OPHTHALMIA A RESULT PROM ARSENICAL WALL-PAPERS. 457 
decorators, and these cloths were not removed until the new 
papering was completed. The paper, was I believe, removed by 
wetting it, so that no dustwould becreated in theoperation. We 
may safely, therefore, assume that any dust in the book-cases, 
which are all glazed, must have been there before the papering 
was altered. After my gradual recovery from my attack of 
illness in the summer, my eyes were comparatively quiet 
until my return to town, when I took possession of my new 
room, and commenced dusting the books in the book-cases, 
which had probably not been thoroughly dusted for two or 
three years. After dusting several of the cases, I was again 
troubled with inflammation of the eyes, which made me think 
of the possible effect of the dust. 1 therefore discontinued 
operations, and gradually recovered. I left two*book cases 
undisturbed, from one of which you will remember that we 
obtained the dust which you lately analysed.” 
It was the discovery of arsenic, in a comparatively large 
quantity in this dust,which led me to institute further inquiries, 
which resulted in the discovery that the green arsenical pig¬ 
ment must, when the paper is unglazed, be continually es¬ 
caping in an impalpable powder from the w alls. An optician, 
from whose shop I obtained additional evidence of the escape 
of the green pigment from the walls, informed me that the 
eyes of the men employed to hang the paper were affected, 
although at that time he had no suspicion of the cause. 
When I saw T my friend (w'hose case is above related), pend¬ 
ing the second attack, the conjunctiva of the lids was of a 
deep red colour, along the tarsal margins and at the angles. 
The lids w r ere slightly tumid, and had a tendency to eversion. 
Vision w as painful. It was the apparent connexion of this 
second attack with the dusting of the books which led him 
to request me to examine the dust. 
Since that time I have received several communications on 
the subject, bearing out the view that this insidious form of 
arsenical poisoning may be productive of inflammation of the 
conjunctiva. A medical practitioner resident in the country, 
since his occupation of one of these arsenical chambers for a 
few months, had suffered from mucous derangement of the 
bow'els, colic, and inflammation of the tarsal portions of the 
conjunctiva. 1 examined the wall-paper, and found it loaded 
with arsenic, coarsely laid on and easily detached by the 
slightest friction. A well-knowm member of the profession 
in London, who has published his own case, informed me 
that he had been out of health since he had occupied a room, 
the walls of which w T ere covered with a green paper, and that 
he had suffered from inflammation of the eyes. I found 
xxxii. 60 
