ON  THE  ARSENIC  EATERS  OF  STYRIA. 
435 
No.  4. 
Rhapontic  Rhubarb   2  grammes. 
Calcined  Magnesia   2  grammes. 
Carbonate  of  Magnesia   2  grammes. 
Essence  of  Aniseed   20  drops. 
After  a  trituration  for  five  minutes,  we  obtain  a  lively  rose-salmon  color,  but 
the  rose  is  more  evident  than  that  in  No.  3. 
No.  4  bis. 
Rhapontic  Rhubarb   50  centigrammes, 
Chinese  Rhubarb   50  centigrammes. 
Calcined  Magnesia   2  grammes. 
Carbonate  of  Magnesia   2  grammes. 
Essence  of  Aniseed   20  drops. 
After  a  trituration  for  five  minutes,  we  obtain  a  rose-flesh-salmon  color. 
No.  5. 
Rhapontic  Rhubarb   30  centigrammes. 
Chinese  Rhubarb   70  centigrammes. 
Calcined  Magnesia     2  grammes. 
Carbonate  of  Magnesia    2  grammes. 
Essence  of  Aniseed   28  drops. 
After  a  trituration  for  five  minutes,  we  obtain  again  the  same  coloration  as  in 
No.  4  bis. 
And  whenever  the  quantity  of  powdered  Rhapontic  rhubarb 
is  diminished,  we  constantly  obtain  a  more  or  less  deep  rosy 
coloration.  We  can,  by  this  means,  discover  the  slightest  trace 
of  Rhapontic  rhubarb ;  but  it  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  it  is 
much  better  to  employ  simultaneously  the  two  kinds  of  magnesia, 
for  the  carbonate  gives  a  coloration  more  yellowish-red,  leaning 
to  rose,  whilst  calcined  magnesia  produces  a  coloration  more 
decidedly  rose.  The  essential  oils  of  bergamot,  citron,  &c,  pro- 
duce similar  reactions.  The  essence  of  mint  decolorizes,  so  to 
speak,  at  first  (and  only  after  a  long  trituration),  the  mixture  of 
Chinese  and  Rhapontic  rhubarbs  ;  but  the  rose  color  is  soon  re- 
stored ;  whilst  with  the  Chinese  rhubarb  it  produces  only  a  dull 
grey  color.- — London  Pharm.  Journ.,  July  2,  1860,  from  Jour- 
nal de  Chimie  MSdicale,  June,  1860. 
ON  THE  ARSENIC  EATERS  OF  STYRIA. 
By  Charles  Heisch,  Esq.,  F.C.S. 
Lecturer  on  Chemistry  at  the  Middlesex  Hospital  Medical  College. 
At  the  last  meeting  of  the  Manchester  Philosophical  Society 
I  observe  that  Dr.  Roscoe  called  attention  to  the  arsenic  eaters 
of  Styria.  Having  for  the  last  two  years  been  in  communica- 
tion with  the  medical  men  and  other  residents  in  the  districts 
