POISONOUS INDIA-RUBBER TOYS.
To the EDITOR of the HAMPSHIRE TELEGRAPH
SIR,—I saw in the Times a few days since a letter calling attention to the practice of painting india-rubber balls, such as children play with, and pointing out the danger of the practice from the poisonous nature of the paints used. I deem it a matter of sufficient public interest to warrant my troubling you with the following remarks confirmatory of the evil really attaching to the process in question :-On the 4th of April last, late at night, an infant of six months old was brought to me from the country apparently in a dying state, there was no pulse at the wrist, the face was deadly pale, and the surface of the body and extremities quite cold. There had been incessant vomiting for some hours; in fact there were present all the symptoms of death impending, in the case of collapse from irritant poisoning. The mother stated that while in charge of the young nurse that afternoon, the child had been for a long time allowed to suck an india-rubber ball, such as is to be seen in the shops, having animals and other objects painted in bright colours upon them. The child's face and dress were stained green, most likely from the paint called " Schele's green," in the making of which an active poison (arsenite of copper) is used. Not to trouble you at greater length, I will merely add that it was only by the prompt use of means (continued through the night) that life was saved, a result, I believe after all, to have been very much due to the fact of the infant being more than usually robust, and the ball very old and much worn.
I am Sir, yours, &c.,
R. S. CROSS.
Petersfield, September 2nd.