The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-01
IheCalifornia Strychuinc Eater.

The Builtin recently copied from the Cali
roy .iiCoraie an account o! 4 man in that
neighborhood who WAS in the habit of sober
inc himself OF after drinking bout By tax
inc enormous quantities Of the deadly drag,
strychnine. Eastern exchanges, copying the
article, discredited the StOr', whercupon the
.idrocGte of the 9th instant furnishes the tol-
lowing additional facts:
The individual who performs the wonder
full feat Of eating with impuDity such large
portions of this deadly drug, is ar occasion
al visitor to this city, and is well known by a
number OF our citizens, 10 whom his pecul-
iarlty has been known for years lie is an
eccentric genius and does not make his Strych-
nine eating public matter, but rather seeks
to hide it, BY chance the subject has got in
to print, and it being so extraordinary an oc.
currencc, we took ii upon ourselves TO inyes-
tgate it, and now know positively whereof
we speak. Morphine, arsenic and other pois
onous drugs, il is well known, are taken in
large and small doses for various purposes
butthat strvchnine should also become . pal
atabc article, and, in such large doses may
well excite the creGulity ofail and it is only
IN the interest of science that We no" write,
hoping that the subject viii be investigated
by the medical fraternity. THIS person, who
is known by the sobrQuct Of Jack, is "A man
of incorporate habits, and has bis periodical
Sprces which last from one 10 three weeks,
during which time he keeps completely sat
urated with whisky II occasion requires
that he should be sober at certain time, or
if percharce he feels the s!uIy folds of
snakes coiling in his boots, he immediate
" proCufcs bottle Of strychnine, and eats
from ten to twenty grains. II the desired ei
feet is not produced. say within m hour, the
dose is repeated. Unless hi: spree has been
protraCtcd, one dose usually Strengthens him
up, and no matter how drunk he IS when he
takes it, within three hours every trace of his
debauch has left him, and the closest observer
could not discover the slightest indication Of
recent dissipation Instead of hectic flush
or dull, heavy look, his eyes are clear and
bright and his skin presents It's natural ap-
pcarance. This singular being came to this
city last Saturday and remained until Mon
day, during which time he went through his
little performance, bringing the subject fresh
~ to our mind hence this article. He had
intended TO depart on Sunday, but, having
imbbed rather freely, missed the tram. On
Monday morning he was very drunk, and,
visiting DR.. Morcy's drug store, called for ~
bottle Of strychnine, remarking that he must
leave on the noon train. He Immediately
emitted portion Of the contents OF the bot
tie III his mouth and went Of. when tue
time for departure came he was az sober as a
Judge. The only information that can be de-
rived from him a. to this habit is that he has
followed il since 1886, but ~ to how ne ac-
ouired ii cannot be learned DR. n. c. Morey
has known llm since 1861. and has frequent
ly known him to cal a bottle Of strychninc
within twenty four hours. When We consid
er that from an eighth to quarter of a grain
ofthis poison is usually sufficient to make a
corpse of The most robust person, we do no,
wonder that the statement that twenty grams
can be taken AT a time with no de)eteCous Ell
feet should he lncredulously received. How
ever facts herein stated can be su6stantiated
bv incontrovertible evidence and no matter
now absurd or singular they may appear,
must be accepted as fncts Query-i: stryeh.
nine al an,idotc for the POISONOUS effects OF
alcbohol. and vice versa e--.SaD Fr0H.3's"o Gr'-
fgI