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 1 900. 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. 



