11 
Ordinary Meeting, October 30th, 1860. 
Dr. J. P. Joule, President, in the Chair. 
A Paper was read by Dr. H. E. Roscoe, entitled, “ On 
the Alleged Practice of Arsenic Eating in Styria.” 
Professor Roscoe being anxious to obtain further definite 
information respecting the extraordinary statements of Von 
Tschudi, quoted by Johnston in his “ Chemistry of Common 
Life,” that persons in Styria are in the habit of regularly 
taking doses of arsenious acid, varying in quantity from 2 
to 5 grains daily, was supplied through the kindness of his 
friend Professor Pebal, of Lemberg, with a series of letters 
written by seventeen medical men of Styria, to the government 
medical inspector at Gratz, concerning the alleged practice. 
After reviewing the opinions of Dr. Taylor, Mr. Kesteven, 
and Mr. Heisch, upon the subject, and having mentioned the 
results and conclusions arrived at by those who had pre- 
viously interested themselves with the subject, Mr. Roscoe 
stated that all the letters received from the medical men in 
Styria agree in acknowledging the general prevalence of a 
belief that certain persons are in the habit of continually 
taking arsenic in quantities usually supposed sufficient to 
produce death. Many of the reporting medical men had no 
experience of the practice ; others describe certain cases of 
arsenic eating which have not come under their personal 
notice, but which they have been told of by trustworthy 
people whose names are given ; whilst others, again, report 
Proceedings — Lit. & Phil. Society — No. 3.— Session, 1860-61. 
