SANGER. — CHRONIC ARSENICAL POISONING. 175 



In chronic poisoning a tolerance was established to such an extent 

 that five times as much could be given as would be fatal to an animal 

 not accustomed. In the urine immediately after ingestion an arseni- 

 cal organic acid other than benzarsenic acid was found, but could not 

 be detected afterward, though the urine was arsenical. 



Schroter ascribes the difference in action between benzarsenic and 

 the two inorganic acids to the carbon in the molecule, a separation 

 into benzoic acid and arsenic acid having to be made before the latter 

 can act. 



Selmi * claims to have isolated from decaying arsenical animal 

 matter an arsenical alkaloid and a ptomaine, and Husemann,f on the 

 strength of this, thinks that an arsenical ptomaine may be formed by 

 the decomposition of arsenical paste by mould. There is no evidence, 

 however, to show that the volatile compound is of the nature of a 

 ptomaine. 



An important contribution to the knowledge of chronic wall paper 

 poisoning was made about three years ago by Putnam. $ who collected 

 a number of samples of urine mainly from hospital patients, selecting 

 chiefly those cases in which there were no symptoms referable to ar- 

 senical poisoning. These samples, 48 in number, were analyzed by 

 Dr. C. P. Worcester, and traces of arsenic found in 21 (44%). A 

 year later,§ Putnam added to this list, making the total number of 

 samples 150, of which Worcester found over 30% arsenical. The 

 method of analysis used was similar to that described in this paper. 

 Tliese results prove the wide distribution of arsenic in articles of house- 

 hold u=e, and i-how also that the system is evidently capable, in many 

 cases, of absorbing and eliminating minute quantities of arsenic where 

 a large quantity would act as an irritant. 



The following facts may now be noted : — 



1. The distribution of arsenic in articles of domestic use is very 

 wide, and it has been shown that it finds its way into the system in 

 many cases where there is no poisonous effect. 



2. It is now pretty conclusively shown that arsenic may be in some 

 cases accumulated, instead of always being readily eliminated. 



3. The amount of arsenic absorbed in chronic wall paper poison- 

 ing may be very minute, but it is in continued doses. 



* Mem. d. Accad. d. Scienze, Bologna, [4], I. 299. 



t Arch. d. Pharm., CCXIX. 415. 



J Bost. Med. Surg. Journ., CXXII. 421. 



§ Ibid., CXXIV. 623. 



