How Green Was My Valance?: Environmental Arsenic Poisoning and the Victorian Domestic Ideal

How Green Was My Valance?: Environmental Arsenic Poisoning and the Victorian Domestic Ideal

The Victorian ideal of domestic bliss obscures the reality that the home was a potential health threat in the 19th century. This was manifested in the arsenic poisoning scare in the latter half of the century, as seen in numerous newspaper articles, publications and formal investigations into the ma...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The English historical review 1994-09, Vol.109 (433), p.891-913
Main Author: Bartrip, P. W. J.
Format: Article
Language:eng
Subjects:
Arsenic
Arsenic compounds
Arsenic poisoning
Arts organizations
Consumer goods
Health aspects
History
Panic
Poisoning
Poisons
Public health
Public health law
Victorians
Wallpaper
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Summary:The Victorian ideal of domestic bliss obscures the reality that the home was a potential health threat in the 19th century. This was manifested in the arsenic poisoning scare in the latter half of the century, as seen in numerous newspaper articles, publications and formal investigations into the matter. An analysis of this event touches upon legal, moral, media, economic, scientific and social issues centering on domestic consumption. The results suggest that consumer choice could promote changes in commerce without state intervention.
ISSN:0013-8266
1477-4534