July 29, 1887.] 



SCIENCE. 



59 



the chemist, who found lead in them, and testified that the subjects 

 died of lead-poisoning. The newspaper reports say, " The evidence 

 was conclusive that several members of the Diebel and Palmer 

 families died of lead-poisoning." The verdict of the jury was, that 

 " the deaths of the four persons were undoubtedly due to chronic 

 lead-poisoning, and that the poisoning resulted from the use of 

 chromate of lead as a coloring-matter in buns and other bread- 

 stuffs." The only allusion to chrome-salts in the entire reports, as 

 given in two newspapers, was made by Dr. Leffman, who said, " The 

 traces of chromium had disappeared." We have here four cases 

 well authenticated, in which lead chromate produced death, — pro- 

 duced it by chronic lead-poisoning, and not by any action of the 

 chromium trioxide present. 



The theory of antidotes, as understood by this writer, is that sub- 

 stances insoluble in any of the juices of the animal body are harm- 

 less as poisons. If we do not accept this as a fundamental propo- 

 sition, it is difficult to see how we reasonably can employ any 

 antidote supposed to act upon that principle. Chromic acid is a 

 very active oxidizer. In contact with organic matter, it is quickly 

 reduced to chromic oxide (a compound insoluble in any of the 

 juices of the animal body). It is a destroyer of organic tissues, 

 therefore. The action of both normal and acid alkali chromates is 

 similar to chromic acid. They destroy organic matter by oxidizing 

 it, chromic oxide being precipitated. Chromic acid and soluble 

 chromates are then poisonous in the same sense as are sulphuric 

 acid and nitric acid. Chromic oxide is harmless. 



Concerning the Philadelphia cases mentioned, the writer cannot 

 even pretend to speak with any authority. Any one, however, 

 familiar with the oxidizing action of chromic-acid salts, and who is 

 accustomed to making combustions with lead chromate, would not 

 find much difficulty in believing that the small quantity of lead 

 chromate taken by any one victim was reduced while in contact 

 with organic matter in the stomach and intestines, chromic oxide 

 passing out with the dejecta, and lead oxide being left to produce 

 its cumulative poisonous effects. 



When one states that the insoluble modifications of chromium 

 are in any way poisonous to the animal body, the burden of proof 

 rests upon him. The soluble salts (the alkali chromates) do, how- 

 ever, produce sores and sloughing under certain conditions : (i) if 

 they fall in quantities upon an abrasion of the skin, or (2) upon 

 the delicate mucous membrane. Speaking generally, a solution con- 

 taining 150 grams of an alkali chromate in one litre of water is 

 scarcely strong enough to produce sores upon the hands. Again, 

 generally, alkali chromate dust which is just visible without direct 

 sunlight is harmless, unless one should remain in it for some weeks. 

 When such dust falls upon the mucous membrane, it is quickly re- 

 duced by the secretion it finds there, and chromic oxide is precipi- 

 tated. The membrane is not attacked. There can be no doubt 

 that Dr. Harrington found in the clothing he examined, the large 

 quantities of chromium salts mentioned by him. It would have 

 been rather strange if he had not, since most cloth is chrome-dyed, 

 and contains about eight-tenths of one per cent chromic oxide in its 

 fibre. Had he examined further, equally certain, he would have found 

 iron, cellulose, keratin, and some other organic products. Why not 

 assign to one or all of them the maladies of the patients mentioned ? 

 So far as his paper gives evidence, or so far as I know, cellulose is 

 equally as poisonous as the insoluble chrome-dye on yarn. We 

 should risk little in saying this is true so far as any one knows. 

 Before we say otherwise, we should offer such proofs as would lead 

 a cautious man to accept the statements. 



To those who read the communication alluded to, it may be of 

 interest to know that a suit of clothing for a small boy will lose in 

 weight about three hundred and forty milligrams in a week. Of 

 this, about eight-tenths of one per cent is chromic oxide, when 

 the clothing is chrome-dyed. Such clothing then loses about two 

 and seven-tenths milligrams of chromic oxide in one week. How 

 much of this latter the boy would be likely to inhale as dust, and 

 what injury it would do him, are matters about which I have no in- 

 formation to offer. If it were arsenic, and he inhaled the whole of 

 it in one day, and twenty times as much more, it might possibly 

 sicken him. 



Five hundred milligrams of the chrome-dyed cotton cloth before 

 mentioned was ground between the teeth of a healthy man, and 



slowly swallowed. It produced no effect which could be detected. 

 This cloth contained four milligrams of chromic oxide. Such a 

 small quantity was taken only because of the desire to test the 

 effects of minute quantities. The only inconvenience resulting 

 from an attempt to eat a yard square of such cloth would be in 

 masticating it. Even between strong molars, it is really difficult to 

 grind. 



To sum up, finally, the writer has not been able to show that 

 chrome-dye, or indeed any modification of chromium, is in any way 

 poisonous to the human body. The continuation of these studies 

 is left to others better fitted to pursue them, and with the sincere 

 hope that the subject will not be allowed to die of neglect. The 

 matter intimately concerns the general welfare. Wm. Glenn. 



Baltimore, July 21. 



Distillery-Swill as a Food for Milch-Cows. 



The interest in this subject, developed by the recent discussion 

 in Science, prompts me to give its readers some additional points of 

 interest. Until within the past four years, the practice of feeding 

 distillery-waste on Long Island was very prevalent. Although the 

 ordinances of the city of Brooklyn have for years forbidden the use 

 of this food, no systematic effort was made to stamp it out previous 

 to the year 1S83. At that time it was used very generally in 

 Brooklyn and its suburbs, especially during the winter months. 

 Since then it has been almost entirely discontinued through the 

 efforts of the Health Department. 



It is the almost unanimous opinion of cow-keepers who have fed 

 swill and dry feed, that the cows do better without swill ; by which 

 they mean that they are healthier and less subject to diseases. This 

 statement is of value, as it is the result of a practical trial extending 

 over several years of time, and under conditions otherwise the same. 

 It is the verdict of a large number of stables where the experiment 

 has been tried by different men. To me, this testimony is con- 

 clusive as to the question of this food upon the health of the cows 

 fed upon it. Tuberculosis and pleuro-pneumonia are more prevalent 

 in stables where swill is fed than where 'grains,' meal, and hay are 

 fed. This statement is based upon personal observation, and the 

 testimony of the dairymen themselves. 



A word as to the manner of feeding swill. The cows do not 

 take kindly to this food, and must be starved to it, as a rule. Conse- 

 quently, when it is to be fed, it is necessary to withhold other food, 

 for a time at least. I have rarely seen it mixed with other food, 

 and, in fact, the testimony of milkmen in this vicinity is that it is 

 next to impossible to get cows to eat a mixture of swill and other 

 food, excepting hay. The digestion of cows fed upon swill soon 

 suffers derangements that prevent their eating such other food. 

 Whenever it is fed at all, it is claimed that it must constitute 

 almost the only food, — and thus it was fed in this vicinity, — when 

 fed at all. As all advocates of swill as food for milch-cows seem 

 to make their advocacy rest upon a liberal supply of other food 

 with it, it becomes an important point to determine whether cows 

 will eat hot swill, and cold meal or grain, at the same time. The 

 experience of Long Island dairymen seems to indicate that success in 

 this direction is doubtful, and prejudicial to the supply of milk as 

 well as to the health of cows. 



Statements have been made from time to time that distillery- 

 waste contains alcohol and fusel oil, and that these alcohols have a 

 bad effect upon the animals. This is an error. Both alcohol and 

 fusel oil are separated from the waste as completely as possible ; 

 and my analyses have failed to reveal more than mere traces of 

 either. 



Sensational statements have been made that the tails of cattle 

 fed upon this food atrophy and fall off. This statement is based 

 upon the results of anti-pleuropneumonic inoculation seen in such 

 stables. From the prevalence of pleuro-pneumonia among cattle 

 fed upon this hot feed, the owners have for years resorted to 

 a clumsy method of inoculation, in the tail, with a slice of dis- 

 eased lung. In a considerable number of cases, septicemia re- 

 sults, necessitating an amputation of the tail. The loss of the 

 tails has nothing to do with the food. 



When cows are kept most of the time in stalls, and fed upon 

 this hot food, they become feverish. The temperature usually 

 ranges from 101.5° F. to 102.5° F. This must be regarded as an 



