[MR] Ancient Origins: Deadly Poison on 16th Century Books

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Not many of us actually handle medieval books (and are probably wearing
gloves if we do), so this is more of a curiosity tale than a cautionary
one. That said, researchers at the University of Southern Denmark
discovered that covers on several 16th or 17th century books in their
collection were coated with an arsenic-copper compound. In the 19th and
20th centuries this compound was a commercially manufactured product known
as "Paris Green".

This highly toxic compound was used either as a stable pigment or as a
preservative against insect damage to the old book (bugs love to chew on
books). It is possible for humans handling the books to absorb the pigment,
especially if they lick their fingers to turn the pages. [While it is out
of our period, one wonders if that is how Napoleon Bonaparte, and avid
reader, absorbed the high levels of arsenic discovered in a surviving
sample of his hair. This could suggest he was not intentionally poisoned as
some historians have recently speculated.]

You can read the story at
https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-writings/deadly-poison-medieval-books-0010299
.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆