616 
ON THE ARSENIC-EATERS OF STYRIA. 
information on the subject, was enabled also to arrive at tolerably satisfactory proof of 
the existence of the custom. The most interesting example of it was communicated 
to him by Dr. Ivnappe, then residing at Obertzeiring, in Upper Styria, who had 
persuaded an “ arsenikophagite” to come and live under his observation for a few 
days, and who not only was thus enabled to see the man take his dose, but 
was enabled to transmit to Dr. Schafer, a practical chemist in the Styrian capital, 
a specimen of the urine passed after the ingestion of the drug, and which was proved to 
contain it. 
The facts ascertained by Knappe were made known in Britain by a paper by 
Dr. Eoscoe, read to the Manchester Philosophical Society, and published in the ‘Mechanics’ 
Magazine and the existence of the practice has been admitted by some scientific men 
who have written since the date of Koscoe’s paper. Dr. Guy (‘Forensic Medicine, 
2nd edit., p. 368), admits that Eoscoe has brought forward “ conclusive evidence” of the 
fact; but from its being denounced as incredible in most of our standard works which 
have occasion to treat of the subject, such as those of Taylor and Pereira, and from its 
having been strongly denied in some important criminal trials, as by Dr: Christison in 
the case of Wooler (‘Edinburgh Monthly Journal’) 1855-56, pp. 709, 710), whilst 
Eoscoe's valuable paper appears not to be sufficiently known, it seems to me the general 
belief in this country that there is no foundation in fact for the alleged arsenic-eating 
in Styria. 
What seemed to result from the inquiries of Yon Tschudi, Knappe, and Heisch, was 
this:— 
I. That in various parts of Styria and the adjoining countries certain individuals 
were in the habit of swallowing daily, or twice or thrice a week, or at longer intervals, 
a certain quantity of a mineral substance, called “Hiittereich,” * for various purposes, such 
as the improvement of the appearance, the rendering more easy the respiration during 
mountain climbing, as a condiment, as a tonic and stimulant, as a prophylactic against 
disease, and as a preservative of health ; and that this so-called Hiittereich was arsenic. 
II. That these individuals became, through custom, capable of taking doses 
of arsenic varying from one grain to several grains daily. 
III. That its more immediate effect on the system was to make them lively, 
combative, and of strong sexual desire. This latter physiological effect may perhaps be 
held to be indirectly proved by the inordinate number of illegitimate children in some 
of these places, the proportion sometimes rising nearly as high as 60 per cent, of 
the total births. 
Against all this was to be placed— 
I. The experience of medical men in other countries, who have found that by the 
continued use of arsenic as a drug, even in fractional parts of a grain, certain 
consequences arose directly contrary to those experienced by the partakers of it 
in Styria. 
II. The want of proof by analysis that the substance said to be taken was 
really arsenic; the absence of any chemical examination of the excretions of an arsenic- 
eater, so as to prove that arsenic really had been swallowed; the want of any accounts 
of its effects when first begun to be used, or of any information as to the origin of the 
custom. 
Most of these objections, however, have been removed by the investigations of 
Drs. Knappe and Heisch, to the former of whom I am indebted for much interesting 
information on the subject. 
It is not at all surprising that in other countries there should be a prevalent 
impression of the non-existence of this practice in Stj T ria, seeing that in Austria itself, 
those who have not made special inquiries on the subject are generally sceptical as to it. 
Any one, therefore, passing through Austria and making casual inquiries, would most 
likely be told that the practice of arsenic-eating was not generally known or believed 
in. It is not difficult to account for this. The people who eat arsenic have the idea 
that it is regarded as a bad habit, and therefore one to be concealed as much as possible, 
just like opium-eating in this country; and they have the additional reason for 
* I use the spelling adopted by Dr. Macliar in his ‘ Mediziuisch-statistische Topografie 
Steiermarks.’ Although the pronunciation of the Styrians makes it Hiitrach, it is obvious 
that the word really is Hiitteh-rauch—literally, furnace-smoke or vapour. 
