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no less than 8.44 grains of white arsenic. A little sister was also taken
violently ill with convulsions and dysenteric diarrhoea. The fact,that
rooms thus papered are unhealthy has been long established by
unquestionable evidence, and in the absence of any law to prevent this
guilty tampering with human life, surely, it behoves the head of every
family to see, that no apartment in his house is thus dangerously
ornamented. The arsenic readily separates from the paper, and is then
inhaled as dust with every breath of air, and falling upon food, etc , is
constantly liable to be taken into the stomach.
The other was a case of suicidal poisoning by the essential oil of
bitter almonds, and I merely mention it now by way of caution; for
as small a quantity as half a teaspoonful (half a drachm) of the oil may be
fatal to life. So far as I know it is never used or sold as a medicine—
medical men never thus prescribe it. Its sole uses are to impart odour
to pomades, etc.; and in food as a flavouring ingredient. The essence
(essence of peach kernel, etc.) is merely the oil dissolved in spirit. As
usually sold for this purpose both are virulent poisons, and are so by
virtue of the large per centage of prussic acid which they contain.
Against the sale of such oil, or essence, the public may now protect
themselves by the adoption of the recent Act for preventing the adulteration
of food. The oil may be readily obtained free from prussic
acid, and uninjured as respeets its true flavour and odour; and such
oil or essence should alone be purchased by confectioners or cooks, who
may insist upon being supplied with it.
The table of sickness differing little from that of last month,
except in the smaller number of cases of scarlet fever, measles, and
sore-throat recorded, calls for no special remark.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Vestry Offices,
December 3rd, 1860.