212 Arsenic Eating, and its influence upon 
without a doctor’s certificate is contrary to law, and those who do so are very anx- 
ious to conceal the fact, particularly from medical men and priests. Dr. Lorenz 
was, however, well acquainted with one gentleman, an arsenic eater, with whom he 
kindly put me in communication, and to whom I shall refer a again more pe 
He x gs says that he knows arsenic is casiatyte taken by the peasants i 
inci wood i 
the Tyrol, and the Salzkammergut, principally by d cutters, to 
d and prevent f e. He gives the following pa 
“The arsenic is tak re when fasting, in some id, as coffee, beginning 
with a bit the size of a pin’s head, and increasing to t on 
and general appearance are much improved, the parties using it seldom look so 
old as the 7 are, ci he has never hear Fees as used to 
improve personal beauty, t ough he cannot say that it never is so use e fi 
dose is exe eileen by slight epi of ck Pg as as burning pain in 
the stomach and sickness, but not v ere, 
“ Once begun, it can only be left of by very a, poise is the daily dose, 
_ asa sudden cessation causes sickness, burning pai tomach, and other symp- 
- toms of poisoning, ag speedily followed by dleatl 1. 
“ As a rule, arsenic eaters are very long lived, and are e peculiarly exempt from in- 
iseases, fevers, &c., but unless they gradually give up the practice invaria- 
fectious di 
bly die suddenly 
“Tn some arsenic a oki near Salzburg with which he is acquainted, he says the 
only men who can stand the work for any time are those who swallow res doses 
of arsenic, the fumes, &c., soon killing the others. The director of these works, the 
gentleman before alluded to, ot me the following particulars of his we case 
(This pe ame ek name I su a si ashe writes that he does not win the only. thing 
known about n England to be a fact that he is an arsenic eater; but if any 
judicial dngaity: ae arise which might render positive evidence of arsenic eating 
ssary, his name and testimony will be forthcoming) :— 
ye wee At aaventeen years of age, while studying assaying, I had mauch to do with ar- 
senic, and was advised by my teacher, M, Bén nsch, Professor of Chemistry . and Min- 
eralogy at Eisleben, to begin the habit of arsenic eating. I quote the precise words 
he addressed to me :—‘If you wish to continue the study of assaying, and become 
larg pa agincre beh = a factory, more hes ee y at an arsenic heeds in which 
self feo = fumes peck Pan injure ‘the 1 ‘cde of eat be not of all, i to reontitne 
enjoy your c ustomary he health and spirits, and to a a tolerably advanced age, 
advise you, nay, it olutely necessary, that heclding strictly abstaining from spl 
t seni o no t, when you Hav 
which you have become accustomed you return to that with w 
bide — . nie made trial of ut preceptor’s prescriptions an ae) "the forty fitH 
The dose 8 hich I pegen, and that which I take at presett 
ues :— ut an hour after taking my firs 
same quantity daily for ae months,) there babe slight Y orepithet with erie 
ing pains in the bowels, and after three or four hours a loose evacuation ;_ this bc 
followed wh a keen n appetite and a feeling of excitement With the exception of the 
cal 
years.’ ioe reply to my Fsiowtink if any har rosette from either interrupting, sh 
peter Pence eae) the pra — = replies, ‘ Evil consequences only ensue from # 
\ os fing cia a to Fro usenet s I am often obliged to leat ae 
0 ree days, and I feel only y ntl — uor and loss of a et 3 n ‘ 
bi arsenic in somew 4 er dos e pedo he earnest solicit- 
ing t 
ations of my Rg, * steonipted can aty rs leave off the ars ithe second time 
yas : January 1855. I was induced to try it a second time "from a belief that mY 
might sa arisen from some other cause. On the third day of the 
ond Week after leaving off the dose I was attacked with faintness, depression of spit 
