“On poisoning by Arsenic, its treatment and forensic detection “- Leipsic, Lebrecht Crusius, 1786(276 pages): – “Offered as the first fruits of the author to His Majesty the good Kaiser Joseph.” Crell’s “Annals” announces the book as follows: As the author starts from chemical principles, and has made some experiments to confirm them, this book is written with such literary care that it is worthy of an advertisement.
N. Litter’s “Information for Physicians,” 1787, pages 49 and 51, says:
These latter essays (of the book: forensic investigations — pathology — chemical properties — cause of death) give this publication a great value.
Professor Henke still writes in 1817, in Horn’s Archiv. for Medical experience (page 181):
Samuel Hahnemann’s publication on arsenic, which at that time was classical, has introduced the best tests into forensic medicine.
The prejudice against heating with coal, the ways of improving this fuel its use for heating baker’s ovens, together with a supplement by Lanoix and Bruns. The prize essays on this subject, with two copperplates, dresden, 1787. Walther, bookseller to the Court. Dedicated by the author with homage to the Economical Society of Patriots in Leipsic.
In the first chapter of this publication numbering 72 pages, to which have been added 39 pages, the translations of both prize essays on the “Memories sur les Fours de Boulangers chauffees avec du charbon de terre,” with two copper plates, Hahnemann remarks on the prejudices against using coal for fuel with the following introductory words.
Districts where, owing to the increase of coal fires, experience should have destroyed all prejudices against this fuel, are still under the illusion that coal is a dirty fuel; that its economical advantages are doubtful; that its smoke, if not dangerous to health, is at least suspicious, that its drawback for cooking utensils is as good as established; and that its use is only applicable to certain kinds of work;also that the lighting and keeping up of these fires is laborious and difficult.
As I should never like to remain behind where there is harmful prejudice to contend against, I wish to emphasis what is necessary on the subject, although here and there similar statements have already been made, because much good seed must be sown in order to reap a good crop.
Hahnemann attacks first the aesthetic objections that coal soot and smoke would make everything dirty and smoky, and emphasises that with every kind )of combustion there must needs be smoke and soot liberated. This was proved by Paris, Vienna and Berlin, where no coal is burned, but which seem buried in fog. “Is there anything useful without inconveniences? ” On the other hand, Hahnemann by means of accurately worked out figures shows that heating by coal is more economical and advantageous than the most varied kinds of wood fires. He then, with great thoroughness, investigates the objections raised on hygienic grounds, and rejects the idea, that coal-heating is detrimental to health, by many arguments. He is rather inclined to assume that ” coal smoke is purifier of the polluted air in big cities and swampy localities ” Charcoal fumes in a closed room are as harmful to health as coal fumes. ” All burning or glowing bodies absorb, in a closed room, the only air that is useful to life and exhale air that is detrimental.” Hahnemann then continues ” the objection that fire-irons would be more easily, destroyed by coal fires is just as untenable,” which he confutes by experiments. The contention that coal is difficult to ignite, he meets with a rational exposition on fire-lighting. The contention which owed its origin to indifference and laziness, that coal should not be used for certain kinds of work, he confutes by enumerating all the extravagances compared to that of the use of coal which have been employed in the production of delicate works of art, and in the cooking of victuals, as well as in the baking of bread. (A third chapter, together with supplement and illustrations, then deals with the heating of bakers’ ovens with coal.) The second chapter deals with “methods of improving raw coal.” Hahnemann then speaks of the production of coke or cinders, naturally without yet knowing of the extraction of gas. He only recommends the different ways of producing coke by means of coal-kilns (Similar to charcoal kilns) and in special ovens, whereby the value by products — oils, styptic water, tar and pitch — were already then being produced. Hahnemann also recommends the preparation of coal-bricks and coal-cakes with the slack and coal-dust, and he describes this proceeding accurately and gives diagrams.
The whole of this little book, with its large number of striking explanations and literary references, proves as completely Hahnemann’s extraordinary erudition in literature, which was extraneous to his professional activities, as it does the practical sense and elastic mind of the 32 years old physician.
HAHNEMANN’S WINE TEST.
Hahnemann’s wine test was at this time very much discussed. Since 1707, the so-called ” Wurtemberg wine test” had been established. It was especially in official use by most States for the detection of adulteration with lead. The wine merchant not infrequently sweetened his wines with sugar of lead : the drinking of such a wine was known to produce colic, spasms and even consumption, with fatal results. The “Wurtemberg wine test” applied for the detection of such adulteration consisted of two parts of experiment, four parts of quicklime, and twelve parts of water, which was heated or digested. These “sulphurets of potash” were then added to the wine, which consequently showed a dark deposit by means of which the adulterer could be detected. It was subsequently proved that the investigation gave a very similar result when iron had fallen into the wine. Hahnemann, through his chemical investigations, now discovered a new, reliable and comprehensive process in which he used acidulated water saturated with “sulphuretted hydrogen water and sulphuretted hydrogen gas,” which was also useful in testing other liquids. Professor Eschenbach, of Leipsic, writes about this discovery:
Among the varied recent observations and experiments in chemical science, I was particularly pleased with Dr. Hahnemann’s wine test: I have repeated it and it has fulfilled my expectations. (Crells’ Annals, 1789. Vol.III, pages 516)
Hahnemann’s wine test was afterwards officially adopted in Prussia, An order of September 7th, 1791, reads as follows:
The public receives here form the Highest Authority the necessary information regarding Hahnemann’s wine test, which has hitherto been very little known except to those experienced in chemistry. This test serves to reveal the deadly adulterations of sour wines, or wines that have become sour owing to the presence of lead substances, such as sugar of lead and litharge of silver. These materials are very detrimental to the health of man, since they produce an incurable constipation or strangulation of the inner organs, with all the sad consequences arising therefrom, which are all the more dangerous as the effects only show themselves slowly and are at first imperceptible.
After having described accurately the method of using Hahnemann’s liquors, which can be obtained from all apothecaries for the sum of 4 gute groschen, the order continues:
In spite of the fact that the merchants and the wine dealers have never been found guilty of such deadly adulterations, and without considering the tests previously made, it will nevertheless be beneficial to the public, and to the best interests of all those concerned in the wine-trade, to have their present stock and their future supplies tested at once with Hahnemann’s liquor; and if they find that adulteration with lead is present, they are to notify this immediately to the director of Police, and to place the wine at his disposal. Otherwise if, when the wine cellars are inspected by the sanitary authorities and the police, an admixture of lead is found in the wine, such merchants and wine dealers with have themselves to thank if they are severely dealt with as intentional offenders, in addition to which their goods will be confiscated.
(Signed) ROYAL PRUSSIAN CHIEF CONSTABULARY
Berlin.
September 7th, 1791.
“Signs of the purity and adulteration of drugs.”
Professor Baldinger writes regarding this work in the “Medicinal Journal,” 1789:
This work is very important and is indispensable for every practitioner, and even more so for every medical officer, whose duty it is to inspect apothecaries’ shops. Much that is good is taught in this important and indispensable book: I cannot sufficiently recommend it.
New Medical Literature of Schlegel and Arnemann. Leipsic, 1788. Vol.I, page 34:
This essay does not require special recommendation; from what has been quoted above every physician and chemist will recognise how important and indispensable a work it is.
“Something on bile and gallstones.”
Hahnemann made investigations with the fresh of a thoroughly healthy man who had been shot dead. He made several salts act on the bile, in order to use later these salts in diseases of the liver and in obstructions of the gall-bladder.
Richard Haehl was also an editor and publisher of the homeopathic journal Allgemcine, and other homeopathic publications.
Haehl was responsible for saving many of the valuable artifacts of Samuel Hahnemann and retrieving the 6th edition of the Organon and publishing it in 1921.
Richard Haehl was the author of - Life and Work of Samuel Hahnemann