Untitled Page 173

602 Nicollet Ave.
Minneapolis Minn
Mar 16th 1905
Hon D. S. Jordan.
President Stanford University.
California.
Dear Sir:-
I have watched the case of the late Mrs Stanford as carefully
as one can thru the medium of newspapers. Up to date the mystery of her death does not seem to have been solved. If
newspaper accounts are correct her case resembles very strongly one that occurred under my obser-
vation a number of years ago, in which the cause was finally
definitely traced to Chronic Lead Poisoning from the use of Hair Dye and Cosmetics. Many elderly people use these articles innocent of their danger and many mysterious maladies, with an occasional death, are traced to this source. I think it is a fact
that many of the most successful hair dyes and some face powders contain lead.
Potter (California), a leading authority in Materia Medica says,
Chronic lead poisoning has its principal sources in the use of hair dyes etc". "It produces, slowing of the hearts action, accompanied by violent colic (enteralgia), Paralysis, neuralgia,
delirium, and death may occur from parasis of respiratory muscles, or from convulsions and coma".
Other eminent authorities agree with Dr Potter.
Without any knowledge of the habits or customs of the late Mrs
Stanford it seemed to me there could be no harm in my taking the liberty of calling your attention to these facts, it being possible that they had not been considered before.
Yours truly,
Henry F. Hoyt, M.D.