Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Jan.,  1877,  J 
Dangerous  Candy. 
The  qualitative  analysis  (presence  of  copper,  acetic  acid  and  arseni- 
ous  acid)  led  to  the  conclusion  that  the  pigment  of  these  papers  really 
was  the  above  named  and  previously  suspected  substance. 
The  fatal  dose  of  arsenic  for  an  adult  is  from  2  to  5  grains ;  a  dose 
of  half  a  grain,  however  (as  contained  in  one  paper  of  the  above  size), 
will  already  produce  severe  symptoms  of  poisoning;  the  medicinal  dose, 
according  to  the  "  U.  S.  Dispensatory,"  being  2\  to  10  of  a  grain  for 
an  adult. 
The  poisonous  pigment  is  made  to  adhere  to  the  paper  by  a  simple 
mechanical  process — the  adhesion  is  but  very  slight,  and  friction,  as 
well  as  moisture,  will  loosen  it  entirely.  If  such  candy  is  given  to 
children,  particularly  to  small  ones,  who  may  take  the  colored  paper 
in  the  mouth,  or  handle  it  with  wet  hands,  they  are  in  danger  of  being 
poisoned. 
It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  people  can  be  so  devoid  of  conscience 
and  reckless  to  employ  for  such  a  purpose  such  dangerous  paper,  or  if 
it  is  ignorance,  is  it  excusable  ?  Is  such  a  practice  too  trifling  a  matter 
for  the  Boards  of  Health  to  notice  ? 
Otto,  the  eminent  German  toxicologist,  mentions  a  case  where  two 
children  lost  their  lives  through  a  Christmas  present  —  a  toy  painted 
with  Paris-green.  The  danger  is  still  greater  if  eatables  are  enclosed 
in  such  poisonous  paper. 
It  would  be  superfluous  to  dwell  on  the  dangerousness  of  wall-paper, 
lamp-shades,  artificial  flowers,  fancy  letter-paper,  gauze,  etc.,  colored 
with  Paris  green  ;  but  it  should  be  considered  a  duty  to  humanity  to 
direct  the  attention  of  the  public  to  such  facts  like  the  above. 
The  analysis :  five  pieces  of  paper  were  treated  with  nitric  acid  to 
dissolve  the  pigment,  converting  at  the  same  time  arsenious  into  arsenic 
acid.  The  filtered  solution  was  neutralized  with  caustic  soda,  the 
copper  precipitated  with  sulphide  of  sodium  as  sulphide  of  copper,  the 
precipitate  washed,  dried,  ignited  with  the  usual  precautions  and  weighed 
as  cuprous  sulphide,  Cu2S. 
Arsenic  was  precipitated  from  the  filtrate  on  addition  of  hydrochloric 
acid  and  sulphuretted  hydrogen  as  trisulphide  of  arsenic.  It  was  fil- 
tered ofF,  washed,  and  redissolved  in  nitric  acid,  thus  forming  arsenic 
acid.    The  clear  solution  was  diluted  to  100  cc. 
20  cc,  representing  one  piece  of  paper,  were  again  precipitated  with 
