36 N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION. IBulletin 183 



rather remote. It would seem more serious in the case of black- 

 berries, because of the nature of the surface of the fruit. The 

 writers believe that blackberries should not be directly sprayed 

 with arsenate of lead after the berries are formed. They believe 

 that currants, if so sprayed, should be well washed. This is 

 because there might be residues of questionable amount for a 

 child or an adult in poor health. 



With cabbage and lettuce it is evident, from the analyses, that 

 a whole head directly sprayed and without removal of outer 

 leaves may carry a relatively large amount of the poison. The 

 writers believe that arsenate of lead should not be applied except 

 lightly and sparingly to cabbage or to lettuce that is ready for 

 market. If these vegetables are sprayed the outer leaves should 

 be removed and the heads should then be washed. If this is done, 

 it is believed that there is no danger that these vegetables will 

 carry to the table an amount of arsenic involving a dangerous 

 dose for a human being. 



As to the possible injurious effects from long continued, daily 

 consumption of fruits or vegetables carrying a relatively small 

 amount of arsenate of lead, the case is not clear. Indeed, it is 

 complicated by the literature of the subject. The records in 

 standard references offer strange inconsistencies. Thus, Blyth 

 (2) records what would appear to be serious poisoning resulting 

 from the prolonged daily ingestion of one-sixth of a milligram 

 of arsenic oxid, the poison being present in beer. This is a very 

 small amount and is less than the equivalent often found per 

 apple in the fruit from trees sprayed in our experiments. One is 

 inclined to suspect that other causes played a part in these cases. 

 As against this record may be set down the fact that there are at 

 least two areas in the world where many of the inhabitants follow 

 the practice of eating arsenic ; namely, among the mountaineers of 

 a region adjacent to Hungary and among peoples in certain 

 sections of India. The practice is followed because these people 

 consider that the drug gives them greater vigor and enables them 

 to carry out difficult physical labor with less fatigue. It is the 

 habit of these arsenic eaters to begin with a small dose daily 

 and after a time gradually to increase the amount. Eventually, 

 an individual may consume relatively large doses, even amount- 

 ing to 300 milligrams daily. The records appear to show that 

 these people live to old age. 



