  from  the  house  during  the  summer,  but  began 

«Shattuck,  Trans.  Path.  Soc.  of  Phila.,  1891-93,  1G:  285. 
&Shattuck,  Trans.  Path.  Soc.  of  Phila.,  1891-93,  16:  285-300. 


18  AESEN1C    IN    PAPEES    AND    FABEICS. 

again  soon  after  they  returned  in  the  autumn.  The  plumbing  was  in  good  con- 
dition and  the  furnace  was  a  new  one.  From  the  fact  that  the  discomfort  was 
worse  when  the  latter  was  in  action  the  source  of  the  trouble  was  attributed  to 
it.  No  immediate  increase  of  symptoms  followed  the  papering  of  the  halls,  but 
the  health  of  the  family  grew  worse  during  the  spring  of  1885.  The  chief  symp- 
toms were  trouble  with  the  digestive  organs  and  insomnia.  The  tongue  was 
heavily  coated  and  the  food  seemed  to  "  sour  "  in  the  stomach.  Nausea  was  fre- 
quent. There  was  much  languor  and  dizziness,  and  the  eyelids  were  badly 
inflamed.  In  July  the  family  moved  away  to  the  seashore  and  there  was  a 
marked  improvement,  but  on  going  back  to  the  house  for  August  the  symptoms 
appeared  again ,  while  return  to  the  seashore  for  September  brought  immediate 
relief.  In  the  early  autumn  the  symptoms  returned,  but  were  not  at  their  height 
until  the  furnace  was  used.  The  air  of  the  room  was  tested  for  carbon  monoxid 
with  negative  results.  Mr.  A.'s  symptoms  increased  to  a  greater  extent  than 
those  of  the  others  and  were  accompanied  by  soreness  of  the  abdomen  and 
abdominal  pains  at  night. 

During  the  last  week  of  December,  1885,  the  source  of  the  trouble  was  discov- 
ered by  a  qualitative  analysis  of  the  papers.  Pending  the  removal  of  the  papers 
the  family  left  the  house  and  experienced  immediate  relief,  especially  in  sleeping, 
but  many  of  the  symptoms  continued  for  some  time  afterward.  On  January  7, 
1886,  a  week  after  leaving  the  house,  1,750  cc  of  Mr.  A.'s  urine  were  analyzed  and 
contained  0.01  mg  arsenious  oxid  per  liter.  The  papers  were  replaced  by  abso- 
lutely nonarsenical  paper,  and  the  health  of  the  family  gradually  came  to  its 
normal  condition,  although  there  was  occasional  digestive  disturbance.  The 
elimination  of  arsenic  from  the  system  was  apparently  very  slow.  Eight  hundred 
cubic  centimeters  of  the  urine,  analyzed  March  31,  contained  about  as  much  as 
before,  and  820  cc,  analyzed  May  26,  contained  0.007  mg  per  liter.  Some  time 
after  this  another  sample  of  urine  was  sent  to  me  at  Annapolis,  and  was  set  aside 
with  several  others  until  I  could  find  time  to  take  up  the  subject  again.  So  much 
time  elapsed,  however,  before  the  analysis  could  be  made  that  I  do  not  consider 
the  results  worthy  of  record. a 

Case  X. 

Mr.  D.,  after  living  in  a  room  which  contained  no  wall  paper,  removed  to 
another  house  and  occupied  a  room  in  which  the  paper,  a  dark  red,  contained  1.42 
grains  [of  arsenic]  per  square  yard.  About  a  month  after  moving  Mr.  D.  began 
to  be  troubled  with  severe  headaches,  which  were  attributed  by  one  physician  to 
change  of  locality.  These  headaches  continued  for  some  weeks,  and  in  addition 
there  was  trouble  with  the  eyes  and  throat.  Another  physician  suspecting  arsenic 
poisoning,  the  paper  was  examined.  Other  papers  in  the  house  contained  arsenic, 
but  were  only  qualitatively  analyzed,  and  contained  less  than  that  of  the  room  in 
question.  February  12,  1886,  the  urine  contained  0.015  mg  arsenious  oxid  per 
liter.  The  paper  was  removed  and  a  nonarsenical  paper  substituted.  Improve- 
ment began  at  once  and  the  headaches  soon  disappeared.  Here  again  was  an 
apparently  slow  elimination,  as  on  June  18  the  urine  contained  0.003  mg  per 
liter.  & 

"Sanger,  Case  1,  Proc.  Amer.  Acad,  of  Arts  and  Sci.,  1894,  29:112. 

&  Sanger,  Case  3,  loc.  cit.  In  this  and  the  following  cases  taken  from  Sanger's 
paper  the  urine  was  always  examined  in  the  most  careful  manner,  careful  tests 
being  made  to  insure  the  absolute  purity  of  the  reagents. 


CASES    OF    POISONING.  19 

Case  XI. 

Mr.  F.  for  six  years  previous  to  1886  had  occupied  a  large,  sunny  room  and 
generally  spent  sixteen  to  eighteen  hours  each  day  in  it.  Two  or  three  years 
before  the  report  of  the  case  several  stuffed  birds  and  animals,  preserved  by  the 
application  of  arsenious  oxid,  were  placed  in  the  room.  The  wall  paper  contained 
0.073  grain  per  square  yard  and  the  border  0.005  grain.  The  paper  of  an  adjoin- 
ing bedroom  contained  0.3  grain  per  square  yard.  The  analysis  of  the  last  was 
made  from  a  sample  taken  from  the  wall,  with  portions  of  an  old,  adhering,  under- 
lying paper.  Mr.  F.  for  nine  months  previous  to  April,  1886,  noticed  perceptibly 
a  train  of  nervous  disturbances,  as  occasional  attacks  of  dizziness  and  unsteadi- 
ness, a  feeling  of  depression,  and  loss  of  muscular  power.  He  suffered  also  from  a 
constant  coryza  and  dry  cough.  He  had  no  gastric  or  intestinal  disturbance.  The 
presence  of  the  birds  suggested  a  possible  explanation  of  the  symptoms;  1,500  cc 
of  urine  were  analyzed  April  12,  1886,  and  contained  0.03  mg  arsenious  oxid  per 
liter.  The  birds  were  removed  and  the  walls  and  room  cleaned,  but  the  papers 
were  left  on  the  walls.  April  26,  1,350  cc  showed  0.026  mg  per  liter.  Mr.  F. 
improved  in  general  health  after  removal  of  the  birds,  but  the  elimination  of 
arsenic  was  apparently  slow.  June  14,  Mr.  F.  began  to  take  5  grains  potassic 
iodide  three  times  daily,  which  seemed,  as  in  the  above  cases  of  Lorinzer  and 
Miiller,  slightly  to  increase  the  elimination,  as  on  June  21  the  amount  from  1,320 
cc  was  at  the  rate  of  0.006  mg  per  liter.  Yet  on  July  16  there  was  still  a  trace, 
1,270  cc  giving  0.002  mg  per  liter.  This  is  possibly  explained  by  the  presence 
of  the  wall  papers  or  by  the  fact  that  the  carpets  had  not  been  shaken.  The 
iodide  was  discontinued,  and  Mr.  F.  went  away  for  two  months,  returning  feeling 
very  well  physically,  the  symptoms  alluded  to  having  mainly  disappeared. « 

Case  XII. 

Doctor  G-.  had  a  patient  who,  he  said,  suffered  from  malarial  toxaemia.  This 
patient  was  medicated  with  quinine,  but  the  symptoms  still  persisted.  The  patient 
was  then  placed  upon  the  solution  of  potassium  arsenite,  3  drops  three  times  a 
day.  The  first  dose  aggravated  the  symptoms  to  such  an  extent  that  the  physician 
became  alarmed  and  brought  the  vial  to  me  for  analysis.  Analysis  proved  the 
contents  of  the  vial  to  be  standard  United  States  Pharmacopeia  solution  of  potas- 
sium arsenite.  During  the  conversation  I  elicited  the  fact  that  a  sojourn  over  the 
lake  for  a  day  or  two  was  quite  sufficient  to  ameliorate  the  symptoms  without  the 
use  of  medicine.  I  suggested  that  the  cause  might  be  chronic  arsenical  poisoning, 
and  recommended  that  the  wall  paper  be  analyzed.  The  paper  contained  4.5 
grains  of  arsenic  per  square  foot. 

The  objectionable  paper  was  removed,  other  paper  that  was  nonarsenical  in 
character  was  hung  instead,  and  the  patient  rapidly  recovered  from  her  ailment, 
has  not  been  away  from  the  city,  and  has  occupied  the  same  sleeping  room  since. h 

Case  XIII. 

Charles  W.  was  born  August  15, 1900,  about  three  weeks  premature;  he  was  the 
first  child  and  weighed  about  5  pounds.  He  was  normal  at  birth,  but  an  hour  or 
two  later  became  blue  and  collapsed.  As  it  was  warm  weather  he  was  not  placed 
in  an  incubator,  but  was  put  at  once  into  his  baby  basket.  This  was  lined  with 
bine  sateen  and  had  a  canopy  of  the  same  material.  He  Was  fed  from  the  beginning 
on  modified  milk    *    *    *.     Although  the  heart  was  examined  repeatedly  noth- 

a  Sanger,  Case  5,  loc.  cit. 
6  Trans,  of  the  La.  State  Med.  Soc,  New  Orleans,  1898,  p.  118,  Case  3. 


20  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

ing  abnormal  was  found  until  September  30,  when  a  faint  systolic  murmur  was 
heard  at  the  apex.  About  the  1st  of  February  he  ceased  to  gain  and  lost  his  appe- 
tite. About  the  middle  of  February  he  began  to  lose  color  rapidly,  and  by  the 
1st  of  March  the  pallor  was  very  marked.  Two  or  three  days  later  he  began  to 
pass  his  urine  often,  but  in  small  amounts;  it  stained  the  diapers  red.  At  this 
time,  March  8,  Doctor  Ogden  found  a  trace  of  arsenic  in  the  urine.  Almost  every- 
thing in  the  room  was  at  once  examined  for  arsenic.  The  blue  sateen  with  which 
the  basinette  was  lined  contained  a  trace  of  arsenic;  nothing  else  contained  an 
appreciable  amount.  There  seemed  no  doubt  that  the  source  of  the  arsenic  in 
the  urine  was  to  be  found  in  the  blue  lining  of  the  basinette.  He  was  taken 
March  12  and  put  in  another  room  that  contained  no  arsenic;  after  this  he 
improved. a 

•  Numerous  cases  of  arsenical  poisoning  brought  about  through  the 
agency  of  wall  papers,  fabrics,  etc.,  are  cited  by  Wood,  Sanger,  Put- 
nam,6 and  others,  but  will  not  be  quoted  further,  since  enough  typical 
cases  have  been  given  to  show  that  arsenical  poisoning  from  these 
sources  is  of  common  occurrence,  and  that  often  only  a  small  amount 
of  arsenic  is  necessary  to  cause  symptoms  of  poisoning.  It  will  also 
be  noted  that  several  of  the  cases  quoted  occurred  during  the  last  few 
years,  so  that  this  constant  source  of  danger  to  the  community  may 
be  considered  to  be  still  in  existence. 

Of  the  thirteen  cases  cited  above,  examinations  of  the  urine  were 
made  in  six  instances.  It  was  found  where  the  case  was  followed  up 
that  the  urine  first  contained  relatively  large  amounts  of  arsenious 
oxid  (from  about  0.01  to  0.03  mg  per  liter0)  and  that  this  quantity 
very  gradually  decreased,  so  that  at  the  end  of  from  two  to  four 
months  0.002  to  0.003  mg  of  arsenious  oxid  per  liter  was  excreted. 
None  of  the  cases  quoted  above  were  followed  for  a  sufficiently  long 
time  to  see  if  the  elimination  of  arsenic  would  entirely  cease.  In  one 
of  the  cases  quoted  by  Sanger,  but  not  mentioned  here,  it  was  found 
that  about  eight  months  after  removing  a  patient  from  arsenical  sur- 
roundings the  elimination  of  arsenic  had  ceased. 

In  the  recently  published  work  of  Gautier  and  Bertrand  it  is  stated 
that  arsenic  is  a  normal  constituent  of  the  body.'*  If  such  be  the  case, 
it  is  extremely  likely  that  a  very  minute  amount  is  constantly  excreted 
in  the  urine.  In  this  case  it  would  appear  that  if  Sanger  had  had 
sufficiently  large  quantities  of  urine  and  had  followed  the  extremely 
delicate  modification  of  the  Marsh-Berzelius  method  devised  by  Gau- 
tier and  Bertrand  he  would  very  likely  have  found  that  the  excretion 
of  arsenic  never  ceased  entirely.     Even  if  arsenic  is  always  present 

«  Morse,  Archives  of  Pediatrics,  New  York,  1901,  18:  702. 

*  Putnam,  Boston,  Mass.,  Med.  and  Surg.  J.,  1889,  120:  235. 

cIn  some  of  the  cases  quoted  by  Sanger  as  much  as  0.068  mg  of  arsenious  oxid 
per  liter  was  eliminated  in  the  urine. 

<*  While  the  two  authors  differ  to  some  extent  in  their  opinion  concerning 
arsenic,  one  believing  that  it  is  localized  in  certain  organs  and  the  other  that  it 
occurs  in  all  living  tissues,  yet  they  both  believe  that  it  is  a  normal  constituent 
of  at  least  some  of  the  living  tissues. 


CASES    OF    POISONING.  21 

in  urine,  however,  its  determination  therein  is  not  robbed  of  any  of 
its  diagnostic  value,  for  the  following  reasons:  (1)  It  is  not  excreted 
normally  in  anything  like  the  quantities  in  which  it  is  found  in  the 
urine  of  persons  poisoned  by  this  substance,  (2)  the  usual  methods  of 
analysis  will  not  detect  it  at  all,  and  (3)  it  will  not  gradually  decrease 
unless  more  than  the  normal  amount  has  been  stored  up  in  the  body. 

The  presence  of  arsenic  as  a  normal  constituent  of  the  body,  if  such 
be  the  case,  helps  to  explain  why  its  elimination  from  patients  suffer- 
ing from  wall-paper  poisoning  is  so  slow.  It  might  easily  happen 
that  the  ingestion  of  minute  quantities  of  arsenic  dajr  by  day  would 
lead  to  an  increased  production  of  those  arsenical  compounds  nor- 
mally present  in  the  tissues,  just  as  a  constant  diet  of  fat  would  lead 
to  a  storing  up  of  this  substance  in  the  organism.  Such  being  the 
case,  the  excess  of  arsenic  would  only  be  excreted  as  fast  as  the  tissues 
containing  it  were  broken  down  and  replaced  by  new  material.  In 
case  this  deposition  was  principally  in  those  tissues  that  are  more 
slowly  changed,  such  as  bone,  nervous  tissue,  etc.,  the  elimination 
of  arsenic  would  be  correspondingly  slow. 

Having  established  the  fact  that  arsenic  can  be  set  free  from  wall 
papers,  either  as  a  gaseous  compound  or  as  a  powder,  and  having 
cited  numerous  instances  to  show  undoubted  cases  of  poisoning  by 
arsenical  wall  papers,  fabrics,  playing  cards,  etc.,  the  next  point  of 
interest  to  the  public  is  to  ascertain  whether  papers  and  fabrics  as 
now  sold  contain  sufficient  quantities  of  this  poisonous  substance  to 
be  dangerous,  and  to  point  out  whether  the  general  tendency  is  toward 
a  betterment  of  these  conditions  or  the  reverse. 

ARSENIC    CONTENT    OF  WALL    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS    SOLD    ON 
THE  AMERICAN  MARKET. 

COMPILED   INVESTIGATIONS. 

In  1872  Draper a  published  an  article  calling  attention  to  the  wide- 
spread use  of  Paris  and  Scheele  greens  as  pigments  in  coloring  arti- 
ficial flowers,  articles  of  dress,  pastry  ornaments,  toys,  house  paints, 
glazed  papers,  and  paper  hangings.  He  published  the  analysis  of 
three  such  papers.  The  first,  a  green  glazed  paper  for  covering 
boxes,  contained  78.03  grains  of  arsenic  per  square  yard;  the  second, 
an  unglazed  light-green  wall  paper,  48.78  grains  per  square  yard,  and 
the  third,  a  brilliant  green  glazed  wall  paper,  203.88  grains  per  square 
yard. b  It  is  evident  from  the  above  analysis  and  from  the  personal 
investigations  of  Draper  carried  out  in  manufacturing  plants  that  the 
employment  of  Paris  and  Scheele  greens,  either  alone  or  diluted  with 

«  Report  Mass.  State  Board  of  Health,  1872,  p.  18. 

6  It  is  not  plain  whether  metallic  arsenic  or  arsenions  oxid  (commonly  called 
arsenic)  is  meant.  In  all  analyses  made  by  the  authors  the  term  "  arsenic  "  refers 
to  metallic  arsenic. 


22 


ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 


some  material  to  change  the  tint,  to  color  such  articles  as  are  men- 
tioned above,  was  very  common  in  this  country  some  thirty  years  ago. 
In  1883  Wood"  published  a  paper  on  Arsenic  as  a  Domestic  Poison. 
He  mentioned  the  fact  that  Paris  and  Scheele  greens  are  often  used 
as  pigments,  and  called  attention  to  the  use  of  colors  which  contain 
arsenic  as  an  impurity  because  of  the  use  of  this  substance  in  their 
manufacture,  such  as  fuchsin,  magenta,  safranin,  and  some  analin 
maroons  and  browns.  He  also  mentioned  several  mordants  which 
contain  arsenic  and  are  used  to  fix  purple  and  red  colors.  Following 
is  a  list,  description,  and  analyses  of  several  papers  and  fabrics 
examined  by  this  investigator. 

Table  I. — Analyses  of  wall  papers  and  fabrics,  1882  (Wood). 


No. 

Description. 

Price  per 
roll. 

Arsenious 

oxid  per 

square 

yard. 

1 

Wall  paper: 

Brown,  green,  and  white 

$0.75 

.75 

.60 

.75 

.75 

1.50 

.50 

.60 

3.00 

.60 

.75 

1.50 

.60 

.60 

.35 

.50 

.35 

.50 

.20 

1.75 

2.00 

2.00 

Grains. 
1.25 

? 

Blue  and  white 

1.25 

a 

1.67 

i 

5 

Blue,  gold,  and  green 

1.25 
6.74 

6 

6.27 

7 

2.09 

8 

.84 

9 

Blue,  gold,  brown,  and  green 

1.67 

10 

Brown,  gold,  and  red 

.59 

11 

Drab 

2.50 

1? 

Variegated  brown  and  green 

2.93 

13 

.84 

It 

.84 

15 

2.50 

16 

1.25 

17 

Do 

2.50 

18 

Brown  and  black 

1.67 

19 

3.76 

20 

Do. 

2.50 

21 

Variegated  brown  and  gold 

5.48 

??, 

Do 

3.58 

23 

Maroon 

3.99 

24 

Green,  blue,  and  brown 

.20 

0.00 

?5 

Glazed  paper: 

Green 

22.65 

26 

Do 

55.88 

91 

Do 

40.70 

?8 

Blue 

(a) 

?I9 

Red 

(6) 

an 

Do 

31 

Do 

1     8.89 

3* 

Do... 

(b) 

33 

Do 

6 

34 

Purple 

1.24 

85 

Calico,  white,  yellow,  red,  green,  and  brown 

1.05 

36 

Cloth,  turkey  red 

1.25 

«  Considerable  amount.                                          *>  Large  ar 

Qount. 

It  is  evident  from  the  above  table  that  in  1882,  when  the  analyses 
were  made,  the  presence  of  comparatively  large  quantities  of  arsenic 
in  papers  was  very  common,  and  that  not  only  the  greens  but  other 
colored  papers  contained  this  objectionable  substance.  It  also 
appears  that  the  arsenic  was  not  usually  present  as  one  of  the  con- 
stituents of  the  pigment  (for  the  figures  for  this  substance  under  such 


"Report  Mass.  State  Board  of  Health,  1883,  p.  213. 


COMPILED   INVESTIGATIONS. 


23 


circumstances  would  have  been  much  higher),  but  was  introduced  as 
an  impurity  in  the  pigment  or  in  the  mordant  used.  In  only  one  case 
was  the  arsenic  as  low  as  is  now  required  by  the  laws  of  Massachu- 
setts, namely,  0.1  grain  of  metallic  arsenic  per  square  yard  for  papers 
and  0.01  grain  for  dress  goods. 

In  1891  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  authorized  the  State  board 
of  health  to  make  investigations  in  regard  to  the  existence  of  arsenic 
in  papers,  fabrics,  and  other  commonly  used  articles.  In  compliance 
with  this  authorization  Hills a  made  an  investigation,  which  was  pub- 
lished the  same  year.  He  found  from  analyses  previously  made  by 
him  of  1,914  wall  papers,  during  the  years  1879,  1880,  and  1881,  that 
67.9  per  cent  were  nonarsenical,  and  32.1  per  cent  arsenical,  while 
from  analyses  made  during  1889,  1890,  and  1891,  of  2,142  wall  papers, 
67.9  per  cent  were  found  to  be  nonarsenical,  26.1  per  cent  to  contain 
less  than  0.05  grain6  per  square  yard,  3.1  per  cent  to  contain  0.05  to 
0.10  grain  per  square  yard,  and  2.9  per  cent  to  contain  over  0.10  grain 
per  square  yard.  He  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  first  series 
of  papers  was  examined  by  a  much  less  delicate  method  than  the 
second  series,  so  that  many  papers  which  were  reported  as  non- 
arsenical the  first  time  would  doubtless  have  been  found  to  contain 
arsenic  if  the  more  delicate  method  had  been  used.  Besides  the 
above  samples  of  wall  papers,  92  collected  from  all  parts  of  Massa- 
chusetts during  1891  were  examined.  It  was  found  that  47.8  per  cent 
were  nonarsenical,  41.3  per  cent  contained  less  than  0.05  grain  per 
square  yard,  6.5  per  cent  contained  between  0.05  and  0.10  grain  per 
square  yard,  and  4.3  per  cent  contained  more  than  0.10  grain  per 
square  yard. 

Of  88  samples  of  "glazed  and  plated"  papers  69.3  per  cent  were 
nonarsenical,  21.6  per  cent  contained  less  than  0.10  grain  of  arsenic 
per  square  yard,  and  9.1  per  cent  contained  more  than  0.50  grain  per 
square  yard.  Of  32  samples  of  tissue  paper  (especially  reds  and 
greens)  56.3  per  cent  were  nonarsenical,  and  43.7  per  cent  contained 
only  minute  traces. 

The  results  of  the  examination  of  textile  fabrics  are  given  in  the 
following  table: 


Table  II. — Determination  of  arsenic  in  textile  fabrics,  1891  (Hills). 


Nature  of  sample. 

Number 
examined. 

Non- 
arsenical 
samples. 

Less  than 

0.05  grain 

per  square 

yard. 

Between 

0.05  and 

0. 10  grain 

per square 

yard. 

Above  0.10 
grain  per 

square 

yard. 

House  furnishings 

300 

393 

33 

30 

Per  cent. 
66.3 
56.3 
100.0 
93.3 

Per  cent. 
14.3 
23.1 

Per  cent. 
2.7 
4.8 

Per  cent. 
16.7 

Prints  and  ginghams 

16.8 

Woolens 

Silks 

6.7 

1 

a  Report  of  Mass.  State  Board  of  Health,  1891,  p.  701. 


b  Estimated  as  arsenious  oxid. 


24 


ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 


In  1900  the  State  legislature  of  Massachusetts  passed  a  law  limiting 
the  amount  of  arsenic"  in  papers  and  woven  fabrics  other  than  dress 
goods  to  0.10  grain  per  square  yard,  and  the  amount  in  dress  goods 
and  articles  of  dress  to  0.01  grain  per  square  yard.  Leach6  has  pub- 
lished the  results  of  his  investigations  during  1901  carried  cut  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  law.  The 
summarize  the  results  of  his  work: 


following   tables 


Table  III. — Arsenic  in  paper 


and  woven  fabrics  other  than  dress  goods,  1901 
(Leach). 


Character  of  sample. 


Bed  ticking .- 

Carpeting 

Colored  paper  for  box  covers 

Cotton  drapery 

Crepe  paper 

Upholstery  goods 

Wallpaper 


Number  ;  Free  from 
examined,     arsenic. 


|    Arsenic    i    Arsenic 
above  legal  below  legal 
!  amount,    j  amount. 


14 


Per  cent. 
100.0 
44.4 
90.0 

ioo.6" 

79.3 
74.3 


Per  cent. 


100.0 


Per  cent. 


55.6 
10.0 


5.7 


20.7 
20.0 


Table  IV. — Arsenic  in  dress  goods  and  articles  of  dress,  1901  (Leach). 


Character  of  sample. 

Number 
examined. 

Free  from 
arsenic. 

Arsenic 

above  legal 

limit. 

Arsenic 

below  legal 

limit. 

1 

73 
22 

9 
14 
19 
11 

39 
31 

1 
1 
1 
2 
2 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 
100.0 

Cotton  dress  goods,  prints,  etc . . . 

60.3 
95.5 
55.6 
57.1 
88.9 
100.0 

15. 4 

8.2 

31.5 

Cotton  linings,  cambrics,  etc  

4.5 

Cotton,  single  color- 

44.4 

Fancy  sleeve  and  vest  linings  _ 

28.6 

14.3 

Miscellaneous 

11.1 

Silk  ribbons 

Stockings: 

Black  cotton 

28.2 
100.0 
100.0 

56.4 

Blue  cotton 

Brown  cotton 

Red  cotton 

100.0 

Blue  woolen 

100.0 
50.0 

Turkey  red 

50.0 

Cotton  gloves,  black.. 

100.0 

The  above  figures  for  wall  paper  can  not  be  compared  with  those 
obtained  ten  years  earlier  by  Hills,  since  some  of  them  were  obtained 
upon  wall  papers  from  old  stock  which  had  been  withdrawn  from  the 
market  because  of  their  high  arsenic  content.  It  can  be  seen,  how- 
ever, that  the  percentage  of  honarsenical  papers  had  increased 
markedly  during  ten  years. 

On  comparing  the  "glazed  and  plated"  papers  of  Hills  with  the 
"colored  papers  for  box  covers"  of  Leach  it  will  be  noted  that  the 
nonarsenical  papers  had  increased  materially,  while  the  papers  con- 
taining more  than  0.10  grain  of  arsenic  per  square  yard  had  decreased 
from  9.1  per  cent  to  nothing. 

"By  the  term  "  arsenic  "  is  meant  metallic  arsenic. 
''Report  of  Mass.  State  Board  of  Health,  1901,  p.  695. 


METHOD    OF    DETERMINING    ARSENIC.  25 

A  comparison  of  the  figures  given  by  Hills  on  prints  and  ginghams 
with  those  on  cotton  dress  goods,  prints,  etc.,  as  tabulated  above, 
Shows  that  the  nonarsenical  had  increased  only  slightly,  while  the 
goods  containing  more  than  0.01  grain  of  arsenic  per  square  yard  had 
decreased  to  a  marked  extent.  A  comparison  of  other  figures  can  not 
be  made  because  of  different  methods  of  reporting  the  results. 

INVESTIGATIONS   MADE   IN   THE   BUREAU   OF   CHEMISTRY. 

In  consequence  of  the  great  importance  of  this  question,  the  pro- 
found influences  which  even  minute  doses  of  arsenic  exert  upon  health, 
as  shown  by  the  cases  cited  above,  and  the  investigations  recently 
carried  on  in  England  in  regard  to  "  arsenical  beer,"  the  authors  have 
made  a  further  study  of  wall  papers,  fabrics,  furs,  etc.,  both  to  ascer- 
tain the  present  state  of  the  American  market  in  some  locality  other 
than  Massachusetts,  where  nearly  all  previous  work  has  been  done, 
and  to  warn  persons  against  certain  goods  which  are  probably  injurious. 

A  large  number  of  wall  papers  were  purchased  from  merchants  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  the  idea  being  to  obtain  the  goods  of  as  many 
manufacturers  as  possible.  Both  large  department  stores  and  smaller 
stores  were  visited  and  samples  of  hangings,  dress  fabrics,  stockings, 
furs,  etc. ,  obtained.  It  is  believed  that  a  representative  collection  of 
most  of  these  classes  of  goods  has  been  obtained. 

Method  of  Determining  Arsenic. 

In  determining  arsenic  a  modification  of  the  method  published  by 
Sanger  a  was  used,  by  which  the  determination  of  as  small  an  amount 
as  0.005  mg  is  possible.  Any  amount  below  0.G  mg  per  square  meter 
is  reported  as  a  trace  in  the  tables  which  follow.  It  would  of  course 
have  been  possible  to  use  the  various  precautions  and  methods  of 
procedure  recently  published  by  Bertrand,  Gautier,  and  others,  and 
so  to  carry  out  the  method  that  0.0005  mg  or  less  of  arsenic  could  be 
determined ;  but  it  was  thought  that  the  method  chosen  was  sufficiently 
sensitive,  since  the  most  minute  quantities  of  arsenic  in  papers  and 
fabrics  have  no  significance.  Following  is  an  account  of  the  method 
as  finally  adopted : 

REAGENTS. 

The  zinc,  sulphuric  acid,  and  nitric  acid  used  in  this  experiment 
must  be  strictly  free  from  arsenic.  To  test  their  purity,  run  a  blank 
experiment  using  the  reagents  exactty  in  the  proportions  given  below 
for  the  actual  determination.  Allow  the  apparatus  to  run  for  at  least 
two  hours,  and  at  the  end  of  this  time,  if  no  arsenic  has  been  deposited, 
the  reagent  is  fit  for  use. 


"Proc.  Amer.  Acad,  of  Arts  and  Sci.,  New  Series,  1891,  18:  24. 


26  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

METHOD. 

Iii  the  case  of  wall  papers,  cut  out  a  pattern  measuring  4  inches  by 
3.25  inches  (0.01  square  yard)  and  in  the  case  of  dress  goods  a  piece 
measuring  12  by  10.8  inches  (0.1  square  yard).  Cut  up  the  piece  so 
obtained  into  smaller  pieces  and  treat  in  a  porcelain  dish  with  1  to  5 
cc  of  a  mixture  of  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  and  nitric  acid  (30  to 
1).  Allow  the  action  to  take  place  for  a  few  minutes  and  add  a  few 
drops  of  water,  which  from  the  heat  generated  will  cause  the  paper  to 
be  quickly  attacked.  Heat  with  a  low  flame  until  all  of  the  sulphuric 
and  nitric  acids  are  driven  off,  or  at  least  until  the  residue  has  granu- 
lated and  the  fumes  of  sulphuric  acid  become  slight.  Break  up  the 
charred  mass  thoroughly,  add  a  little  water,  and  boil  to  get  rid  of 
sulphurous  acid.  Filter  through  a  small  filter  and  wash  to  about  40 
cc.  Transfer  this  filtrate  to  the  apparatus,  which  has  previously  been 
prepared  in  the  following  manner. 

APPARATUS. 

This  consists  of  a  small  flask  witli  a  wide  mouth,  holding  about  100 
cc.  Through  one  hole  of  a  rubber  stopper  a  separatory  funnel  passes 
to  the  bottom  of  the  flask.  Through  another  hole  in  the  rubber 
stopper  passes  the  exit  tube,  which  is  in  turn  joined  to  a  Liebig  bulb 
containing  a  small  amount  of  a  solution  of  lead  acetate  to  absorb  any 
selenium,  tellurium,  or  sulphur.  This  in  turn  is  joined  to  a  calcium 
chlorid  tube,  which  is  then  attached  to  a  long  tube  of  very  resistant 
glass.  This  glass  tube  is  drawn  out  at  one  point  rather  small,  nearly 
capillary,  and  the  heat  is  applied  about  0.5  inch  before  the  drawn- 
out  portion.  Heat  with  two  Bunsen  burners,  neither  of  which  plays 
upon  the  glass  directly  but  upon  a  piece  of  fine  wire  gauze  wrapped 
around  the  glass.  When  preparing  this  apparatus  for  use,  add  about 
3  grams  of  arsenic-free  granulated  zinc  to  the  wide-mouthed  bottle 
and  then  about  30  cc  of  arsenic-free  sulphuric  acid  (1  to  8).  Let 
the  apparatus  run  for  fifteen  minutes,  after  which  apply  heat  for 
approximately  twenty  minutes  to  be  sure  that  no  arsenic  is  present.* 

The  apparatus  is  now  ready  for  the  addition  of  the  extract  from  the 
wall  paper  or  fabric  previously  mentioned.  This  is  run  in,  and  the 
action  is  allowed  to  continue  for  one  hour.  The  mirror  thus  formed 
is  compared  with  mirrors  containing  known  amounts  of  arsenic,  which 
have  been  previously  prepared  with  the  same  apparatus.  The  stand- 
ard mirrors  usually  contain  the  following  amounts  of  arsenic:  0.005, 
0.01,  0.02,  0.03,  0.04,  0.05,  0.06,  0.065  (or  0.001  grain),  and  0.07  mg  of 
arsenic.  These  mirrors  should  be  in  sealed  tubes  and  be  remade 
about  every  three  weeks,  as  they  tend  to  fade  a  little  upon  standing. 
When  not  in  use  they  should  be  kept  in  a  dark  place. 

In  case  a  larger  amount  than  0.07  mg  of  arsenic  is  obtained,  that 


METHOD    OF    DETERMINING    ARSENIC.  27 

part  of  the  tube  where  the  mirror  is  deposited  is  cut  off,  carefully 
wiped  and  placed  in  a  desiccator.  It  is  then  weighed  on  an  assay 
balance  capable  of  weighing  to  the  fifth  place.  After  this  the  tube  is 
dipped  in  a  sodium  hypochlorite  solution  to  dissolve  the  arsenic, 
washed  with  distilled  water,  then  with  alcohol,  and  finally  with  ether, 
dried,  placed  in  a  desiccator,  and  weighed  again.  The  difference  in 
the  two  weights  represents  the  arsenic  from  the  amount  of  material 
taken.  Both  of  these  weighings  must  be  made  with  the  utmost  care, 
as  a  small  error  at  this  point  will  cause  a  large  error  in  the  result. 

STANDARD  SOLUTION. 

The  standard  solution  from  which  the  mirrors  are  prepared  is  made 
in  the  following  way :  Dissolve  0.0855  gram  of  dry  C.  P.  arsenious 
oxid  in  a  sodium  bicarbonate  solution  (free  from  arsenic)  by  boiling, 
weakly  acidify  with  sulphuric  acid,  and  make  up  to  1  liter.  Each  cubic 
centimeter  of  this  solution  contains  0.0855  mg  of  arsenious  oxid, 
equivalent  to  0.0648  mg,  or  0.001  grain,  of  arsenic,  and  is  used  to  pre- 
pare the  standard  mirror  of  0.001  grain.  Place  15.4  cc  of  this  solu- 
tion in  a  100  cc  flask  and  add  water  to  the  mark.  Each  cubic 
centimeter  of  this  solution  represents  0.01  mg  of  arsenic.  Aliquot 
portions  are  used  for  making  the  remaining  standard  mirrors. 

REMARKS. 

The  extra  apparatus  for  generating  hydrogen,  such  as  is  described 
by  Sanger  in  his  article,  was  not  used.  It  was  found  that  by  placing 
the  hydrogen-generating  flask  in  a  casserole  of  cold  water  the  rate  of 
flow  could  be  very  nicely  regulated.  A  Liebig  potash  bulb  containing 
lead  acetate  solution  was  also  placed  in  the  series.  This  was  to  rid 
the  gas  of  any  of  the  hydrides  of  sulphur,  selenium,  or  tellurium  that 
might  be  formed  and  afterwards  broken  up  by  heat  and  deposited 
with  the  arsenic.  No  trouble  was  experienced  in  recovering  all 
arsenic,  even  though  the  arsin  had  been  passed  through  a  lead  acetate 
solution,  since  the  tremendous  flow  of  hydrogen,  as  compared  with 
the  arsin,  drove  all  of  this  substance  which  might  have  been  dissolved 
during  the  first  part  of  the  determination  out  of  the  solution  before 
the  operation  was  completed. 

Description  of  Samples  and  Analytical  Results. 

-  In  Tables  V  to  XIII  are  given  the  data  in  regard  to  the  samples  col- 
lected, their  description,  price,  the  country  in  which  manufactured, 
and  the  analytical  results  obtained  as  to  arsenic  content,  expressed 
both  in  grains  per  square  yard  and  in  milligrams  per  square  meter. 
Table  V  contains  the  results  of  the  examination  of  Avail  papers. 


28 


ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 


Table  V. — Arsenic  content  of  wail  paper*. 


Description  of  sample. 

Country  of  origin. 

Arsenic. 

Serial 
num- 
ber. 

Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 

Milli- 
grams 

per 
square 
meter. 

Price 
per 
roll. 

75 

Wall  paper: 

France 

England 

0.046 
.031 
.046 
.031 
.023 
.031 
.031 
.012 
.012 
.009 
.015 
.046 
.023 
a.  108 
''Trace. 
.031 
.       .046 
.061 
.054 
.023 
.007 
.046 
.061 
.023 
.085 
.023 
.031 

Trace. 
.000 
.000 

Trace. 
.015 

Trace. 
.012 
.038 
.038 

.023 
.031 

Trace. 
.000 

Trace. 
.015 
.023 

Trace. 
.012 
.000 
.031 

.008 
.046 
.015 
.031 
.000 

Trace. 
.023 
.000 
.015 

Trace. 
.000 
.131 
.000 
.008 
.008 
.023 
.046 

Trace. 
.031 
.015 
.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 
.015 

3.6 

2.4 

3.6 

2.4 

1.8 

2.4 

2.4 

.9 

.9 

.7 

1.2 

3.6 

1.8 

8.4 

Trace. 

2.4 

3.6 

4.8 

4.2 

1.8 

.6 

3.6 

4.8 

1.8 

6.6 

1.8 

2.4 

Trace. 

.0 

.0 

Trace. 

1.2 

Trace. 

.9 

3.0 

3.0 

1.8 

2.4 

Trace. 

.0 

Trace. 

1.2 

1.8 

Trace. 

.9 

.0 

2.4 

.6 

3.6 

1.2 

2.4 

.0 

Trace. 

1.8 

.0 

1.2 

Trace. 

.0 

10.1 

.0 

.6 

.6 

1.8 

3.6 

Trace. 

2.4 

1.2 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

1.2 

76 

77 

do 

78 

Red 

...do 

79 

do 

80 

Do 

do.... 

81 

do 

82 

Germany 

do 

83 

84 

Yellow- 

...do.... 

85 

...do... 

86 

do... 

87 

Green,  pink,  white 

England 

$0.60 

88 

Do 

do 

.50 

89 

do.... 

.38 

90 

do 

1.44 

91 

Germany 

do 

f  r.  8. 00 

92 

5.00 

93 

Light  green,  brown . . 

do 

10.00 

94 

do.  . 

4.00 

95 

Blue 

do 

:.'  on 

96 

Do 

do.... 

3. 50 

97 

do... 

5.50 

98 

Brown 

France 

1.30 

99 

Brown,  red,  yellow 

do 

9,00 

100 

Germany 

France 

2.50 

101 

Pink 

102 

s.  1 .  50 

159 

United  States 

do 

$0.70 
.40 

160 

161 

Variegated  green 

do 

.70 

162 

Do. 

do 

.50 

163 

Variegated  red. 

do.. 

.50 

164 

Do. 

do 

.40 

165 

...do.... 

.24 

166 

Frieze,  pink,  green 

do 

.24 

167 

Wall  paper: 

Variegated  green 

do 

.22 

168 

Red,  green,  yellow 

do 

.40 

169 

Do 

do 

.50 

170 

White,  blue 

do... 

.24 

171 

Variegated  pink 

do 

.24 

172 

Variegated  green 

do 

.24 

173 

Variegated  red 

..  do... 

.24 

174 

Red,  green,  brown 

...do.... 

.46 

175 

Frieze,  red,  green 

do... 

.24 

176 

Wall  paper,  green,  red,  brown 

do 

.46 

177 

...do... 

.34 

178 

Wall  paper: 

do 

40 

179 

Pink,  blue,  yellow 

...do  ... 

.34 

180 

Red,  brown 

do 

40 

181 

Brown,  red,  green 

...do 

24 

182 

Variegated  green 

...do     . 

40 

183 

Red,  gold 

do 

24 

184 

Red,  green 

...do 

34 

185 

Blue,  red,  yellow,  green 

...do... 

.50 

186 

Pink,  white 

...do 

24 

187 

Green,  red,  yellow 

do 

50 

188 

Variegated  red 

do 

46 

189 

Green,  red,  white 

...do... 

34 

190 

Pink,  white 

do 

:'l 

191 

Variegated  blue 

...do 

24 

192 

Variegated  red 

do... 

40 

193 

Green,  brown,  pink 

...do 

34 

194 

Green,  gold 

...do... 

.24 

195 

Brown,  Dlue,  red,  green 

do.. 

.46 

196 

Blue,  white 

.do. 

26 

203 

Pink,  gold 

....do 

.10 

204 

Green,  gold,  pink,  white 

...do 

.15 

205 

Green,  gold,  purple 

do 

.20 

206 

Blue,  gold,  pink 

...do... 

.26 

207 

Blue,  gold, brown 

....do 

.  88 

208 

Green ,  red ,  gold 

do 

.20 

«  Figures  in  bold-faced  type  are  above  the  Massachusetts  limit. 

t>  If  less  than  0.6  milligram  of  arsenic  per  square  meter  is  present,  it  is  reported  as  a  trace. 


RESULTS    OF    ANALYSES. 


29 


Table  V. — Arsenic  content  of watt  papers — Continued. 


Description  of  sample. 

Country  of  origin. 

Arse'iic. 

Serial 
num- 
ber. 

Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 

Milli- 
grams 

per 
squaro 
meter. 

Price 
per 
roll. 

309 
210 

Wall  paper— Continued. 

Variegated  red,  gold 

Variegated  blue,  gold,  yellow 

Green,  gold,  yellow .- - .-. 

Olive,  gold,  brown- 

Gray,  gold,  pink . 

Blue,  gold,  brown 

Green,  gold,  brown 

Red2  gold,  pink.. 

Variegated  red,  gold 

Yellow, gold 

Green,  gold,  silver 

Red,  green 

Green,  gold,  silver 

Yellow,  gold,  red,  green 

United  States.... 
do 

0.023 
.008 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.023 
.031 
.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.023 
.015 
.015 

Trace. 
.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 

Trace. 
.038 
.012 
.000 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 
.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Traca. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 
.000 
.000 

'     .000 
.000 
.012 
.023 
.046 
.023 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.OCX) 

Trace. 
.015 
.015 
.012 
.008 

Trace. 
.000 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 
.031 

1.8 

.6 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

1.8 

2.4 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

1.8 

1.2 

1.2 

Trace. 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

Trace. 

3.0 

.9 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.9 

1.8 

3.6 

1.8 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

Trace. 

1.2 

1.2 

.9 

.6 

Trace. 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

2.4 

10.20 
.20 

211 

do 

.20 

212 

do. 

.24 

213 

....do... 

.24 

214 

do... 

.28 

215 

do. 

.28 

216 

do.. 

.28 

217 

...do.. 

21 8 

do.... 

.14 

219 

do. 

.16 

220 

.  .do-- 

.16 

221 

do.. 

.16 

222 

do. 

.14 

223 

.  do 

.12 

224 
225 

Red, green, gold 

Green,  gold 

Brown, red, green, gold 

Blue 

Green.. 

Pink 

Green,  white 

Green,  white,  gold 

Red,  pink,  gold 

Blue,  silver 

Green 

Silver,  yellow,  red,  green 

Violet,  red,  green 

Pink,  gold 

Variegated  brown ,  green 

Variegated  brown,  blue 

Variegated  brown,  green 

Green,  brown,  red,  black 

Red ,  yellow ,  blue,  black 

Brown,  green 

Blue,  green,  red 

Red,  green 

Red,  blue,  yellow,  black... 

Green,  brown. 

Blue,  green 

Yellow,  green 

White,  green 

Blue,  white 

Red,  white... 

Green,  red,  brown 

Variegated  blue 

Pink,  green 

Green,  red 

White,red. 

Green ,  white 

do ...... 

do 

.16 
.20 

226 

do 

.24 

227 

do. 

.30 

228 

...do.. 

.30 

229 

do.... 

.30 

230 

.....do 

.30 

231 

.do... 

.35 

232 

....do... 

.28 

233 

....do.... 

.30 

234 

do. 

.16 

235 

.do.. 

.20 

236 

....do.... 

.20 

237 

....do 

.30 

238 

do 

.40 

239 

-do. 

.40 

240 

....do 

.30 

241 

do 

.40 

242 

.do... 

.40 

243 

....do 

.50 

244 

do 

.50 

245 

..do... 

.50 

246 

....do 

.40 

247 

do 

.40 

248 

...do... 

.18 

249 

....do 

.20 

250 

do. 

.22 

251 

.  .do... 

.20 

252 

do 

.24 

253 

do 

.22 

254 

.  .do... 

.24 

255 

....do 

.16 

256 

.do... 

.20 

257 

...do... 

.25 

258 

....do 

.18 

259 

.do. 

.15 

260 

Pink,  green,  gold,  silver 

.  ..do 

.10 

261 

Blue,  green,  purple 

....do .. 

.12i 

262 

..do... 

.12* 

287 

Green,  gold 

....do 

.35 

288 

do 

.40 

289 

Brown,  green,  gold 

.  .do 

.32 

290 

Red,  green,  gold 

....do 

.35 

291 

.do. 

.30 

292 

Red,  green,  gold 

....do... 

.28 

293 

.do... 

.40 

294 

Variegated  blue ,  gold 

...do 

.35 

-    295 

do 

.30 

296 

White ,  gold,  yellow 

...do 

.18 

297 

do 

.30 

298 
299 

Red,  pink,  gold,  green 

do. 

do... 

.35 
.30 

300 

Blue,  gold 

...do.. 

.25 

301 

Green,  gold.  . 

do... 

.20 

302 

Red,  gold 

...do 

.20 

303 

Green,  gold. 

do   .. 

.20 

304 

Green,  gold,  yellow 

...do 

.30 

305 

Red,  gold 

do 

.25 

306 

-do 

.25 

307 

Green,  pink,  gold 

...do 

.25 

308 

Blue,  gold 

do 

.24 

30 


ARSENIC    IN   PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 


Table  V. — Arsenic  content  of  wall  papers — Continued. 


Serial 
num- 
ber. 


310 
311 


Description  of  sample. 


Country  of  origin.; 


Arsenic. 

Grains 

Milli- 

per 

grams 
per 

yard. 

square 
meter. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

0.015 

1.2 

.015 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.023 

1.8 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.015 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.046 

3.6 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.038 

3.0 

.000 

.0 

.046 

3.6 

.015 

1.2 

.015 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

•      .0 

.015 

1.2 

.000 

.0 

.031 

2.4 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.031 

2.4 

.008 

.6 

.008 

.6 

.081 

2.4 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.046 

3.6 

.031 

2.4 

.015 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.061 

4.8 

.015 

1.2 

.031 

2.4 

.108 

8.4 

.015 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.031 

2.4 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.031 

2.4 

.015 

1.2 

.031 

2.4 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.015 

1.2 

.031 

2.4 

.031 

2.4 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.031 

2.4 

.008 

.6 

.015 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.015 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

1342 
343 
344 
345 


347 
348 
349 
350 
351 
352 
353 
354 
355 

356 
357 
358 
359 
360 

361 

:*52 

363 

•m 

365 
366 
367 


370 

*371 
3,2 
373 
374 

375 
376 
377 
378 
379 
380 
381 
382 
436 
437 


439 
440 
441 
442 
443 
444 
445 
446 
447 
448 
449 

450 
451 
452 
468 
454 
455 


Wall  paper— Continued. 

Brown,  green,  gold 

Pink,  green,  gold 

Blue,  gold,  red 

Border  paper: 

Blue,  gray,  gold 

Pink,  green 

Gold,  green,  silver 

Wall  paper,  blue... 

Border  paper: 

Red,  green. . . 

Green,  silver,  gold . 

Green,  gold.. 

Wallpaper,  green 

Border  paper,  red  green,  gold 

Wall  paper,  green 

Border  paper,  green,  gold,  white 

Wallpaper,  green 

Border  paper,  blue 

Wallpaper,  blue 

Border  paper: 

Blue,  gold,  white 

Blue,  gold,  pink 

Wallpaper,  blue.. 

Border  paper,  green,  red,  brown 

Wall  paper,  olive 

Border  paper: 

Yellow,  pink,  gold. 

Green,  brown,  gold 

Wallpaper,  gray 

Border  paper: 

Green,  brown,  gold,  yellow 

Pink,  blue,  brown,  gold 

Pink,  green 

Green,  red,  gold,  pink 

Green,  red,  gold. 

Wall  paper,  green 

Border  paper,  green,  red 

Wall  paper: 

Green 

Flesh 

Border  paper,  pink,  gold,  green 

Wall  paper,  brown 

Border  paper: 

Red,  green,  gold 

Do 

Wallpaper,  red ., 

Border  paper,  red,  pink,  gold 

Wallpaper,  brown. 

Border  paper,  green,  red,  gold 

Wall  paper,  green 

Border  paper,  green,  pink,  gold 

Wall  paper,  green,  brown,  gold 

Border  paper,  pink,  blue,  green,  gold. 
Wall  paper: 

Pink,  blue,  green,  gold 

Green,  gold,  brown 

Red,  gold 

Green,  gold 

Red,  gold 

Green,  gold,  black 

Green,  gold,  pink 

Red,  gold,  green 

Red,  brown,  green 

Green,  red,  gold 

Do 

Border  paper,  blue,  red,  gold 

Wallpaper: 

Blue,  red,  gold 

Blue,  pink,  green 

Red,  gold +  ... 

Green,  red,  gold 

Pink,  silver 

Green,  silver 


United  States. 

....do 

.—do.. 

....do 

....do 

....do 

—do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

.—do 

....do 

—do 

....do 

—do 

....do 

do 

....do 

—do 

—  .do 


.do... 
.do., 
.do.. 

.do... 
.do.-, 
.do., 
.do... 
.do... 
.do., 
.do.. 

.do., 
.do... 
.do... 
.do... 

.do., 
.do., 
-do... 
.do., 
.do., 
.do.- 
.do.. 
.do_- 
.do.o . 
.do.. 

.do... 
.do... 
.do., 
-do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
.do... 
:do.. 
.do., 
.do... 
.do.. 

.do., 
.do., 
.do., 
do., 
.do., 
.do.. 


I 


«Nos.  436-468,  inclusive,  Nos.  595-641,  inclusive,  and  No.  858  are  samples  from  Massachusetts, 
the  only  State  which  has  enacted  a  law  restricting  the  use  of  arsenic  in  papers  and  fabrics. 


RESULTS    OF    ANALYSES. 
Table  V. — Arsenic  content  of  wall  papers — Continued. 


31 


Country  of  origin, 


Arsenic. 


Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 


Milli- 
grams 

per 
square 

meter. 


Price 
per 
roll. 


456 
457 

458 
459 

460 
481 
462 
463 
464 
465 
466 
467 
468 
468 
4711 
471 

472 
473 
474 

47."> 
476 

477 
478 
479 

480  J 
481 
482 
483 

4>'4 
4^5 

486  I 

487 

488 

489 

490 

49L 

519 

520 

521 
522 
523 

524 
525 
526 
527 
528 
529 
530 
531 

532 

533 
534 
;>:*; 
537 
538 
559 
540 
541 
542 
54:5 
544 
545 
546 
547 
54s 
549 
55  1 
551 


.do 
.do. 
.do 

do 
.do 

.do 
.do 
.do 
.do. 

.do 

.do 


Wall  paper— Continued. 
n,  gre 

Blue,  red ! do  . . 

Red,  green, brown. do,. 

Red ,  green ' do . . 

Red.  green,  blue,  black ! do . . 

Red,  green,  black do . . 

Red,  white.. ' do.. 

Green,  white i do.. 

Green,  yellow ' do . . 

Green,  pink ( do.. 

Green,  brown ' do.. 

Red,  green do.. 

Yellow,  green do  . . 

Variegated  green j do . . 

Vari?gated  red do  . . 

Border  paper,  blue,  brown,  yellow,  green do  .. 

Wall  paper: 

Blue,  silver j do . 

Pink,  silver ( do.. 

Ceiling  paper,  brown,  green ...! do 

Wall  paper: 

Green,  white 

Red 

Blue,  pink,  green,  yellow 

Purple,  green,  yellow 

Border  paper,  pink,  blue,  green,  yellow. 
Wall  paper: 

Blue,  silver 

Red,  silver 

Green,  white 

Ceiling  paper,  variegated  pink 

Wall  paper,  variegated  red 

Border  paper,  green,  pink* 

Wall  paper: 

Green,  silver 

Brown,  silver 

Green,  silver 

Blue,  silver 

Green,  silver 

Variegated  green 

Border  paper,  pink,  white 

Wall  paper: 

Gray ,  white 

Light  green,  white 

Do 

Brown,  white 

Pink,  white 

Light  green,  white 

Brown,  white 

Variegated  red 

Brown,  white j do. 

Green,  white _ do. 

Do do. 

Ceiling  paper,  variegated  red do. 

Wall  paper: 

Variegated  red do . 

Green,  white do. 

Gray,  white do  . 

Green,  brown ' do. 

Brown,  red do. 

Blue,  white ' do. 

Variegated  green ' do. 

Green,  yellow | do. 

Variegated  red do. 

Silver,  yellow do. 

•  Silver,  green ; do  . 

Silver,  blue.. , J do. 

Silver,  yellow ! do. 

Silver,  dark  green do  . 

Silver,  pink do. 

Green,  white , do. 

Blue,  white do. 

Red.  white ' do. 

Purple,  white - - I do  . 


.do 
.do. 
.do. 

.do. 

.do. 
.do. 

.do 
.do 

.do 

.do 

.do 
.do. 
.do, 

.do 
.do 


0.000 

0.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.(M)0 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.023 

1.8 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.coo 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.coa 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 

.000 
.000 

.000 

.000 
.000 
.000 

.077 

.062 
.031 
.015 
.015 
.000 
.015 
.000 
.000 
.015 
.015 
.031 
.015 


.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
6.0 

4.8 

2.4 

1.2 

1.2 

.0 

1.2 

.0 

.0 

1.2 

1.2 

2.4 

1.2 


$0. 12£ 
.18 
.18 
.15 
.16 
.14 
.18 
.16 
.10 
.12} 
.10 
.15 
.15 
.20 
.25 
.50 

.20 
.20 
.20 

.20 
.25 
.20 
.20 
.50 

.20 
.20 
.20 
.20 
.20 
.20 

.15 
.15 
.15 
.15 
.15 
.15 
3.95 

3.79 
3.79 
3.79 
3.79 
3.79 
3.79 
3.79 
3.81 
3.79 
3.79 
3.79 
3.81 


.000 

.0 

3.81 

.061 

4.8 

3.79 

.031 

2.4 

3.79 

.015 

1.2  j 

.09 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.09 

.000 

.0 

.124 

.000 

.0 

.124 

.000 

.0 

.124 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.124 

.000 

.0 

.10 

.000 

.0  i 

.10 

.000 

.0 

.10 

.000 

.0  1 

.12| 

.000 

.0  ! 

.124 

.000 

.0 

.124 

.000 

.ol 

.10 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.10 

.000 

.0 

.10 

Trace. 

Trace,  i 

.10 

5050— No.  86—04- 


32 


ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 


Table  V. — Arsenic  content  of  ivall  papers — Continued. 


Serial 
num- 
ber. 


552 
553 
554 
555 
556 
557 
558 
559 
560 
561 
562 
563 
564 
565 
536 
567 
568 
569 
570 
571 
572 
573 
574 
575 
576 
577 
578 
579 
580 
581 
582 
583 
584 
585 
595 
596 
597 
598 
599 
600 
601 
602 
603 
604 
605 
608 
607 
608 
609 
610 
611 
612 
613 
614 
615 
616 
617 
618 
619 


G22 

623 


625 
627 


630 
681 

csa 

631 


Description  of  sample. 


Country  of  origin. 


Wall  paper — Continued. 

Old  rose,  white United  States.. 

Pink,  flesh _. do 

Variegated  blue do 

Green,  brown do 

Variegated  pink do 

Variegated  yellow.. do 

Variegated  green do 

Green,  yellow c!o 

Variegated  pink do 

Do. do 

White,  blue do 

White,  green.. do 

Variegated  red do 

Purple,  white do 

Blue,  white j do 

Variegated  pink do 

Green,  white do 

Variegated  green.. \ do 

Purple,  white I do 

Olive,  whit  >. do 

Variegated  green do 

Variegated  xe.l do 

Variegated  green do 

Do do 

Variegated  blue ! do 

Brown,  red do 

Variegated  green. do 

Green,  yellow d  j 

Red,  black ; clo 

Do do 

Blue,  yellow j do 

Variegated  yellow. do 

Variegated  green do  ... «. 

Variegated  red ' do 

Brown,  green ...do."  ... 

Blue,  white do 

Green,  white do 

Yellow,  white,  pink do 

Do do 

Blue,  white,  yellow do 

Green,  pink,  white do 

Red,  brown,  green,  white do 

Blue,  pink,  green,  white do 

Blue,  pink,  green,  yellow do 

Pink,  green,  white,  blue do 

Do do 

Blue,  white do 

Green,  purple,  brown,  white ..do 

Green,  pink,  brown,  white do 

Green,  yellow,  white... do 

Green,  red,  white \ do 

Green,  purple,  while,  yellow do 

Green,  purple,  white,  brown do 

Pink,  green,  purple,  white do 

Blue,  pink,  green. do 

Pink,  green,  blue,  white do 

Blue,  white do 

Green,  red do 

Variegated  green do 

Yellow,  green,  brown,  white do 

Blue,  green,  brown,  white | do 


Red,  blue,  brown,  white . 

Green,  white 

Do 

Pink,  white 

Blue,  green,  white 

Yellow,  green,  white 

Blue,  white 

Pink,  green,  white,  gray. 

Blue,  pink,  green,  white,  gray. 

Yello  w,  brown 

Blue,  gray 

Pink,  white 

Pink,  green,  white 


.  d<  ■ 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.d  i 
.do 
.do 
.do. 
do 


Arsenic. 

Grains 

Milli- 

per 
square 
yard. 

grams 

per 
square 
met^r. 

0.000 

0.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.015 

1.2 

.031 

2.4 

.031 

2.4 

.000 

.0 

.031 

2.4 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.031 

2.4 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.015 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.015 

1.2 

.015 

1.2 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.023 

1.8 

.046 

3.6 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.111.-. 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.031 

2.4 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.081 

2.4 

.015 

1.2 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

"Nos.  436-468,  inclusive.  Nos.  595-641,  inclusive,  and  No.  853  are  samples  from  Massachusetts, 
the  only  State  which  has  enacted  a  law  restricting  the  use  of  arsenic  in  papers  and  fabrics. 


RESULTS    OF    ANALYSES. 


33 


Table  V. — Arsenic  content  of  wall  papers. — Continued. 


Serial 
num- 
ber. | 


Description  of  sample. 


635 
636 
637 

638 

638.'. 

my 

640  | 

641  i 
655  | 
656 
657  I 
658 
659 
660 

661 
662 
663 
664 
665 


670 
671 


673 
674 

675 

676 
677 
678 
679 

680 
681 

682 
683 
684 
685 
686 


700 
701 
702 
708 
704 
705 
706 
707 
70S 
709 
710 
711 
712 
713 
714 
715 
il6 
717 
721 
722 
723 
7:.'  \ 
7:>5 
72i» 
727 
728 


"Wall  paper— Continued. 
Pink,  green,  white  . 


Variegate  :1  green 
■  lack, 


Country  of  origin 


United  State?. 
.....do 


Arsenic. 


Grains  J££; 

per  g™ms 

*ES!  square 

J""u*  meter. 


Brown,  black,  blue,  red,  green do  . 

Do do 

Green,  pink,  brown,  white do  . 

Green,  pink,  red,  white do. 

Green,  pink,  purple,  yellow do  . 

Pink,  wnite j do  . 

Oil  wallpaper,  green,  white.. do. 

Oil  border  paper,  green,  white ' do 

Oil  wall  pap3i\  green,  white,  blue do  . 

Oil  border  paper,  blue,  yellow,  white ; do 

Oil  wall  paper,  blue,  brown,  white.. do 

Oil  border  paper,  yellow,  blue,  white j do. 

Oil  wall  paper: 

Blue,  green,  white I do 

Red,  green,  white ; do  . 

Oil  border  paper,  brown,  green,  white | do. 

Oil  wall  paper,  brown,  green,  white do. 

Oil  border  paper,  green,  white do  . 

Oil  wall  paper,  green,  white ! do  . 

Oil  border  paper,  blue ,  green ,  yellow,  white .  j do  . 

Oil  wall  paper: 

Blue,  green,  brown,  white ..' do  . 

Green,  blue,  white ' do  . 

Oil  border  paper: 

Green,  brown,  white do  . 

Brown,  white do. 

Oil  wall  paper,  variegated  brown,  green,  j do. 

white. 

Oil  border  paper: 

Blue,  green. white j do. 

Green,  white i do  . 

Oil  wall  paper: 

Green,  white ! do  . 

Do.. | do. 

Blue,  yellow,  white. '' do  . 

Green,  blue,  white ' do  . 

Brown,  blue,  white do  . 

Oil  border  paper: 

Blue,  green, white. ' do. 

Green,  white do  . 

Oil  wall  paper: 

Green,  white do  . 

Green,  brown,  white do  . 

Do.. do. 

Blue,  brown,  white do  . 

Oil  border  paper,  brown,  green,  white do. 

Oil  wall  paper,  green,  white do 

Wall  paper: 

Red,  yellow,  brown England 

Green,  red,  brown do 

Blue,  brown,  yellow do 

Green,  pink,  red do 

Yellow,  purple,  pink,  gr^en do 

Variegated  red < do 

Brown,  blue d  > 

Variegated  blue '■• do 

Variegated  red do 

Brown,  red,  blue do 

Blue,  white... do 

Pink,  white .do 

Pink,  white,  green do 

Blue,  white,  yellow do 

Blue,  green,  pink -t do 

Yellow,  white do 

Green,  white •„ do 

Red,  white do 

Green,  pink do 

Green,  brown,  pink do 

Brown,  yellow.. do 

Red,  green,  white do 

Blue,  brown,  pink do 

Variegated  red do 

Blue,  white do 

Pink,  white do 


0.000 
.000  i 
.015  I 

.ooo  j 

.000  I 
.000 

.ooo  • 

Trace. 
.000 
.000 

Trace. 

.000  i 
.000 
Trace. 

.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 
Trace. 
.000 

.000 
Trace. 

.000 
.000 
.000 


Trace. 
Trace. 

.000 
Trace. 
.000 
.000 
.000 

.000 
.000 

.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.015 
.077 
.046 
.015 
.031 
.031 
.107 
.015 
.015 
.077 
.015 
.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.046 
.031 
.000 
.031 
.000 

Trace. 
.000 
.015 
.031  j 

Trace. 


0.0 
.0 
1.2 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
Trace. 
.0 

.0 
Trace. 

.0 
.0 
.0 


Trace. 
Trace. 


Trace. 
.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

1.2 
6.0 
3.6 
1.2 
2.4 
2.4 
8.4 
1.2 
1.2 
6.0 
1.2 
1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

3.6 

2.4 

.0 

■2.4 

.0 

Trace. 

.0 

1.2 

2.4 

Trace. 


34 


ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 


Table  V. — Arsenic  content  of  tvall  papers — Continued. 


Description  of  sample. 

Country  of  origin. 

Arsenic. 

Serial 
num- 
ber. 

Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 

Milli- 
grams 

per 
square 
meter. 

Price 
per 
roll. 

729 

Wall  paper— Continued. 

England 

0.031 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 
.000 

Trace. 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.015 
.015 
.000 
.015 
.000 

.00;) 

.000 
.015 
.046 
.000 
.015 

Trace. 
.031 
.015 
.031 
.046 
.031 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 
.000 
.015 
.015 
.031 
.031 
.000 
.046 
.015 
.015 
.031 
.015 
.015 
.015 
.008 

Trace. 
.015 
.077 
.031 
.015 
.031 

Trace. 
.000 

Trace. 
.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.015 

Trace. 
.031 
.015 
.061 
.015 
.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.000 

Trace. 
.046 

Trace. 
.031 

Trace. 

2.4 

Trace. 

Trace 

.0 

.0 

Trace. 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

1.2 

1.2 

.0 

1.2 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.2 

3.6 

.0 

1.2 

Trace. 

2.4 

1.2 

2.4 

3.6 

2.4 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 

.0 

1.2 

1.2 

2.4 

2.4 

.0 

3.6 

1.2 

1.2 

2.4 

1.2 

1.2 

.6 

Trace. 
1.2 
6.0 
2.4 
1.2 
2.4 

Trace. 
.0 

Trace. 
1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 
1.2 

Trace. 
2.4 
1.2 
4.8 
1.2 
1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.0 

Trace. 
3.6 

Trace. 
2.4 

Trace. 

$0.60 

730 

Red,  blue,  yellow  .. 

do 

.4''. 

731 

do 

.40 

732 

Yellow,  green,  pink 

Green,  pink,  white 

Variegated  green 

Variegated  red 

Blue,  pink,  green 

Yellow,  green,  pink 

Green,  pink,  brown.. 

Brown,  red 

Blue,  brown . 

Variegated  pink 

Variegated  green 

Red,  green,  white 

Brown,  blue,  green,  red 

Blue,  white 

Yellow,  green,  white 

Green,  pink 

Green,  white 

...do......   . 

.40 

733 

do.. 

.50 

734 
735 

do 

do... 

.40 
.40 

736 

...do... 

.78 

737 

do 

.48 

738 

do 

.60 

739 

do 

.80 

740 

do 

.80 

741 

.    do... 

.  gfl 

742 

...do... 

.56 

743 

...do.... 

1.04 

744 

do 

.4t» 

715 

do 

.40 

746 
747 

--do 

do... 

.40 

.44 

748 

.    do... 

.40 

749 

.40 

751 

Green,  brown... 

France 

.90 

752 

Green,  brown,  Yellow 

do 

1.76 

753 

Green ,  yellow ,  pink 

do. 

.42 

754 

Brown,  blue 

do 

.94 

7.55 

.    do... 

.76 

756 

Brown,  blue,  yellow 

...do.... 

.72 

757 

Brown,  green,  pink 

...do... 

.50 

758 

Red,  brown,  blue 

...do. 

.80 

759 

Do 

do — 

.70 

760 

Red,  brown,  green 

Germany 

do 

.50 

761 

Pink,  brown,  blue 

.34 

762 

Blue,  brown,  vello  w 

do 

.92 

763 

Brown,  green,  red 

do 

.50 

764 

do.... 

.30 

765 

Variegated  red 

do 

.40 

766 

Green,  pink,  yellow 

do.... 

.40 

767 

Green,  red,  brown 

do 

.86 

768 

Blue,  red,  brown 

do 

.86 

769 

Blue,  red,  green,  brown 

do 

.60 

770 

Red,  blue,  brown 

do 

.70 

771 

Red,  yellow,  brown 

do 

.90 

772 

Blue,  pink,  brown 

....do. 

.60 

773 

Do 

do 

.60 

774 

Red,  green,  brown. 

do.. 

.50 

775 

Brown,  red,  blue 

...do... 

.50 

776 

Variegated  green 

do 

.50 

777 

Variegated  red 

do 

.40 

778 

Variegated  green 

...do... 

.25 

779 

Blue,  brown,  pink 

...do. 

.50 

780 

Red,  yellow,  blue 

do 

.50 

781 

Brown,  yellow,  purple .' 

do 

.80 

782 

Yellow,  brown,  blue 

...do.... 

.60 

783 

Green,  brown,  blue 

do 

.70 

784 

Variegated  red 

.-do... 

.72 

785 

Variegated  green 

do 

.50 

786 

Do 

.    do... 

.60 

787 

Variegated  pink 

...do 

.60 

788 

Yellow,  green,  pink 

do.., 

.72 

789 

Green,  brown 

...do 

.70 

790 

Purple,  green,  yellow 

do 

1.92 

791 

Brown,  green,  red 

do 

1.04 

792 

Brown,  green,  blue 

...do 

2.25 

793 

Variegated  green 

do 

1.30 

794 

Blue,  brown,  red 

...do 

1.76 

795 

Green,  pink 

England  .. 

.52 

796 

Green,  pink,  brown.. . 

...do 

.50 

797 

Green,  red,  yellow 

do 

.7n 

798 

P.urple,  green,  yellow 

.do 

.76 

799 

Green,  pink,  yellow 

...do 

.76 

800 

Red,  green,  blue,  yellow 

do 

.60 

801 

Yellow,  green,  brown 

. ..  do . . . 

.50 

802 

Variegated  green 

...do 

.50 

803 

Green,  yellow 

do 

.56 

804 

Red,  green,  blue. 

...do 

.70 

805 

Green,  red,  yellow 

do 

.76 

KESULTS    OF    ANALYSES. 


35 


Table  V. — Arsenic  content  of  wall  papers — Continued. 


Serial 
num- 
ber. 


Description  of  sample. 


ms 

807 
808 
809 
810 
811 
812 

813 
814 
815 

816 
817 
818 
819 
820 
821 
822 
823 
824 


827 


830 
831 
832 
835 
834 
835 
836 
837 
8:38 
856 
857 
858 
859 
860 
861 
862 


Country  of  origin 


Arsenic. 


Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 


England  . 

do 

Germany 

do 

do.... 

do.... 

do.... 


.do. 


Wall  paper— Continued. 

brown,  blue,  yellow 

Green,  pink,  yellow 

Green,  pink,  blue 

Green,  yellow,  pink 

Brown,  blue 

Pink,  white 

Green,  brown,  gold 

Glazed  wall  paper: 

Green,  pink,  blue 

Blue,  white I do 

Do I do 

"Wall  paper: 

Green,  pink,  yellow 

Blue,  white 

Yellow,  white 

Green,  pink,  brown 

Brown,  green,  blue 

Purple,  yellow,  green,  pink 

Blue,  green,  yellow 

Red 

Blue,  white 

Yellow,  white 

Purple,  green 

Variegated  blue 

Variegated  red 

Brown,  blue,  green 

Brown,  blue,  green,  pink.. 

Yellow,  green,  pink. 

Green,  pink,  blue 

Red,  brown,  white 

Green,  pink,  blue,  white ... 

Yellow,  pink 

Green,  brown 

Green,  brown, _pink,  blue 

Pink,  white 

Variegated  green 

Variegated  red 

Green,  red,  white ___ 

Green,  brown,  p:nk,  gold 

Variegated  green ] do 

Green,  pink.  gold. I  England 

Green,  yellow,  silver United  States 


England 

do 

....do 

....do.. 

....do 

Germany 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do. 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

England 

do. 

United  States". 
....do 


0.000 
.000 
.015 
.015 
Trace. 
.015 
.031 

Trace. 
Trace. 

.000 

.008 
.000 
.000 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.031 
.046 
.046 
.031 
.046 
.031 
.031 
.046 
.046 
.015 
.015 
.031 
.038 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.031 
.061 
.031 
.015 
.000 

Trace. 
.046 
.000 
.000 


Milli- 
grams 

per 
square 
meter. 


0.0 
.0 
1.2 
1.2 
Trace. 
1.2 
2.4 

Trace. 
Trace. 


.6 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
2.4 
3.6 
3.6 
2.4 
3.6 
2.4 
2.4 
3.6 
3.6 
1.2 
1.2 
2.4 
3.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 
2.4 
4.8 
2.4 
1.2 
.0 

Trace. 

3.6 

.0 

.0 


Price 
per 

roll. 


$0.90 

.64 

1.40 

1.30 

1.84 
1.04 
1.84 

.76 
.76 

1.72 

1.00 

.48 

.48 

.76 

.90 

3.00 

4.25 

1.25 

1.75 

1.50 

1.50 

1.60 

1.60 

2.50 

3.00 

1.50 

1.50 

3.00 

5.00 

4.00 

3.75 

2.75 

1.25 

.80 

1.25 

1.00 

.60 

.60 

1.25 

.20 


"Nos.  436-468,  inclusive,  Nos.  59V641,  inclusive,  and  No.  858  are  samples  from  Massachusetts,  the 
only  State  which  has  enacted  a  law  restricting  the  use  of  arsenic  in  papers  and  fabrics. 


Of  the  537  samples  of  wall  paper  examined  four  of  them,  or  0.75  per 
cent,  contain  more  than  0.1  grain  per  square  yard  (7.8  mg  per  square 
meter),  the  maximum  amount  allowed  by  the  laws  of  Massachusetts. 
It  will  be  noted  that  two  of  these  four  samples  are  colored  at  least 
partially  with  a  red  dye,  two  are  partially  colored  with  a  green  d}Te, 
while  one  is  colored  neither  red  nor  green,  but  has  brown  as  the  pre- 
dominating color.  It  is  also  a  fact  worthy  of  notice  that  two  of  the 
-  four  samples  came  from  England,  one  of  the  foreign  countries  which 
has  no  laws  limiting  the  amount  of  arsenic  in  papers  and  fabrics. 

Five  of  the  samples,  or  0.93  per  cent,  contain  between  0.077  and  0.1 
grain  per  square  yard  (0  and  7.8  mg  per  square  meter).  Here  again 
it  will  be  noted  that  red  is  one  of  the  predominating  colors  in  four  of 
the  samples  and  further  that  four  of  the  samples  are  of  foreign  make, 


36  ARSENIC   IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

two  being  imported  from  England,  one  from  France,  and  one  from 
Germany. 

Thirty- two  of  the  samples,  or  5.96  per  cent,  contain  between  0.046 
and  0.077  grains  of  arsenic  per  square  yard.  The  remaining  92.36  per 
cent  of  the  samples  is  made  up  of  32.22  per  cent  containing  less  than 
0.046  grains  of  arsenic  per  square  yard  and  more  than  a  trace;  26.44 
per  cent  containing  a  trace,  and  33.70  per  cent  containing  no  arsenic. 

A  comparison  of  these  figures  with  those  obtained  by  Hills  in  1891 
and  Leach  in  1900  shows  that  the  percentage  of  samples  containing 
more  than  0. 1  grain  per  square  yard  has  decreased  to  a  very  gratify- 
ing extent.  This  is  probably  due  to  the  law  passed  by  Massachusetts 
in  1900.  As  far  as  the  other  figures  can  be  compared' it  would  appear 
that  the  percentage  of  papers  containing  between  0.05  and  0.1  grain 
per  square  yard  is  about  the  same  as  it  was  in  1891,  while  the  percent- 
age of  papers  containing  no  arsenic  has  decreased. 

It  will  be  noted  in  Table  V  that  none  of  the  samples  from  No.  469 
to  No:  491,  inclusive,  contains  any  arsenic,  yet  nearly  all  of  the  ordi- 
nary colors  are  represented,  viz,  white,  green,  red,  blue,  brown,  yel- 
low, silver,  pink,  and  purple.  These  are  all  the  papers  of  one  firm 
that  were  examined,  and  are  interesting  in  that  they  show  the  possi- 
bility of  coloring  wall  papers  with  all  of  the  ordinary  colors  without 
the  presence  of  even  a  trace  of  arsenic.  To  summarize  the  results 
obtained  on  wall  papers  it  may  be  said  that  four  points  are  especially 
brought  out: 

(1)  The  number  of  papers  containing  more  than  0.1  grain  per  square 
yard  is  very  small,  and  has  been  very  much  reduced  since  the  passage 
of  the  Massachusetts  law  of  1900. 

(2)  Most  of  the  papers  containing  more  than  0.1  grain  per  square 
yard  are  of  foreign  make. 

(3)  There  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  papers  can  not  be  manufac- 
tured that  contain  no  arsenic  at  all. 

(4)  Since  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  0. 1  grain  of  arsenic  per  square 
yard  is  entirely  harmless,  it  would  appear  that  if  any  be  present  the 
amount  should  not  exceed  0.05  grain  per  square  yard.  This  would 
not  seem  to  work  any  great  hardship  to  manufacturers,  since  over  90 
per  cent  of  the  above  samples  contain  less  than  0.046  grain  per  square 
yard,  and  the  goods  of  one  firm  contain  no  arsenic. 

In  Table  VI  are  given  the  results  of  the  analyses  of  crepe,  shelf, 
and  glazed  papers. 


RESULTS    OF    ANALYSES. 
Table  VI. — Arsenic  content  of  miscellaneous  samples  of  paper. 


37 


Serial 
num-  ! 
ber. 


144 

145 
146 
147 

148 

405 
406 
407 
408 
409 

410 
411 
412 
413 
414 
415 
416 
417 


Description  of  sample. 


Crepe  paper:  <* 

Green,  yellow,  red  . 

Green,  black 

Green,  blue,  yellow 

Black, red 

Purple,  white 

Shelf  paper:  c 

Green 

Yellow 

Blue 

Lightpink 

Darkpink 

Glazed  paper:  d 

Red 

Dark  blue 

Light  yellow 

Green 

Dark  yellow 

Dark  brown. 

Light  blue 

Pink 


Country  of  origin. 


United  States  b . 

dofc 

....dob 

....do*> 

....dob 


.do. 
.do 
.do. 
.do. 
.do 

.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 
.do 


Arsenic;. 


Grains  per  Milligrams 
square  per  square 
yard.      ,     meter. 


Price. 


Trace. 

0.015 

.015 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 
.000 

.008 

.000 

Trace. 

.008 
.000 
.008 
.008 
.000 


Trace. 
1.2 
1.2 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 


.0 
Trace. 
.6 
.0 
.6 


$0.15 
.15 
.15 
.15 

.15 

.10 
.10 
.10 
.10 
.10 

.02 
.02 
.02 
.02 
.02 
.02 
.02 
.02 


"Price  per  roll  is  given. 

b  Sample  from  Massachusetts. 


c Price  per  quire  is  given. 
(I  Price  per  sheet  is  given. 


It  will  be  noted  that  although  a  great  variety  of  colors  are  repre- 
sented, neither  the  crepe  nor  glazed  papers  contain  large  enough 
amounts  of  arsenic  to  be  objectionable,  while  the  shelf  papers  contain 
none  at  all.  The  improvement  in  glazed  papers  from  the  time  when 
Hills  examined  88  samples  in  1891  is  marked,  and  indicates  that  the 
manufacturers  have  stopped  using  Paris  and  Scheele  greens  as  color- 
ing matters  in  this  class  of  goods. 

In  Table  VII  are  given  the  results  of  the  analyses  of  72  samples  of 
fabrics,  some  of  which  are  invariably  and  others  occasionally  used  in 
making  articles  of  dress.  This  class  of  goods  according  to  the  laws 
of  Massachusetts  should  not  contain  more  than  0.01  grain  of  arsenic 
per  square  yard  (0.78  mg  per  square  meter). 


Table  VII. — Arsenic  content  of  fabrics  to  be  used  as  dress  goods. 


Description  of  sample. 

Country  of  origin. 

Arsenic. 

Serial 
num- 
ber. 

Price 

per 

yard. 

121 
122 

Calico: 

Blue 

Black 

United  States  «  -  - 
do. 

0.0000            0.00 
.0080              .60 

Trace.       Trace. 

.0JOO  1           .Of) 
Trace.  I    Trace. 

.0000  !            .00 

.0000              .00 
.0015  J            .12 
.0015  !           .12 

$0.06 
.06 

123 

Gingham: 

Blue 

...do     . 

.12* 

124 

Red 

do 

.12* 

125 

Blue  and  white.. 

..  do 

.124 

126 

127 
128 

Silk  and  cotton  madras,  blue,  yellow,  and 
white. 

Dimity,  pink  and  white 

Mohair  s wiss,  blue  and  white 

do.. 

Ireland.. 

Switzerland  . 

.75 

.25 

1.50 

129 

Madras,  light  blue,  yellow,  and  white 

England 

.65 

a  Sample  from  Massachusetts. 


38  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

Table  VII. — Arsenic  content  of  fabrics  to  be  iised  as  dress  goods— Continued. 


Description  of  sample. 

Country  of  origin. 

Arsenic. 

Serial 
num- 
ber. 

Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 

Milli- 
grams 

per 
square 
meter. 

Price 

per 

yard. 

Gingham: 

Pink - 

130 

United  States  a . 
do.... 

Trace. 
0.0000 

Trace. 
.0000 
,0000 

Trace. 
0.00 

Trace. 
.00 
.00 

$0.12* 

131 

.  in" 

132 

Blue 

do 

.06* 

133 

do 

.  m 

134 

Gingham,  green  and  white 

England 

135 

Swiss,  pink 

Germany 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.66 

136 

United  States 

do.  a 

.0000 
.0000 

.00 
.00 

.12* 

137 

Do                                  

.12) 

Percale: 

138 

Blue                                                   

do 

.0000 
.0000 

.00 
.00 

.12* 

139 

Red 

do 

.12* 

140 

Blue                                              

do 

Trace. 
.0460 

Trace. 
3.60 

.121 

141 

do... 

.121 

954 

...do 

.0230 

1.80 

.05 

Gingham: 

955 

do. 

Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 

.07 

956 

Red 

do 

.10 

Percale: 

957 

Blue 

.do 

.0000 
.0000 
.0015 

.00 
.00 
.12 

.12 

958 

...do 

.12 

959 

Calico,  "black 

do 

.07 

963 

:....do 

.COOO 

.00 

.10 

Outing  flannel: 

964 

Blue,  green,  black.. 

Red.. 

.do 

.0000 

.00 

.06 

96S 

do. 

.0000 

.00 

.10 

971 

do. 

.0012 

.09 

.  25 

972 

Alpaca,  dark  red 

Flannel,  green. 

....do. 

Trace. 
.0200 

Trace. 
1.60 

.25 

973 

do 

.50 

974 

Duck,  black 

Plaid,  green,  purpl9 

do 

.0310 

.0015 

2.40 

.12 

'       .10 

988 

do... 

.25 

989 

Ribbon: 

Trace. 
.0000 

Trace. 
.00 

.121 

990 

Yellow 

.124 

991 

Brown 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.12) 

992 

Black 

.0015 

.OOCO 

Trace. 

.0000 

.12 

.00 

Trace. 

.00 

.15 

993 

Blue 

.15 

994 

Red 

.15 

995 

.60 

996 

Mohair,  black 

Flannel: 

do 

.0107 

.84 

.39 

997 

Red 

do 

.0015 

.12 

998 

Do... 

Calico: 

do 

.0031 

.24 

.12 

999 

.0000 

.00 

.06 

1000 

Red,  black,  yellow 

do 

.0540 

4.20 

.05 

1001 

Serge,  blue.. 

do 

.0015 

.12 

.39 

1002 

Flannelet,  pink,  black 

Lining,  pink 

do 

.0000 

.00 

.16 

1003 

do 

.0000 

.00 

.10 

1004 

Plaid,  green,  red 

Serge, blue 

Cashmere,  red 

do. 

.0015 

.12 

.15 

1005 

do 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.15 

1006 

do 

.0080 

.60 

1039 

Calico,  green,  pink 

Lawn,  blue,  white 

.0450 

3.50 

.ft", 

1040 

.0031 

.24 

.08 

1041 

Outing  flannel, green, red... 

Calico,  red,  black i 

.0062 

.48 

.05 

1042 

.0031 

.24 

.06 

1043 

Gingham,  blue,  green,  yellow 

.0046 

.m 

.in 

1045 

\  Sateen,  red 

.0015 
.0015 

.12 
.12 

12* 

1046 

!  Flannel,  green 

1047 

Cotton  cashmere ,  black 

.0031 

.24 

.  lfi 

1048 

Cashmere,  red _•___ 

.0031 

.24 

.  V> 

1049 

Plaid,  blue,  red,  yellow 

.0000 

.•00 

1050 

Cashmere,  black. 

.0062 

.48 

.  61 1 

1051 

Nearsilk,  light  red 

Flannelet,  blue,  green 



.0046 

.36 

.25 

1052 

.0107 

.S4 

10 

1053 

Lawn,  pink,  green... 

Flannelet,  red,  white 

.0016 

.12 

1054 

.0046 

.82 

1066 

Manila  cord,  green,  white 

.0046 

.36 

M57 

.0015 
.009 

.12 
24 

12 

1068 

Lawn,  green 

.124 

1060 

Crepon,  green 

.0(131 

.24 

.12 

i  Sample  from  Massachusetts. 


RESULTS    OF    ANALYSES.  39 

Of  the  72  samples  examined,  8,  or  11  per  cent,  contain  more  than 
0.01  grain  of  arsenic  per  square  yard;  8,  or  11  per  cent,  contain 
between  0.004(3  and  0.01  grain  per  square  yard;  33,  or  45.8  per  cent, 
contain  less  than  0.0046  grain  per  square  yard,  and  23,  or  32  per 
cent,  contain  none.  The  presence  of  large  amounts  of  arsenic  does 
not  seem  to  be  confined  to  any  particular  class  of  goods,  since  those 
containing  the  largest  amounts  include  calicos,  cashmeres,  outing 
flannels,  ducks,  mohairs,  and  flannelets.  It  does  seem,  however, 
that  certain  colors  are  more  apt  to  contain  arsenic  than  others, 
namely,  black,  red,  and  grepn. 

Goods  colored  with  anilin  dyes  are  apt  to  contain  small  amounts  of 
arsenic  for  several  reasons : 

(1)  In  preparing  the  dyes  and  substances  from  which  the  dyes  are 
made  arsenic  acid,  as  well  as  sulphuric,  nitric,  and  hydrochloric  acids, 
and  other  compounds  apt  to  contain  arsenic,  are  used.  Some  of  the 
arsenic  will  remain  in  the  dye  unless  it  is  carefully  purified. 

(2)  Some  dyes  are  sold  in  the  form  of  a  paste,  which  is  preserved 
by  the  use  of  arsenious  oxid. 

(3)  Substances  used  as  assistants,  fixes,  or  mordants  in  the  dyeing 
process  may  contain  arsenic,  either  as  an  accidental  or  as  an  inten- 
tional ingredient. 

Sodium  phosphate  and  turkey-red  oil  are  examples  of  substances 
which  maj*  contain  arsenic  as  an  accidental  ingredient  because  of 
their  method  of  manufacture.  In  dyeing  turkey-red  cloth  sodium 
arsenate  is  often  used  as  one  of  the  constituents  of  the  bath.  Natu- 
rally red-colored  goods  are  extremely  apt  to  contain  arsenic,  since 
they  are  most  often  colored  with  magenta  (sometimes  made  by  the 
action  of  arsenic  acid  on  anilin)  or  its  derivatives.  It  is  more  diffi- 
cult, however,  for  authors  who  are  not  familiar  with  the  details  of  the 
various  processes  used  in  dyeing  to  understand  why  black  and  green 
goods  should  contain  more  arsenic  than  those  of  other  colors.  On 
looking  over  the  methods  of  preparation  of  a  number  of  the  black  and 
green  dyes  it  was  found  that  most  of  them  were  prepared  either  from 
anilin  or  from  its  direct  derivatives  or  by  treating  certain  organic 
compounds  with  sulphuric  acid.  These  two  facts  help  to  explain  the 
presence  of  arsenic,  since  both  anilin  and  sulphuric  acid  are  apt 
to  contain  small  quantities  of  arsenic  because  of  their  method  of 
manufacture. 

It  is  difficult  to  make  a  comparison  of  the  results  given  in  Table 
VII  with  those  obtained  by  Hills  in  1891  because  of  the  different 
methods  of  expressing  the  results  and  carrying  out  the  work,  but  it 
can  at  least  be  seen  that  articles  of  dress  Jiave  improved  to  a  great 
extent  in  regard  to  their  arsenic  content,  since  when  Hills  examined 
prints  and  ginghams  he  found  over  20  per  cent  containing  more  than 
0.05  grain  per  square  yard,  while  now  only  11  per  cent  of  all  dress 
goods  examined  contain  more  than  0.01  grain  per  square  yard. 


40 


ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 


A  comparison  of  the  data  given  in  Table  VII  with  the  results 
obtained  by  Leach  in  Massachusetts  in  1900  on  dress  goods,  exclusive 
of  stockings,  is  given  in  Table  VIII. 

Table  VIII. — Comparison  of  results  obtained  in  1900  and  190S  on  dress  goods. 


Source. 


Bureau  of  Chemistry,  1903. 
Leach.  Massachusetts,  1900 


Below  0.01  AboveO.Cl 
Free  from  |      grain  grain 

arsenic,     per  square  per  square 
yard.  yard. 


Percent.  !   Percent. 
32.0  56.9 

68.5  '  23.7 


Per  cent. 
11.1 

7.8 


It  would  appear  from  this  that  no  efforts  have  been  made  by  man- 
ufacturers during  the  last  three  years  to  improve  their  method  of  dye- 
ing certain  classes  of  dress  goods  so  as  to  eliminate  arsenic,  or  that, 
at  least,  if  such  efforts  have  been  made  they  have  been  chiefty  con- 
fined to  those  goods  which  are  to  be  sold  in  the  State  of  Massachu- 
setts, which  has  laws  governing  this  subject. 

Although,  as  mentioned  above,  there  has  been  an  improvement  in 
dress  goods  during  the  last  thirteen  years,  yet  with  11  per  cent  of 
our  dress  goods  containing  enough  arsenic  to  be  injurious  to  health 
the  situation  is  far  from  satisfying.  When  it  is  taken  into  consid- 
eration that,  next  to  food,  dress  goods  are  used  more  largely  than 
practically  &ny  other  manufactured  article,  it  will  be  seen  how  far- 
reaching  the  consequences  may  be  of  allowing  such  a  practice  to 
go  on  unchecked. 

In  Table  IX  are  given  the  results  of  the  examination  of  samples  of 
stockings  which  would  be  classed  as  "  fabrics  to  be  used  as  articles  of 
dress." 

Table  IX. — Arsenic  content  of  stockings. 


Serial 
num- 
ber. 

Description  of  sample. 

Country  of  origin. 

Arsenic. 

Grains  per  Milligrams 
square      per  square 
yard.           meter. 

149 

Ladies' : 

Red,  black 

G  ermany 

United  States 

0.0015                 it  12 

150 

Blue 

.0015 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0015 

.0015 

.0081 

.0046 

.0015 

Trace. 

.0200 

.0015 

.0015 

.12 

151 

Green 

do 

Trace. 

152 

153 
154 

155 
263 

Red.. 

Bluish  green 

Brown 

Black 

Do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

...do  .. 

Trace. 
.12 
.12 
.24 

.3*'. 

264 

Do 

...do... 

.18 

497 

Do 

Trace. 

498 

Do 

1.55 

499 

Do 



.12 

946 

Do.. 

ia 

947 

Do 

.11012 

948 

Do ;... 

;:;::do:::::::::::::::::::::: 

.0015 

Trace. 

.0150 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.0061 
.0000 

.12 

949 

Do 

..do.  . 

Trace. 

950 

Do 

Germany 

United  States 

do 

1.2 

951 

Blue 

Trace. 

952 

Red. 

Trace. 

977 

Children's: 

Red 

.48 

978 

Light  blue 

.00 

RESULTS    OF    ANALYSES. 


41 


Table  IX. — Arsenic  content  of  stockings — Continued. 


Description  of  sample. 

Country  of  origin. 

Arsenic. 

Serial 
num- 
ber. 

Grains  per 
square 
yard. 

Milligrams 

per  square 

meter. 

979 

Children's— Continued. 

Pink 

Trace. 

0.0107 

.0890 

.0046 

.0107 
.0107 

.0062 
.0230 

.0062 
.0077 
.0031 
.0046 

.0138 
.0430 

.0012 
.0077 
.0108 

.0108 
.0380 

.0031 

Trace. 

980 

Black 

0.84 

981 

Do 

6.93 

982 

Do 

.36 

983 

Ladies' : 

Black 

.84 

984 

Do 

.84 

985 

Do       

.48 

986 

Blue      

1.80 

1027 

.48 

1028 

Red 

.60 

1029 

Blue 

.24 

1030 

.36 

1031 

Ladies' : 

Black 

1.07 

1032 

Blue. 

3.34 

1033 

Pink 

.09 

1034 

Black 

.60 

1035 

Black,  white 

.84 

1036 

Children's: 

Black    

.84 

1037 

Do i 

3.00 

1038 

.24 

Of  the  41  samples  examined,  12,  or  29.3  per  cent,  contain  more  than 
0.01  grain  of  arsenic  per  square  yard;  21,  or  51.2  per  cent,  contain 
determinable  amounts;  7,  or  17.1  per  cent,  contain  a  trace,  and  1 
only,  or  2.4  per  cent,  contains  none.  These  results  are  very  much 
like  the  ones  obtained  by  Leach  in  1900  and  show  that  no  attempt  has 
been  made  by  the  manufacturers  to  change  their  method  of  procedure 
so  as  to  eliminate  arsenic.  The  presence  of  arsenic  in  this  class  of 
goods  is  even  more  reprehensible  than  in  dress  materials,  since  they 
are  worn  directly  against  the  skin  and  the  arsenic  may  be  most 
readily  absorbed.  Further  than  this,  it  will  be  noted  that  some  of  the 
stockings  examined  were  intended  for  children,  who  would  naturally 
be  more  susceptible  to  poisons  than  persons  of  more  mature  years. 
Doubtless  many  of  the  cases  of  sore  feet  and  even  some  of  the  cases 
of  death  from  poisoning  through  excoriated  surfaces  on  the  feet  have 
been  due  to  the  presence  of  arsenic  in  the  hose.  While  black  stock- 
ings seem  to  be  the  ones  which  are  most  likely  to  contain  an  excess  of 
arsenic,  it  will  be  noted  that  two  of  the  pairs  containing  excessive 
amounts  of  arsenic  were  colored  blue. 

In  Table  X  are  given  the  results  of  the  examination  of  miscellane- 
ous fabrics  other  than  dress  goods,  such  as  upholstery,  draperies, 
bunting,  etc.  Of  the  23  samples  examined,  1,  or  4.3  per  cent,  contains 
more  than  0.1  grain  of  arsenic  per  square  yard.  It  will  be  noted  that 
here,  as  elsewhere,  the  predominating  colors  in  the  arsenical  cloth  are 
red  and  black.  An  examination  of  the  colors  of  the  various  other 
samples  shows  that  red  and  green  may  predominate  and  yet  no  arsenic 
be  present. 


42 


ARSENIC    IN   PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 


Table  X. — Arsenic  content  of  miscellaneous  fabrics  other  than  dress  goods. 


Serial 
num- 
ber. 


113 
114 
115 
116 

117 
118 
119 
120 
953 

•960 
961 


967 
969 
970 
975 
976 


1044 
1056 


Description  of  sample. 


Hungarian  cloth,  green,  red,  yellow 

Denim,  green,  blue 

Art  ticking,  red,  yellow 

Sateen,  light  green,  purple 

Silkaline: 

Pink,  green 

Green,.red 

Green,  pink 

Art  ticking,  green,  purple,  white 

Gilt  Japanese  drapery,  pink,  blue 

Bunting: 

Light  green 

Red 

Oil  print  calico,  red 

Cretonne,  red,  green 

Drapery  print: 

Green,  blue,  red 

Do..... 

Silkaline,  green,  red,  yellow 

Canton  plush,  red, yellow... 

Drapery  print,  red,  black,  yellow,  blue- 
Denim,  blue 

Drapery: 

Green,  yellow,  pink 

Green,  red,  white 

Green,  blue 

Table  linen,  red 


Country  of  origin. 


Arsenic. 


Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 


United  States....  0.0310 

do I  Trace. 

....do I ■  .0000 

....do .0000 


.do 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do 

.do. 
.do 
.do 
.do 

.do 
.do. 
.do 
.do. 
.do 
.do 

.do 


.0000 
Trace. 
.0000 
.0150 
.0046 

.0000 
.0000 
.0015 
.0000 

.0015 
.0031 
.0000 
.0000 
.3380 
.0000 

.0046 
.0015 
.0046 
.0000 


Milli- 
grams 

per 
square 
meter. 


2.40 

Trace. 

.00 

.00 


.00 
Trace. 
.00  i 
1.20 


.00 

.00 
.12 
.00 

.12 
.24 
.00 
.00 
18.40 
.00 


.36 
.12 
.36 
.00 


Price 

per 

yard. 


SO.  20 
.18 
.30 
.18 

.12* 
.121 
.121 
.25 

.10 

.05 
.05 
.08 
.14 


15 
.15 
,06 
,10 

.07 
.05 
.12* 
.25 


In  Table  XI  are  given  the  results  of  analyses  of  21  samples  of  car- 
pets. None  of  the  samples  contained  more  than  0.1  grain  of  arsenic 
per  square  yard.  This  is  practically  the  same  result  as  that  obtained 
by  Leach  when  he  examined  carpets  sold  on  the  Massachusetts  market, 
and  indicates  that  this  class  of  goods  is  not  so  liable  to  contain  large 
amounts  of  arsenic  as  are  many  other  woven  fabrics. 

Table  XI. — Arsenic  content  of  carpets  purchased  in  Washington,  D.  C. 


Serial 
num- 
ber. 


1187 

1188 
1189 

1190 
1191 
1192 
1193 
1194 
1195 
1196 
1197 
1198 
1199 
1200 
1201 
1202 
1208 
1209 
1210 
1211 
1212 


Description  of  sample. 


Velvet,  red,  green,  brown 

Tapestry: 

Green,  red,  brown 

Green,  yellow,  brown 

Velvet: 

Green,  red,  black 

Green,  black,  pink 

Axminster,  red  and  yellow 

Velvet,  green,  red 

Body  Brussels,  green,  black,  yellow 

Wilton,  dark  and  light  green 

Axminster,  light  green,  red 

Moquette,  green,  yellow,  blue 

Velvet  Wilton,  blue,  yellow,  brown 
Body  Brussels,  blue,  brown,  green  . 

Tapestry,  green,  red,  brown 

Body  Brussels,  red, black,  yellow... 

Tapestry  Brussels,  brown, "blue 

Wilton  velvet,  green 

Axminster,  green,  brown,  pink 

Royal  Wilton,  green 

Axminster,  reel 

Axminster,  light  brown,  yellow 


Arsenic. 


Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 


Milli- 
grams 

per 
square 
meter. 


Price  per 
yard. 


0.015 

.015 

.061 

.015 
.046 
.031 
.015 
.000 
.000 
.015 
.031 
.031 
.015 
.061 
.015 
.015 
.031 
.046 
.061 
.015 
.046 


1.2 

1.2 

4.8 

1.2 
3.6 
2.4 
1.2 
.0 
.0 
1.2 
2.4 
2.4 
1.2 
4.8 
1.2 
1.2 
2.4 
3.6 
4.8 
1.2 
3.6 


$O.75-$1.00 


.50- 
.60- 


1.25-  1.50 
1.10-  1.2.1 
1 .  .'.'a 
.75-  1.25 
1.25  l.«J 
1.75-  2.00 
1.35-  1.50 

1 .  ss 

1.75-  2.00 
1.25-  1.50 
.90-1.00 
L.3S  l.o.-) 
1.00-2.00 
1.6S  LIB 
1.&5-2.00 
2.75  8. « 
1.85-2.00 
1.50-  1.75 


RESULTS    OF    ANALYSES. 


48 


Table  XII  contains  the  results  of  the  examination  of  furs  to  be  used 
as  articles  of  dress  in  the  form  of  neck  pieces,  muffs,  coats,  or  robes. 

Of  the  42  samples  examined,  11,  or  2G.2  per  cent,  contain  from  20  to 
1,700  times  as  much  arsenic  as  would  be  allowed  by  the  laws  of  Mas- 
sachusetts; 4,  or  9.5  per  cent,  contain  only  a  trace,  while  27,  or  64.3 
per  cent,  contain  no  arsenic.  This  excessive  amount  of  arsenic  is 
doubtless  added  during  the  process  of  preparing  the  fur,  either  to 
preserve  it  or  to  repel  injurious  insects.  Here  again,  as  in  the  case 
of  stockings,  are  articles  which,  worn  around  the  neck  and  hands,  are 
apt  to  come  in  extremely  close  contact  with  the  skin.  The  presence 
of  arsenic  in  such  articles  as  these  is  as  injurious  if  not  more  so  than 
in  hose,  since  it  is  usually  present  in  much  larger  quantities;  further- 
more it  is  an  intentional  rather  than  an  accidental  constituent. 

Table  XII. — Arsenic  content  of  furs  for  dress  purchased  in  Washington,  D.  C 


Serial 
num- 
ber. 


Description  of  sample 


1067 
1068 
1069 
1070 
1071 
1072 
1073 
1074 
1075 
1076 
1077 
1078 
1079 
1080 
1081 
1082 
1083 
1084 
1085 
1086 
1087 
1088 
1089 
1090 
1091 
1092 
1093 
1094 
1095 


1098 
1099 
1103 

1104 

1105 
1106 
1107 
1108 
1109 
1110 
1111 


Ladies'  furs: 

Natural-plucked  otter 

Natural  Siberian  squirrel . 

Natural  plucked  beaver  . . 

White  unborn  lamb 

Dyed  Persian  lamb 

Natural  wild  cat 

Dyed  hair  seal 

Natural  black  skunk 

Natural  seal 

Natural  chinchilla. 

Natural  white  Thibet. 

Natural  squirrel  belly,  white 

Natural  mink 

Nttural  American  squirrel 

Natural  white  fox 

Dyed  Thibet 

Natural  gray  fox 

Natural  stone  martin 

White  fox  (dyed  black) 

Dyed  Hudson  Bay  sable  (martin) 

Natural  otter 

Dyed  and  plucked  sealskin 

Unborn  Persian  lamb  (dyed) 

Dyed  and  plucked  electric  seal. . . 

Natural  black  bear 

Natural  lynx 

Natural  Russian  sable 

Gray  coones  (China) 

Natural  sea  otter 

Natural  krimmer  ( Russia ) 

Dyed  otter. 

Dyed  raccoon 

Dyed  astrakhan 

Rug  or  robe,  caribou 

Ladies'  fur,  white  hare 

Rug  or  robe: 

Common  calf 

Virginia  deer 

Grizzly  bear 

Brown  bear 

American  bison 

Indian  tiger 

Gray  fox 


Arsenic. 

Grains 

Milli- 

per 
square 
yard. 

grams 

per 
square 
meter. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

0.000 

0.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0- 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.199 

15.5 

.oo:) 

.0 

.199 

15.5 

.000 

.0- 

Trace. 

Trace. 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0 

.000 

.0- 

1.50 

116.4 

.50 

38.7 

.35 

27.1 

1.29 

100.8 

.89 

69.8 

16.99 

1,317.6 

2.00 

155.0 

5.20 

403.1 

1.60 

124.0. 

In  Table  XIII  are  given  the  results  of  the  examination  of  three  fur 
rugs,  which  may  be  considered  in  connection  with  eight  samples 


44  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

recorded  in  Table  XII  intended  to  be  used  either  as  rugs  or  as  robes. 
The  arsenic  content  of  each  of  these  eleven  samples  is  above  0.1  grain 
per  square  yard,  varying  from  5  to  170  times  as  much  as  should  be 
allowed. 

Table  XIII. — Arsenic  content  of  furs  for  rugs  purchased  in  Washington,  D.  C. 


Serial 

num- ,  Description  of  sample, 

ber.   i 


1100  Natural  polar  bear 

1101  Lynx 

1102  Black  sheep 


Arsenic. 


Grains 

per 
square 
yard. 


2.50 
.50 

.85 


Milli- 
grams 

per 
square 
meter. 


193.6 
38.7 
66.0 


Such  rugs  as  these  are  extremely  dangerous,  in  that  they  contain 
such  large  quantities  of  arsenic  that  there  is  great  danger  of  this  sub- 
stance being  mingled  with  the  dust  of  the  room  and  breathed  in  com- 
paratively large  quantities.  In  fact,  the  presence  of  arsenic  in  rugs 
in  large  quantities  would  appear  to  be  even  more  dangerous  than  its 
presence  in  wall  papers  in  like  quantities,  since  there  is  much  more 
chance  of  its  appearing  in  the  dust  of  the  room. 

Conclusions. 

Stated  briefly,  the  following  conclusions  regarding  the  arsenic  con- 
tent of  papers  and  fabrics  sold  on  the  American  market  may  be 
drawn  from  the  data  collected : 

(1)  If  0.1  grain  per  square  yard  is  considered  as  the  maximum 
amount  of  arsenic  allowable  in  wall  papers,  the  condition  of  the  mar- 
ket is  quite  satisfactory,  but  if  for  reasons  previously  mentioned  the 
limit  is  reduced  to  0.05  grain  per  square  yard  some  improvement 
should  be  made. 

(2)  The  arsenic  content  of  glazed,  shelf,  and  crepe  papers  is  as 
small  as  could  be  reasonably  expected. 

(3)  Entirely  too  large  a  percentage  of  the  dress  goods,  dress  furs, 
and  fur  rugs  sold  on  the  American  market  contain  excessive  amounts 
of  arsenic. 

(4)  The  presence  of  excessive  amounts  of  arsenic  in  such  goods  as 
are  described  in  paragraph  3  is  dangerous  to  the  health  of  a  large 
number  of  people,  especially  those  who  are  susceptible  to  arsenic 
poisoning. 

(5)  The  arsenic  content  of  miscellaneous  fabrics  other  than  dress 
goods — sucli  as  pillow  covers,  hangings,  carpets,  etc. — is  in  the  main 
satisfactory  with  the  present  limit  for  arsenic;  but  if  this  limit  were 
reduced  to  0.05  grains  per  square  yard,  as  advocated  for  wall  papers, 
a  considerable  number  of  carpets  would  be  without  the  pale. 


COMPILATION    OF    LAWS.  45 

LAWS  GOVERNING  SALE  OF  ARSENICAL  PAPERS,  FABRICS,  ETC. 

In  the  following  pages  are  given  those  portions  of  the  laws  of  for- 
eign countries  and  of  the  United  States  which  deal  with  the  presence 
of  arsenic  in  papers,  fabrics,  etc.  Those  sections  which  deal  indirectly 
with  the  question  or  with  the  presence  of  arsenic  in  foods  are  omitted. 

AUSTRIA. 

Ordinance  of  the  minister  of  state  of  May  1,  1886,  concerning  the  employment  of 
poisonous  colors  and  substances  injurious  to  health  in  different  objects  and  the 
sale  of  the  same. 

Sec.  2.  Colors  and  preparations  that  contain  the  following  substances  [arsenic, 
antimony,  lead,  cadmium. copper,  cobalt,  nickel,  mercury  (pure  cinnabar  excepted ) . 
and  zinc]  must  not  be  used  for  coloring  children's  toys.  The  employment  of  other 
metallic  colors  is  allowed,  but  the  color  on  the  object  must  be  entirely  covered 
with  a  coat  of  resistant  varnish  which  withstands  the  action  of  moisture. 

Sec.  4.  Artificial  flowers  may  be  colored  with  arsenical  preparations  and  parts 
of  plants  may  be  dipped  in  arsenical  baths  only  wh  n  the  dusting  off  of  the  poison- 
ous colors  is  entirely  prevented  by  a  coating  of  varnish. 

Sec.  5.  The  use  of  colors  containing  arsenic  to  paint  walls  of  living  rooms  and 
places  used  for  the  accommodation  or  for  the  congregation  of  people  is  forbidden. 

Sec.  6.  The  preparation  of  foods,  of  eating  and  cooking  utensils,  and  every 
article  of  the  toilet  with  substances  which  in  the  manner  and  form  in  which  they 
1  may  be  used  might  endanger  health  is  forbidden. 

Decree  of  the  minister  of  the  interior  in  agreement  with  the  minister  of  commerce, 
June  2,  1877,  concerning  the  employment  of  colored  paper  as  ivrapping  for 
candy,  coffee  substitutes,  and  other  similar  articles  of  food. 

Concerning  the  circumstances  that  at  present  not  only  green,  but  also  other 
gaily  colored  papers,  dyed  with  materials  known  to  be  harmful  to  health,  are  used 
in  trade  and  for  wrapping  articles  of  food,  the  minister  of  the  interior,  in  agree- 
ment with  the  minister  of  commerce,  in  accordance  with  the  order  of  the  minis- 
ter of  state  of  May  1,  1886,  ordered  that  common  white  paper  or  paper  with  the 
color  fixed  in  the  fiber  (im  Zeug  gefarbte)  is  to  ba  used  for  wrapping  confections, 
candies,  coffees,  and  such  articles  of  food.  It  is  further  decreed  that  the  employ- 
ment of  otherwise  colored  paper  is  allowable  only  as  a  second  outside  covering, 
and  only  in  those  cases  where  the  food  is  of  such  a  kind  that  it  will  remain  dry 
and  neither  soften  nor  melt  so  that  the  paper  will  stick  and  the  food  become 
impregnated  with  the  extract  from  the  wrapper. 

Decree  of  the  minister  of  the  interior,  in  agreement  with  the  minister  of  commerce, 
November  20,  1877,  in  which  is  given  an  explanation  of  the  order  of  June  2, 

1877. 

Industrial  houses  differ  as  to  the  meaning  of  "  im  Zeug  gefarbte  Papiere."  On 
account  of  this  the  following  order  is  promulgated  to  indicate  exactly  the  employ- 
ment of  colored  paper  as  wrapping  for  food  material: 

'•  Besides  the  usual  white  paper,  only  such  paper  is  to  be  used  as  is  made  from 
colored  rags,  or  the  pulp  of  which  is  colored  during  its  manufacture.  All  paper 
colored  in  other  ways  is  to  be  used  as  a 'second  outside  covering,  as  indicated  in 
the  previous  order.  * ' 


46  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

BELGIUM. 

This  country  has  no  law  which  specifically  deals  with  the  arsenic 
content  of  wall  papers,  fabrics,  etc.  By  a  decree  of  the  King  of 
February  19,  1895,  which  went  into  force  Ma}r  1,  1895,  however,  the 
employment  of  children  was  forbidden  in  shops  where  poisonous  su In- 
stances are  used  in  the  process  of  manufacture,  such  as  the  manu- 
facture of  paper  and  wall  papers,  hangings,  printed  woven  stuffs,  etc. 

CANADA. 

This  country  has  no  laws  governing  the  arsenic  content  of  wall 
papers,  fabrics,  etc 

DENMARK. 

Penal  law  of  February  10, 18S6. 

Sec.  290.  In  case  anyone  uses  poisonous  or  other  deleterious  substances  in  goods 
intended  to  be  sold  or  iised  by  others  in  such  manner  that  another's  health  is 
exposed  to  danger  by  the  use  thereof,  such  person  is,  in  the  absence  of  provisions 
for  a  severer  penalty,  to  be  punished  with  imprisonment,  or.  under  aggravating 
circumstances,  with  hard  labor,  especially  if  some  one  has  been  injured  or  has 
come  to  his  death  thereby.  The  same  penalty  applies  to  persons  offering  for  sale 
goods  which  they  know  contain  substances  as  aforesaid.  In  case  such  acts  are 
due  to  negligence,  a  fine  is  to  be  imposed. 

ENGLAND. 

This  country  has  no  official  regulations  as  to  the  quantity  of  arsenic 
permitted  in  wall  papers,  papers,  dress  goods,  tapestries,  etc. 

FRANCE. 

This  country  has  no  laws  governing  the  amount  of  arsenic  in  wall 
papers,  fabrics,  etc.  By  a  decree  of  May  13,  1893,  the  emplo3Tment  of 
children  under  18  in  industries  involving  the  use  of  arsenic  acid, 
white  lead,  etc.,  is  prohibited.  By  a  decree  of  June  29,  1895,  certain 
regulations  are  made  for  the  protection  of  workmen  who  are  engaged 
in  manufacturing  Schweinfurt  green. 

GERMANY. 

Law  of  July  5.  1887,  concerning  the  employment  of  dyes  injurious  to  health  in  the 
preparation  of  food,  food  materials^  and  other  articles  of  common  use. 

Article  I.  Dyes  harmful  to  health  must  not  be  used  in  the  production  of  foods 
and  food  materials  exposed  for  sale. 

Harmful  colors  in  this  sense  are  those  that  contain  antimony,  arsenic,  barium, 
lead,  cadmium,  chromium,  copper,  mercury,  uranium,  zinc,  tin,  corallin,  picric 
acid. 

The  chancellor  is  empowered  to  proceed  according  to  law  upon  proof  of  the 
existence  of  arsenic  and  tin. 


COMPILATION    OF   LAWS.  47 

Art.  II.  Vessels,  wrappers,  and  covers  which  are  colored  with  the  dyestuflfe 
mentioned  in  Article  I  mnst  not  be  used  for  covering  or  packing  food  that  is  to  be 
offered  for  sale. 

This  decree  does  not  apply  to  the  use  of  barium  sulphate;  barium  containing 
varnishes  that  are  free  from  barium  carbonate;  oxids  of  chromium,  copper,  tin, 
zinc,  and  their  combinations  as  metallic  colors;  cinnabar;  oxidoftin;  tin  sulphide 
as  gold  bronze,  or  to  glass  materials  which  are  glazed  or  enameled  by  having  the 
color  burned  in;  nor  does  it  apply  to  other  coloring  of  vessels  with  waterproof 
materials. 

Art.  IV.  The  colors  mentioned  in  paragraph  2,  Article  I,  must  not  be  used  for 
the  preparation  of  playthings  (especially  picture  cards,  picture  books,  and  water 
colors  for  children) ,  flowerpots,  and  artificial  Christmas  trees. 

This  decree  does  not  apply  to  the  materials  mentioned  in  paragraph  2,  Article 
II,  nor  to  the  following:  Antimony  sulphide  and  cadmium  sulphide  as  coloring 
matter  of  substances  made  of  gum;  lead  oxid  in  varnishes;  lead  white  as  an 
ingredient  of  the  so-called  wax  molds  in  so  far  as  it  is  not  more  than  1  part  by 
weight  to  100  parts  of  the  mass;  lead  chromate  (by  itself  or  in  combination  with 
lead  sulphate)  as  an  oil  or  lacquer  color  or  with  a  lacquer  or  varnish  coating; 
zinc  combinations  insoluble  in  water  where  they  are  used  for  gum  toys,  as  a  color 
for  the  gum,  as  an  oil  or  lacquer  color,  or  with  a  lacquer  or  varnish  covering; 
glass  or  enameled  wares  when  the  color  is  burned  in. 

Art.  V.  In  the  preparation  of  prints  and  lithographs  from  the  materials  men- 
tioned in  Articles  II,  III,  and  IV  only  such  colors  must  not  be  used  as  contain 
arsenic. 

Art.  VI.  No  paint  must  be  offered  for  sale  as  free  from  injurious  materials 
unless  it  agrees  with  the  text  in  paragraphs  1  and  2,  Article  IV. 

Art.  VII.  Colors  that  contain  arsenic  must  not  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
wall  papers,  upholsteries,  curtains,  hangings,  clothing  materials,  masks,  candles; 
also  artificial  leaves,  flowers,  and  fruits  which  are  to  be  offered  for  sale. 

This  decree  does  not  apply  to  the  use  of  fixes  or  mordants  containing  arsenic 
for  the  printing  of  textile  or  woven  goods.  However,  such  textile  or  woven 
goods  can  not  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  articles  mentioned  in  paragraph  1 
if  they  contain  arsenic  in  a  water-soluble  condition  or  in  such  amounts  that  more 
than  2  mgis  present  in  100  sq.  cm.  of  the  made-up  goods. . 

The  royal  chancellor  is  empowered  to  issue  more  detailed  directions  for  deter- 
mining the  arsenic  content. 

Art.  VIII.  The  text  of  Article  VII  applies  also  to  the  manufacture  of  writing 
materials,  lamp  and  light  shades,  and  candle  safes  that  are  to  be  offered  for  sale. 

The  production  of  sealing  wafers  comes  under  the  decree  in  Article  I,  but.  as 
they  are  not  used  for  a  food,  the  employment  of  barium  sulphate,  chromium 
oxid,  and  cinnabar  is  allowed. 

Art.  IX.  Water  or  lime  water  colors  containing  arsenic  must  not  be  used  in 
the  production  of  paints  for  floors,  decks,  walls,  doors,  windows,  residence  or 
business  rooms,  shades,  shutters,  furniture,  and  such  articles  of  household  use. 

Art.  X.  The  text  of  Articles  II  to  IX  does  not  apply  to  the  employment  of  colors 
which  contain  the  substances  mentioned  in  Article  I,  paragraph  2.  not  as  a  con- 
stitutional ingredient,  but  as  an  impurity  which  can  not  be  avoided  by  the  usual 
method  of  manufacture,  and  are  really  present  only  in  small  amounts. 

Art.  XI.  The  text  of  this  law  does  not  apply  to  the  coloring  of  skins. 

Art.  XII.  He  who  produces,  wraps,  packs,  sells,  or  exposes  for  sale  foods,  food 
materials,  and  other  articles  of  common  use  contrary  to  the  text  of  Articles  I  to 
V,  VII,  VIII,  and  X:  he  who  conducts  trade  contrary  to  the  text  of  Article  VI; 

5050— No.  86—04 4 


48  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

he  who  produces,  sells,  or  exposes  for  sale  materials  contrary  to  the  text  of  Arti- 
cle IX  will  be  punished  with  fines  up  to  150  marks  or  with  imprisonment. 

Art.  XIII.  In  addition  to  the  punishment  prescribed  in  Article  XII,  goods  or 
materials  which  have  been  illegally  produced,  wrapped  or  packed,  sold  or  exposed 
for  sale,  may  be  seized,  whether  the  sentence  has  been  pronounced  or  not. 

If  the  prosecution  of  certain  persons  is  not  practicable  the  confiscation  can  be 
ordered  independently. 

Art.  XIV.  The  text  of  the  laws  concerning  the  commerce  in  foods,  food  mate- 
rials, and  articles  in  common  use  of  May  14,  1879  (Reichs-Gesetzblatt,  S.  145), 
remains  in  force. 

Art.  XV.  This  law  goes  into  force  May  1,  1888;  on  the  same  day  the  imperial 
order  concerning  the  use  of  poisonous  colors  of  May  1,  1882  (Reichs-Gesetzblatt, 
;S.  55),  goes  out  of  force. 

Enactment  concerning  the  investigation  of  dyes,  spun  goods,  and  woven  goods  for 
arsenic  and  tin,  April  10,  1888.     {Office  of  the  Interior.) 

On  the  basis  of  the  text  of  Article  I,  paragraph  3,  and  Article  VII,  paragraph 
2,  of  the  law  concerning  the  use  of  health-injuring  dyes  in  the  production  of 
foods,  food  materials,  and  articles  of  common  use,  of  the  5th  of  July,  1887 
(Reichs-Gesetzblatt,  S.  277) ,  it  is  decreed  that  for  the  proof  of  the  use  of  arsenic 
and  tin  in  the  production  of  foods  and  food  materials  and  for  the  ascertainment 
o-  the  arsenic  content  of  spun  and  woven  goods  where  an  arsenic-containing  mor- 
dant was  used,  the  directions  in  the  adjoining  text  are  to  be  followed. 

DIRECTIONS. — METHOD  FOR    DETECTION   OF    ARSENIC    IN  WOVEN    AND  SPUN   GOODS. 

Art.  XIII.  Thirty  grams  of  the  goods  to  be  tested  is  cut  up,  heated  for  two  or 
four  hours  in  distilled  water  at  70°  to  80°  C,  filtered,  washed,  the  filtrate  evap- 
orated to  25  cc,  allowed  to  cool,  5  cc  of  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  added,  and  the 
fluid  put  into  the  Marsh  apparatus  with  arsanic-free  zinc.  If  an  arsenic  mirror 
is  obtained ,  then  the  arsenic  was  in  a  water-soluble  form  in  the  cloth. 

Art.  XIV.  If  the  results  under  XIII  were  negative,  then  10  grams  more  is  taken 
and  its  surface  area  determined. 

Art.  XV.  If  the  necessary  amount  of  spun  or  woven  goods  is  not  available  for 
XIII  and  XIV,  then  the  investigation  may  be  made  upon  smaller  amounts.  Also 
the  experiment  under  XIV  can  be  carried  out  on  a  part  of  the  goods  used  for 
XIII,  which  has  been  extracted  with  water  and  then  dried. 

Art.  XVI.  The  spun  or  woven  goods  are  cut  up  in  small  pieces,  which  are  trans- 
ferred to  a  tubular  retort  of  potassium  glass  of  about  400  cc  capacity,  with  100  cc 
pure  hydrochloric  acid,  sp.  gr.  1.19.  The  neck  of  the  retort  is  drawn  out  and 
bent  at  an  obtuse  angle.  It  is  placed  so  that  the  neck  projecting  from  the  flask 
slopes  upward  and  the  main  part  slopes  downward.  Then  a  Liebig  condensing 
tube  is  connected  and  joined  with  a  piece  of  rubber  tubing.  The  air-tight  tube 
of  the  cooling  apparatus  leads  to  a  500  cc  receiver.  Two  hundred  cubic  centi- 
meters of  water  are  placed  in  the  receiver,  which  is  kept  cool  by  being  placed  in  a 
receptacle  containing  water.  The  side  tube  of  the  receiver  is  connected  in  the 
usual  way  with  a  Peligot  tube  containing  water. 

Art.  XVII.  In  the  course  of  an  hour  5  cc  of  a  saturated  solution  of  arsenic- 
free  ferric  chlorid  crystals,  saturated  at  room  temperature,  is  added  to  the  con- 
tents cf  the  retort  and  then  heated.  After  the  excess  of  hydrochloric  acid  is  given 
off  the  temperature  is  raised  and  the  fluid  is  distilled  over  until  the  contents 
begin  to  foam  badly.  It  is  allowed  to  cool,  50  cc  hydrochloric  acid,  sp.  gr.  1.19, 
is  added  to  the  retort,  and  it  is  distilled  again  in  a  like  manner. 

Art.  XVIII.  The  fluid  in  the  receiver,  colored  brown  by  organic  matter,  is 
united  with  the  contents  of  the  Peligot  tube,  diluted  with  distilled  water  to  600 


COMPILATION    OF   LAWS.  49 

or  700  cc,  and  pure  hydrogen  sulphid  is  passed  through,  at  first  with  a  little 
heating,  then  in  the  cold. 

Art.  XIX.  After  twelve  hours  the  precipitate,  consisting  wholly  or  in  part  of 
brown  organic  matter,  is  filtered  on  an  asbestos  filter.  The  filter  is  prepared  by 
suitable  layers  of  asbestos  in  a  funnel  with  a  glass  stopcock.  After  a  short  wash- 
ing of  the  precipitate  the  stopcock  is  closed  and  the  precipitate  is  treated  with  a 
few  cubic  centimeters  of  brom-hydrochloric  acid,  under  cover  of  a  watch  glass 
or  glass  plate.  The  brom-hydrochloric  acid  is  prepared  by  dissolving  bromin  in 
hydrochloric  acid,  sp.  gr.  1.19.  After  a  half  hour's  action  the  solution  is  allowed 
to  flow  through  the  stopcock  into  a  precipitating  flask.  The  residue  upon  the 
asbestos  filter  is  washed  down  with  hydrochloric  acid,  sp.  gr.  1.19. 

Art.  XX.  The  contents  of  the  precipitating  flask  are  treated  again  with  an 
excess  of  ferric  chlorid  and  washed  by  means  of  hydrochloric  acid,  sp.  gr.  1.19, 
into  a  second  smaller  retort,  which  is  in  other  respects  the  same  as  the  one 
described  under  XVI.  It  is  distilled  as  described  in  XVII,  allowed  to  cool,  treated 
with  hydrochloric  acid,  sp.  gr.  1.19,  and  distilled  again. 

Art.  XXI.  The  distillate  is  now  as  a  rule  as  clear  as  water.  It  is  diluted  with 
distilled  water  to  about  700  cc,  treated  with  hydrogen  sulphide  as  in  XVIII,  fil- 
tered after  twelve  hours  through  a  filter  that  has  been  washed  with  di  ute  hydro- 
chloric acid,  then  water,  then  alcohol,  dried  at  100°  C,  and  weighed.  The  pre- 
cipitate is  then  washed,  first  with  water,  then  with  absolute  alcohol,  then  with 
warm  carbon  bisulphid,  and  finally  again  with  absolute  alcohol,  dried  at  110°  C, 
and  weighed. 

Art.  XXII.  From  the  arsenious  sulphid  is  calculated  the  arsenic,  and  taking 
into  consideration  the  area  contents  according  to  XIV  the  amount  of  arsenic  per 
100  sq.  cm.  is  determined. 

ITALY. 

This  country  has  no  laws  which  limit  the  quantity  of  arsenic  in 
wall  papers,  fabrics,  etc.  However,  by  a  royal  decree  of  September 
17,  1886,  which  ratifies  the  law  of  February  11,  1886,  the  employment 
of  children  in  certain  industries,  such  as  those  in  which  poisonous 
substances  such  as  arsenic,  etc.,  are  used  in  large  quantities,  is  pro- 
hibited. 

THE   NETHERLANDS. 

This  countiy  has  no  laws  regulating  the  use  of  arsenic  or  substances 
containing  it  in  the  manufacture  of  wall  papers,  fabrics,  etc. 


RUSSIA. 


The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  the  Russian  code  of  1902: 


Page  654:  The  introduction  from  foreign  countries  as  well  as  the  sale  and  manu- 
facture in  Russia  of  dyestuffs  consisting  chiefly  of  an  arsenical  base  is  absolutely 
prohibited. 

Page  655:  The  introduction  from  foreign  countries  as  well  as  the  sale  and  manu- 
facture in  Russia  of  delicate  fabrics  such  as  organdie,  tarlatan,  muslin,  etc., 
which  are  dyed  uniformly  with  an  arsenical  dye  is  absolutely  prohibited. 

Page  656:  The  prohibitions  contained  in  pages  654  and  655  do  not  extend  to 
the  introduction  and  sale  of  materials  which  contain  isolated  figures,  flowers, 
leaves,  patches,  streaks,  etc.,  produced  by  the  use  of  arsenical  dyestuffs,  while 
the  greater  portion  is  dyed  with  other  nonarsenical  materials. 

Page  65T:  The  introduction  from  foreign  countries,  sale,  and  manufacture  in 


50  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

Russia  of  children's  playthings  of  any  sort  that  are  colored  with  an  arsenical  dye- 
stuff,  or  of  wrapping  papers  for  confectionery,  other  sweetmeats,  and  food 
materials,  is  absolutely  prohibited. 

Page  658:  In  painting  children's  playthings  the  use  of  other  nonarsenical  but 
more  or  less  injurious  coloring  materials  is  permitted. 

SWEDEN. 

Proclamation  of  November  18, 1892,  regarding  a  change  in  the  royal  ordinance  of 
January  7,  1876,  concerning  the  sale  of  arsenic  and  other  poisonous  materials 
and  articles. 

I,  Oscar,  by  the  grace  of  God  King  of  Sweden,  Norway,  Goths,  and  Wends, 
make  known  the  following:  That  I  have  deemed  it  well  to  annul  the  proclamation 
of  April  10,  1885,  regarding  a  change  in  the  ordinance  of  January  7,  1876,  as  to 
the  keeping  and  sale  of  arsenic  and  other  poisonous  materials  and  articles,  and 
decree  that  section  20  in  said  ordinance  is  to  have  the  following  changed  form: 

Section  1.  Wall  paper,  shades,  half  shades,  artificial  flowers,  or  other  articles 
in  water  colors  (with  gum,  starch,  dextrin,  albumen,  and  such  like),  printed  or 
painted  with  colors  containing  arsenic,  must  not  be  kept  or  offered  for  sale,  pro- 
vided there  can  be  obtained  from  200  sq.  cm  or  less  of  the  goods,  by  reduction 
with  potassium  cyanid  and  sodium  carbonate,  a  metallic  arsenic  mirror  which 
will  give  a  black  or  brown-black  at  least  partly  impervious  mirror  in  a  glass  tube 
of  from  f.5  to  2  mm  inside  diameter. 

Sec.  2.  The  same  prohibition  holds  also  regarding  cloths,  textiles,  yarn,  lamp 
shades,  wafers,  stearin  candles,  and  other  candles  which  contain  colors  with 
arsenic  or  other  materials  containing  arsenic,  provided  metallic  arsenic  can  be 
produced  in  this  way  and  to  the  amount  mentioned  above  from  100  s^.  cm.  or  less 
of  cloth,  textiles,  lamp  shades,  or  from  8  grams  or  less  of  yarn  or  from  21  grams 
or  less  of  other  materials  mentioned  here. 

Sec.  3.  Certificate  regarding  the  nature  of  the  article  is  to  be  prepared  by  a 
trained  chemist,  and  should  contain  a  statement  of  the  weight  and  surface  con- 
taining samples  of  all  the  colors  in  the  article  and  be  accompanied  not  only  by 
the  metallic  arsenic  produced,  inclosed  in  a  glass  tube  closed  at  both  ends,  but 
also  by  as  large  a  sample  of  the  tested  article  (containing  not  less  than  500  sq. 
cm.)  as  is, needed  to  recognize  it  or  for  a  possible  retest  in  case  the  question  comes 
up  again.  The  glass  tube  as  well  as  the  sample  of  the  article  should  be  securely 
joined  by  seal  either  to  the  certificate  or  to  a  paper  containing  the  experimenter's 
signature  and  number,  which  is  referred  to  in  the  certificate,  which  in  other 
respects  should  be  worded  according  to  formula  appended. 

All  concerned  must  conform  strictly  to  this. 

The  health  commission  at  Christiania  decided  at  a  meeting  July  24, 
1883,  that  until  further  notice  it  would  follow  the  rules  given  below  for 
the  examination  of  and  decision  regarding  objects  containing  arsenic: 

Of  cloths,  paper  window  shades,  wall  paper,  and  similar  objects,  200  sq.  cm. 
are  to  be  used. 

Remark:  In  the  case  of  large  figured  cloths  and  tapestries,  etc.,  the  experi- 
menter is  to  see  to  it  that  all  the  colors  used  in  the  pattern  are  present  in  the 
sample  used  in  testing.  It  should  for  this  purpose  be  taken  from  a  large  piece 
(for  example,  1,000  sq.  cm.),  which  is  first  weighed  and  then  cut  into  very  small 
pieces,  of  which  again  an  amount  corresponding  in  weight  to  200  sq.  cm.  is  taken. 

Of  dry  colors  1  gram  is  used.  Of  lace,  yarn,  colored  candles,  colored  flowers, 
wafers,  and  similar  objects,  5  grams.  Of  paint,  that  quantity  is  used  which  can 
be  scraped  from  a  surface  of  200  sq.  cm. 


COMPILATION    OF   LAWS.  51 

Remark:  If  a  color  is  so  scant  (for  example,  on  toys,  lamp  stands,  candies,  etc.) 
that  you  can  not  find  1  gram,  perform  the  experiment  with  the  material  on  hand 
and  judge  the  result  in  accordance  with  the  following  directions  in  the  same  way 
as  though  the  amount  prescribed  had  been  used. 

The  experiment  is  to  be  performed  according  to  the  methods  described  below, 
and  the  following  apparatus  and  tests  are  to  be  used: 

1.  A  Marsh-Berzelius  apparatus,  consisting  of  a  gas-generating  flask  of  200  cc, 
with  a  calcium-chlorid  tube  and  heating  tube  of  heavy  fusible  glass,  which  at 
the  point  of  expansion  where  the  arsenic,  if  any,  would  gather,  has  a  diameter  of 
1.5  to  2  mm. 

2.  Flat-b3ttomed  retort  (Erlenmeyer's)  of  about  250  cc. 

3.  Porcelain  crucible  of  50  to  60  cc. 

4.  Hydrochloric  acid  without  arsenic  (about  15  per  cent). 

5.  Ditto  zinc. 

6.  Ditto  potassium  chlorate. 

7.  Ditto  anhydrous  sodium  chlorate. 

S.  Alkaline  solution  of  sodium  hypochlorite  containing  about  2  per  cent  of 
this  salt. 

The  purity  of  the  reagent  is  tried  in  the  Marsh  apparatus  by  using  a  blank  of 
100  cc  of  hydrochloric  acid,  25  grams  of  zinc,  5  grams  of  potassium  chlorate,  5 
grams  of  sodium  chlorate,  and  5  cc  of  the  sodium  hypochlorite. 

When  these  quantities  of  the  reagents  in  the  Marsh  apparatus  do  not  produce  a 
dark  coating  in  the  tube  after  being  heated  35  minutes,  accompanied  by  a  produc- 
tion of  gas  which  produces  at  the  end  of  the  tube  a  flame  4  to  8  mm  long,  it  is  to 
be  considered  free  from  arsenic. 

As  a  measure  in  case  of  experiments  for  arsenic,  an  arsenic  mirror  is  used, 
which  is  prepared  by  means  of  an  arsenic  solution  containing  0.1  of  mg  arsenic  in  1 
cc.  The  measuring  mirrors  are  produced  by  adding  to  the  Marsh  apparatus,  after 
it  is  started  and -the,  tube  has  been  heated  not  less  than  five  minutes,  1  cc  of  arsenic 
solution,  and  thereupon  heating  the  tube  twenty  minutes  with  a  gas  generation  of 
the  power  mentioned  above.  The  tubes  in  which  these  arsenic  mirrors  are  pro- 
duced, each  of  which  thus  corresponds  to  0.1  mg  arsenic,  are  fused  while  yet 
connected  with  the  gas-generating  flask  in  such  a  way  that  they  become  filled 
with  hydrogen  gas. 

In  order  to  obtain  a  solution  suitable  for  a  test  in  the  Marsh  apparatus,  one 
treats  the  different  objects  in  the  following  way: 

A.  Cloths  and  yarn,  artificial  flowers,  dry  colors,  and  water  colors  that  have 
been  scraped  off  are  treated,  in  the  quantity  mentioned  above,  in  a  flat-bottomed 
retort  with  30  to  60  cc  of  muriatic  acid  and  0.5  to  2  grams  of  potassium  chlorate. 
The  retort  is  heated  while  constantly  shaken  till  its  contents  approach  the  boiling 
point.  When  the  colors  are  destroyed  as  far  as  possible,  the  solution  is  poured 
from  the  insoluble  residue  into  another  retort  and  is  boiled  till  there  is  no  smell 
of  chlorin. 

B.  As  for  articles  of  paper,  oil-coated  cloths,  and  oil  colors  scraped  off,  it  is 
necessary  to  burn  the  organic  matter.  In  order  to  do  this,  one  heats  in  one  of  the 
porcelain  crucibles  mentioned  among  the  apparatus  6  to  10  grams  of  a  mixture  of 
two  parts  potassium  chlorate  and  one  part  sodium  chlorate.  When  the  heating 
has  gone  so  far  that  a  bit  of  the  article  pressed  down  into  the  crucible  with  a 
glass  stick  begins  to  burn  immediately,  one  removes  the  lamp  and  adds  little  by 
little  parts  of  the  sample  which  have  been  cut  into  not  less  than  ten  bits,  stirring 
now  and  then  the  contents  of  the  crucible  with  a  glass  stick,  taking  care  that  there 
is  always  on  hand  a  surplus  of  oxidizing  material.  The  contents  of  the  crucible  are 
now  dissolved  in  muriatic  acid  and  the  solution  boiled  till  it  ceases  to  smell  of 
chlorin. 


52  ARSENIC    IN    PAPERS    AND    FABRICS. 

Now  the  hydrogen  stream  is  started  in  the  Marsh  apparatus  and  the  tube  is 
heated  five  minutes  in  order  to  be  sure  no  arsenic  is  present.  In  case  there  is  no 
dark  coating  in  the  bulging  part  of  the  tube,  the  solutions  mentioned  after  A  and 
B  are  added  to  the  Marsh  apparatus,  and  the  tube  is  now  heated  twenty  minutes 
with  a  gas  generation  of  the  above-mentioned  power.  If  after  this  lapse  of  time 
there  appears  in  the  tube  a  dark  coating  which  corresponds  in  size  to  or  surpasses 
the  prepared  mirrors  of  0. 1  mg  mentioned  above,  and  entirely  disappears  when 
the  solution  of  sodium  hypochlorite  is  sucked  into  the  tube  forward  and  backward 
over  the  mirror,  the  article  is  declared  to  contain  arsenic,  and  it  is  forbidden  to 
be  kept  for  sale. 

In  case  no  mirror  is  formed  of  the  size  mentioned,  or  if  the  mirror  which  has 
appeared  remains  entirely  unchanged  by  the  treatment  with  sodium  hypochlorite, 
the  sale  of  this  article  is  not  forbidden. 

Remark:  If  it  happens  that  an  article  in  passing  through  the  treatment  here 
described  produces  a  mirror  which  in  size  evidently  surpasses  the  limit  above 
stated  and  at  the  same  time  appears  partly  soluble  in  sodium  hypochlorite,  the 
solution  of  the  mirror  brought  about  in  this  way  is  boiled  with  hydrochloric  acid 
until  it  does  not  smell  of  chlorin,  and  is  then  treated  in  the  Marsh  apparatus. 
If,  now,  after  heating  the  tube  twenty  minutes,  there  appears  in  it  a  clear  coating 
of  arsenic,  the  article  is  declared  to  contain  arsenic. 

SWITZERLAND. 

The  Swiss  Confederation  as  a  whole  has  no  laws  regulating  the 
amount  of  arsenic  in  wall  papers,  fabrics,  etc.,  but  some  of  the  Can- 
tons have  passed  such  laws,  which  are  given  below. 

CANTON   OF   GENEVA. 

The  following  extracts  were  taken  from  the  police  regulations  of 
April  26,  1878: 

Article  I.  Confectioners  are  forbidden  to  sell  or  use  tinted  papers  or  tapes- 
tries colored  with  arsenical  substances,  notably  with  Scheele  and  Schweinfurt 
greon. 

The  use  of  these  substances  for  dyeing  fabrics  is  also  prohibited. 

Art.  II.  Arsenical  paper  and  fabrics  exposed  for  sale  in  stores  and  by  dyers 
will  be  seized  by  the  authority  of  the  police. 

Art.  III.  Offenders  against  these  rules  will  be  liable  to  the  penalty  of  the  police, 
and  to  damage  if  there  be  occasion. 

CANTON   OF  ZURICH. 

Ordinance  of  August  25,  1892,  concerning  the  employment  of  dyes  containing 

po'sonous  substances. 

Art.  V.  Articles  of  dress — such  as  clothing,  textile  fabrics,  woven  fabrics,  paper 
collars  and  cuffs — leather  linings  and  tapestries,  carpets,  curtains,  window  shades, 
colored  paper,  and  all  such  manufactured  articles  must  bs  free  from  arsenic  and 
its  compounds. « 

a  The  Federal  inspector  of  factories  interprets  this  paragraph  as  follows:  "  The 
expression  '  free  from  arsenic  '  must  be  understood  as  referring  to  a  percentage 
artificially  imparted  to  the  objects  in  question,  but  not  to  slight  traces  of  arsenic, 
such  as  are  naturally  contained  in  such  objects." 


COMPILATION    OF    LAWS.  53 

A  paragraph  practically  identical  with  Article  V  is  contained  in  the 
laws  of  the  Cantons  of  Berne,  Basel,  St.  Gallen,  and  Thurgan. 

UNITED   STATES. 

The  United  States  has  no  Federal  law  regulating  the  amount  of 
arsenic  in  wall  papers,  fabrics,  etc.  One  State,  Massachusetts,  has 
passed  the  following  law : 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

An  act  relative  to  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  textile  fabrics  and  papers  contain- 
ing arsenic.     {Chapter  325  of  the  acts  of  May  IS,  1900.) 

Section  1.  Any  corporation,  person,  firm  or  agent  who  directly  or  by  an  agent 
manufactures,  sells,  or  exchanges,  or  has  in  his  custody  or  possession  with  intent 
to  sell  or  exchange,  any  woven  fabric  cr  paper  containing  arsenic  in  any  form,  or 
any  article  of  dress  or  of  household  use  composed  wholly  or  in  part  of  such  woven 
fabric  or  paper,  shall  on  conviction  thereof  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  not  less  than 
$50  nor  more  than  $200:  Provided,  however,  That  this  section  shall  not  apply  to 
dress  goods  or  articles  of  dress  containing  not  more  than  one-hundredth  grain  or 
to  other  materials  or  articles  containing  not  more  than  one-tenth  grain  of  arsenic 
per  square  yard  of  the  material. 

Sec.  2.  The  State  board  of  health  shall  make  all  necessary  investigations  as  to 
the  existence  of  arsenic  in  the  materials  and  articles  mentioned  in  section  1  of  this 
act,  may  employ  inspectors  and  chemists  for  that  purpose,  and  shall  adopt  such 
measures  as  it  may  deem  necessary  to  carry  out  the  provisions  and  to  facilitate 
the  enforcement  of  this  act. 

Sec.  3.  This  act  shall  take  effect  on  the  1st  day  of  January  in  the  year  1901. 


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