66 COSMETICS. 



such a purpose, seeing that the employment is abandoned. 

 Subsequently to the going-out of white-lead as face or pearl- 

 powder, another metallic preparation the trisnitrate of bis- 

 muth came in. It is not so decidedly poisonous as a lead 

 compound, but it is poisonous enough to prove injurious to 

 the skin ; indeed, I know not of any metallic pigment so in- 

 nocent that it can be laid-on the skin continuously without 

 incurring serious damage. Such pigments mar the beauty of 

 the skin at least, perhaps lead to evil constitutional effects 

 through absorption. 



Even if white-lead and trisnitrate of bismuth were not 

 injurious to the skin and poisonous generally, their use as 

 skin-pigments would be attended with a great disadvantage. 

 They both turn black under the influence of sulphuretted 

 hydrogen a gas which in small quantities exists pretty 

 largely diffused. The effect of bringing concentrated sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen in contact with skin whitened by a 

 lead or bismuth preparation would be to turn the skin sud- 

 denly black. Under the usual circumstances of society, no 

 such extreme issue as utter blackness need be contemplated ; 

 but a certain darkening of colour would rapidly ensue, de- 

 stroying the harmony of the work of art perfected with so 

 much care dissipating the illusion of a beautiful complexion. 



The tale is recorded in books of a certain lady who had 

 been whitening her skin with trisnitrate of bismuth magistery 

 of bismuth our grandmammas and grandpapas called it and 

 who chanced to bathe whilst whitened thus in the Harrogate 

 waters. Harrogate is celebrated for its sulphurous springs. 

 The water of these springs holds sulphuretted hydrogen dis- 

 solved. If it be a fact that the lady in question went into a 

 Harrogate bath of sulphurous water whilst skin-painted with 

 bismuth magistery, then it must have come true what the tale 

 records, viz. that she in one instant turned as black, wherever 

 the pigment was laid on, as any Ethiop. 



Pearl-powders, as now used, are variously made. Some 



