438 
ON  THE  ARSENIC  EATERS  OF  STYRIA. 
excitement.  With  the  exception  of  the  pain,  the  same  symp- 
toms follow  every  increase  of  the  dose.  I  subjoin  as  a  caution 
that  it  is  not  advisable  to  begin  arsenic  eating  before  the  age  of 
twelve  or  after  thirty  years."  In  reply  to  my  question,  if  any 
harm  results  from  either  interrupting,  or  altogether  discontinu- 
ing the  practice,  he  replies,  "Evil  consequences  only  ensue 
from  a  long  continued  interruption.  From  circumstances  I  am 
often  obliged  to  leave  it  off  for  two  or  three  days,  and  I  feel 
only  slight  languor  and  loss  of  appetite,  and  I  resume  taking 
the  arsenic  in  somewhat  smaller  doses.  On  two  occasions,  at  the 
earnest  solicitations  of  my  friends,  I  attempted  entirely  to  leave 
off  the  arsenic.  The  second  time  was  in  January,  1855.  I  was 
induced  to  try  it  a  second  time  from  a  belief  that  my  first  illness 
might  have  arisen  from  some  other  cause.  On  the  third  day  of 
the  second  week  after  leaving  off  the  dose  I  was  attacked  with 
faintness,  depression  of  spirits,  mental  weakness,  and  a  total  loss 
of  the  little  appetite  I  still  had  ;  sleep  also  entirely  deserted  me. 
On  the  fourth  day  I  had  violent  palpitation  of  the  heart,  ac- 
companied by  profuse  perspiration.  Inflammation  of  the  lungs 
followed,  and  I  was  laid  up  for  nine  weeks,  the  same  as  on  the 
first  occasion  of  leaving  off  the  arsenic.  Had  I  not  been  bled, 
I  should  most  likely  have  died  of  apoplexy.  As  a  restorative, 
I  resumed  the  arsenic  eating  in  smaller  doses,  and  with  a  firm 
determination  never  again  to  be  seduced  into  leaving  it  off,  ex- 
cept as  originally  directed  by  my  preceptor.  The  results  on  both 
occasions  were  precisely  the  same,  and  death  would  certainly 
have  ensued  had  I  not  resumed  arsenic  eating."  One  of  the 
most  remarkable  points  in  this  narrative  is  that  this  gentleman 
began  with  a  dose  which  we  should  consider  poisonous.  This  is 
the  only  case  of  which  I  have  been  able  to  obtain  such  full  par- 
ticulars, but  several  others  have  been  mentioned  to  me  by  those 
who  knew  the  parties  and  can  vouch  for  their  truth,  which  I 
will  briefly  relate. 
One  gentleman,  besides  stating  that  he  is  well  aware  of  the 
existence  of  the  practice,  says  he  is  well  acquainted  with  a  brewer 
in  Klagenfiirth,  who  has  taken  daily  doses  of  arsenic  for  many 
years.  He  is  now  past  middle  life,  but  astonishes  every  one  by 
his  fresh  juvenile  appearance ;  he  is  always  exhorting  other 
people  to  follow  his  example,  and  says?  "  See  how  strong  and 
