Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-15
The Danger of HypOdermic Injec-
tom

GRAVE WARNING TO AMERICAN WOMEN
Our Dublin correspondent writes under date
october %: IAN inquest was held yesterday on
the remains of Miss Frances Chapman a COVER
ness, who died on Tuesday from tetanus caused
by Subcutaneous injection of morphia by her
own hand. The case was a remarkable one and
shows the danger OF allowing poisonous drug to
be sold and used by private persons. DR.. Abra-
ham Mellon, who was called in to see her on
Thursday last, depOSed that he found her suffer
Ing from one of the spasms of lockjaw. She told
him she had been in the habit for years when
attacked by neuralgia, to which she was subject
OF injecting morphia under the skin with a
needle, and that she had used twelve grains OF
morph1a in an Injection that morning. and she
showed him four papers. The ordinary dose was
from one-efghth to quarter OF grain. Twelve
grains was an enormous dose and proved that
she had been long in the habit of usingit. There
was no case on record OF similar quantity hay
ing been used by any other person. Two or
three years ago a case Of death from wound
caused by subcutaneOus Injection occurred in
London, but then the dose was only two or three
grains. He was of opinion that the tetanus in
this case must have been caused by in
jury to some nerve by the needle. The Use OF
these hypodermtc needles by private per-
sons was highly. dangerous. He knew Of two
cases OF iockjaw brought on by their use He
had made pOst-mOrtem examination, and
found all the bodily organs in perfectly healthy
condition. The entire front of her person, how
ever, was covered with innumerable punctured
had been attoOed-FrOm Monday until Friday
she had no power of swallowing but on Satur-
day she recovered the power. In answer to the
coroner, who said that several medical men
thought she might have obtained strychnine in
place OF morphia, DR., Meldon said he was salts
fed that she did not use strychnine The spasms
OF tetanuS were the same as those of Sfrych-
nine, but In the case of Strychnine, after the
spasms pass away the person becomes quite
wen, whereas, after the tetanus Spasm the mus
cles remain contracted. He thought it was a
custom attended with great danger that per-
son could go to an apothecary's shop and get ten
OF twelve quantities OF prescription OF the
kind: When prescription was once given any
afterWard. 1t was evident that the deceased
knew the enectS OF mOrphia, and did not take
1t for poisonous purpose. He did not think
she could have been poisoned with it-she had
by the wound she inflicted on herself, and was
purely the result of misadventure SIo would
have died more speedily than she did from the
puncture OF the needle If the morphia had not
been on 1t. The jury found q verdict In accord
ance with this opin1on.-[ London Times.
papers lndorses the following receipt for pre-
serving cider sweet: professional cider makers
now use calcium sulphite (sutphite of lime) In
stead OF mustard and sulphur vapor. It is much
more convenient and effectuaL To use it is
simply requisite to add one-eighth Of one
gallon of cider in the cask, first mixing
the powder in about quart OF cider and
giving the latter thorough shaking. After
staining buaged several days to allow the sui
on. The sulphite Of lime (Which should not be
mistaken for the sulphate OF lime) Is a CONNER
cial article, costing about forty cents pound by
me barrel It win preserve the sweetness Of the
add too much OF it, it win impart slight sui
phurous taste TO the cider. The bottles and
corks used should be perfectly clean, and the
corks wired down.