In the 19th century, the advent of industrialization brought vibrant and elaborate book bindings into the hands of the masses. Publishers experimented with rich pigments, such as the arsenic-based Emerald Green and lead-based whites and yellows, to attract buyers. However, these dazzling hues concealed dangerous heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, and mercury, which were known to cause severe health issues. Despite the risks, these toxic pigments were widely used, leaving behind a legacy of "poison books" that today serve as a reminder of the hazardous beauty of Victorian-era craftsmanship.
Check out this bibliography to read more about the historical use and chemical compositions of these toxic ingredients and to read more about the Toxic Book Project. Click on the titles to see how to access the works.
RB 005: Heads and Faces, and How to Study Them: A Manual of Phrenology and Physiognomy for the People
MS 121: Lachesis Bottle with Pills
MS 050: Mercurius Sublimate Corrosivus
MS160: Chinium Arsen- 3x bottle with Tablets
The Iris, or Annual Visitor, for 1844 (by D. Mallory) [Uncatalogued]
RB001: Utilis Curiosetas de Humanae Vitae Felicitate ...
RB001: Dissertation Sur La Goutte Articulaire: Presentee Et Soutenue a La Faculte De Medecine De Paris 2
RB 0001: Dissertation Sur La Goutte Articulaire: Presentee Et Soutenue a La Faculte De Medecine De Paris
RB005: New Facts and Remarks Concerning Idiocy: Being a Lecture Delivered Before the New York Medical Journal Association
RB001: Dissertation Sur La Goutte Articulaire: Presentee Et Soutenue a La Faculte De Medecine De Paris
History of Medicine, Medieval “Medical Lore” Booklet distributed by Jones Apothecary, Houston Texas
RB 005: New Facts and Remarks Concerning Idiocy: Being a Lecture Delivered Before the New York Medical Journal Association