The National Library of France removed from its shelves four 19th century bookswhose emerald covers are believed to have arsenic, a toxic substance.
These are two copies of Edward Hayes’ The Ballads of Ireland published in 1855, a bilingual anthology of Romanian poetry by Henry Stanley from 1856 and the Royal Horticultural Society’s book of 1862-63.
If anyone touches the books, which were printed in Britain, could only sustain minor damagebut were withdrawn for further analysis as a precaution.
The Library discovered the disputed copies when US researchers discovered that Victorian-era publishers used arsenic to color the book. Green pigments containing arsenic were called “Paris green”, “emerald green” or “Sele green”, after a German-born chemist.
Checking hundreds of book covers for traces of heavy metals since 2019, University of Delaware researchers compiled a list of potentially dangerous books as part of the Poison Book Project.
The World Health Organization warns that long-term exposure to inorganic arsenicmainly through drinking water and food, can lead to skin lesions and skin cancer, but makes no mention of contact with objects containing it.
News today:
Eva Kaili: I’m going to live in Italy – Criticism against Metsola and the European Parliament
Harvey Weinstein: The rise, resounding fall and judicial overthrow of the “king” in Hollywood
Taste Atlas: Dakos tops list of 100 best salads in the world – Seven more Greek dishes on the list
