Arsenical wall-papers and cretonnes / by Jabez Hogg.

  • Hogg, Jabez, 1817-1899.
Date:
[1889]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Arsenical wall-papers and cretonnes / by Jabez Hogg. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    stand, but} managing to get my dressing-gown on, I staggered out of the room into the corridor, where I found an open window. The fresh cool air of the morning seemed to give me new life, and in a few minutes all the unpleasant feelings seemed to vanish and I was able to finish my dressing and make my way to the palace.” The paper was examined by the Queen’s command and found to be highly arsenical. It was at once stripped from the walls. It, however, required some days to restore Mr. Corbould to health and strength. It has been definitely determined that the maximum amount of arsenic which should be permitted to enter into any wall-paper is ’567 grain per piece, that is, rather more than half a grain. This would amount to about five grains in an ordinary-sized bedroom. This standard of safety is, I believe, maintained by the larger firms of wall-paper makers. In a recent instance, and this where a warranty was given, I found an amount of arsenic very much greater ; but it was in a paper of foreign manu- facture. A very considerable trade is still maintained with France, and the London market I am told is flooded by the cheaper kinds of French wall-papers as well as other textile fabrics. Among the latter I may particularise cretonnes and muslins. It is now some ten years ago since I first directed attention to arsenical poisoning by both of these materials, (a) I then found arsenic in terra cotta cretonnes as well as those of brighter colours. A few weeks ago a lady consulted me suffering from conjunctival irritation. It appeared that this patient, Mrs. H., and her sister had been closely engaged in making cretonne curtains for the bed-room. The cretonne was for the most part of a greenish-brown colour, with a red flower running over it, and the lining material a sombre brown. On the second day a whitlow appeared on the thumb of the left hand, and soon after- wards a series of boils appeared, first on the arms, and then the eyes became inflamed. The sister of the lady was also a sufferer, but not nearly to the same extent. The cretonne was suspected, and on submitting it to chemical analysis a very considerable quantity of arsenic was dis- covered. The duller lining material yielded a rather larger (n) See “ Arsenic and Arsenical Domestic Poisoning,” Medial Press and Circular 1879