PRACTICE OF ARSENIC-EATING IN STYRIA. 217 



some beer to the cheese, and experienced nothing but a 

 slight burning in the throat as from food containing much 

 spices, and afterwards a pleasant warmth in the stomach, 

 and good appetite. I ate such cheese several times again 

 without any evil effects manifesting themselves. Once, 

 however, in the neighbourhood of Murnau, I ate some 

 Styrian cheese, which on mastication appeared to contain 

 sand ; I left the remainder untouched, and although I had 

 eaten a piece only as large as a nut, I soon became very 

 unwell, vomited several times, and was seized with colic. 

 This cheese no doubt contained arsenious acid in the form 

 of powder." 



Mr. Stern, surgeon, of Kundorf, reports as follows: — 

 "About two years ago I was called in to see a strong field- 

 labourer thirty-four years of age, who it was said had 

 been suffering for twenty- four hours from severe colic. 

 On examination I found that it was a case of violent 

 gastro-enteritis, and as the patient could give no reason 

 for his sudden attack, and all symptoms pointed to poison- 

 ing by arsenic, I asked him if he had not eaten " Hiitten- 

 rauch," upon which he answered exactly as follows : About 

 seven years since he had suffered from indigestion and 

 general debility, and being always unwell he had followed 

 the advice of an old man, and had begun to eat arsenic. 

 After this he had gradually improved in health, and had 

 since then regularly taken arsenic, and had been perfectly 

 well until yesterday, when he took rather a larger dose 

 than usual, and was seized with violent pains, which he 

 thought were colic. Upon administration of the usual 

 remedies, especially the hydrated peroxide of iron, the 

 patient recovered in a short time." 



Dr. Kropsch of Leoben relates that he was once called 

 in to prescribe for a peasant who had been induced to eat 

 arsenic to improve his health. Symptoms of acute poison- 

 ing set in, and the patient acknowledged that he had 



SER. III. VOL. I. F F 



