POISONOUS  EFFECT  FROM  COPPER  FOUNTAINS.  425 
I  have  examined  the  soda  water  obtained  from  a  manufactory 
where  it  is  bottled,  but  could  discover  neither  copper  nor  lead. 
The  effervescent  liquid  which  is  at  times  «  palmed  off"  upon 
the  public,  made  by  forcing  atmospheric  air  into  water  (most 
truly,  "aerated  water,")  would,  from  the  very  want  of  the  car- 
bonic acid,  be  nearly  free  from  these  contaminations. 
It  might  be  asked,  » If  these  poisonous  bodies  exist  in  soda 
water,  why  are  not  the  effects  more  commonly  known?"  I 
would  reply,  they  are  more  generally  known  than  is  supposed. 
Since  commencing  these  investigations,  I  have  learned  from 
several  medical  friends,  that  a  coppery  taste,  violent  vomiting, 
colic  pains,  purging,  etc.,  have  not  been  uncommon  results  from 
such  draughts ;  and  most  with  whom  I  have  conversed,  have 
experienced  these  effects  personally. 
In  Dr.  Mitchell's  Therapeutics,  mention  is  made  that  soda 
water  from  old  copper  fountains  is  strongly  marked  with  the 
copper  taste. 
My  assistant  informs  me  that  five  years  since,  while  in  a  drug 
store,  he  observed  that  vomiting  and  other  symptoms  of  poison- 
ing by  copper  followed  frequently  after  drinking  soda  water,  and 
that  many  thought  it  was  cholera  ;  and  after  being  similarly  af- 
fected himself,  he  tested  the  water  and  found  copper. 
I  am  informed  by  a  resident  of  St.  Louis,  that  while  the  cho- 
lera prevailed,  most  persons  abandoned  the  use  of  soda  water ;  it 
was  a  common  remark,  "  Mr.  — — -  took  a  glass  of  sodawater, 
and  was  immediately  attacked  with  cholera." 
Probably  the  syrups,  which  are  the  usual  accompaniments  of 
the  soda  draught,  act  in  many  cases  as  an  antidote  ;  for  although 
the  efficacy  of  sugar  in  this  respect,  as  originally  proposed  by 
Duval,  was  denied  by  Orfila,  it  has  lately  been  re-asserted  by 
Postel. 
I  regret  that,  for  want  of  time,  I  have  not  been  able  to  com- 
plete other  experiments  on  this  subject;  yet,  as  I  am  convinced 
that  in  many  cases  this  poisoned  soda  water  has  proved  the  ex- 
citing cause  of  cholera  in  those  predisposed  to  this  disease,  and 
in  others  that  it  has  by  its  inherent  properties  been  injurious  to 
health  or  destructive  to  life  ;  and  as  at  this  time  the  cholera 
question  is  again  agitating  the  public  mind,  I  have  thought  it 
advisable  to  relate  the  results  of  this  partial  investigation. 
