Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-15
QUEER AND COSTLY DRUGS.
A White Powder Worth $500 an Ounce
-RattIesnake Virus as an Opiate.

Il w mite PoW0er w OFth $500 An ounce
-Rattlesnake Virus as an Opiste.
4 doctor from one OF the Western cities,
who has a wide practice as an oculist and
aurist, says the New York Sun, entered a
drug store the other day and purchased a
small bottle of cocaine, the new an
aesthetic used with such success in eye
operations. He said he had prescribed it
for diseased ear. The tiny bottle half
full of whltish powder cost him s..
provincial physicians in this country
are very enterprising," said the drug
gist when the doctor had gone out. "They
have already begun the use OF cocaine in
all sections of the country, and it is to
many druggists profitable drug, be-
cause they can charge a fancy price for
it. quote it at over $500 an ounce.
"A well-stOcked drug store must be
supplied with a great variety OF medicines
now if its proprietor fills prescriptions
for all schools" continued the druggist.
''Une day we had call from hOmPu-
pathic physician for rattlesnake virus. Tie
doctor had been called in to see a patient
who was soon to die of cancer, and VINO
had taken ordinary oplates until they
seemed to have but little effect. We did
not have the medicine, but the next time
l saw the doctor he said that he had OBJ
u
taking a very low dilutiOn Of the virus
the sufferer sank into a sweet sleep. The
Olden days, when all sorts of insects and
animals were used IN medicine, were
fruitful of some beneficial discoveries.
The poison Of bee, when applied eX-
ternally by a bee, is not particularly
beneficial; but 1 know a doctor who
claims wonders for it in cases Of scarlet
fever.
1.-The beaver furnishes a remedy known
as castor, used to quiet spasms, ami the
musk OK provides musk. 1t comes IN the
| form Of a coarse black powder, and the
| best of it is quoted at about $40 an
ounce. We sell considerable quantities
| of il TO the Chinese, who are said 10 use 1t
/ for burns. 1t is believed that the Chinese
( have knowledge Of many valuable re-
I NEEDLES which would benefit science, but,
! although we have been able to purchase
1 some Of their Notwithstanding drugs
! as curiosities, they have refused 10 impart
! the secrets CT their properties. some Iuea
/ of their notions with respect to medicine
! can be gained when it is known that they
regard the wild ginseng root as sacred 10
/ the healing of royalty, and as spiritual
| body, capable Of vOlltion and OF conceal
! ing itself to escape capture. Its guar
! dams are the tiger, wolf, leopard and
snake. When a member OF the royal
! family falls sick, as did the Empress some
/ time ago. party Of heroic men 90 in
! search of the root, whose presence IS
/ finally revealed at night by q halo over
/ the spot of concealment, Whichls marked,
the root being dug on the following DAY
! The cultivated ginseng, or Jen snen, Is
| not believed by the natives TO be endowed
| with the properties of the wild; but Is
| used freely by the subjects. 1t Is believed
that its chief value lies in its wonderful
recuperatlng power, prolonging life when
a patient has begun to sink into MS last
sleep. and In giving him time to arrange
his affairs.
SIN mentioning animal products as
drugs / should perhaps have spoken OF
ambergris, a deposit of graylsh matter
which is found occasionally in the head
of a sperm whale. 1t sells often for $500
an ounce at retail. 1t is said that one
whaler found deposit OF 100 pounds IN
single whale.
"AmOng the expensive drugs is ergotin
which retails at the rate of about $40 ar
ounce. Its a fungous growth found or
rye in Normandy. A similar growth or
rye in America contains very little ergOt
in, less, indeed, than the smut on Indian
corn. AS theIe are several groWthS
| which yield ergOtin in a greater or less
degree, so there are several South
American plants that produce jabOrandi
the drug now used sometimes to produce
|
''In the list of expensive drugs the
products of the Calabar bean may be
mentioned. Physostigmine, which il
rated by many as the best remedy ii
spasmodic affections, retails at over $20(
an ounce. ApOmOrphine, while not to be
compared with the drugs that l have
mentioned, is expensive. 1t was dis
covered by man named Wright, who
subjected morphine to a treatment tha
{ entirely changed its chemical qualities
50 that instead of being an Opiate it /:
one of the most powerful emetics known
and Is given only in extreme cases, like
poisoning. AS l said at the outset, az
enterprising druggist has TO keep an ex
tensive variety of medicines, the cheapes
as well as the most expensive. Pump
kin seeds are frequently sold as a remedy
for tapeworm and with the male fern as
vermifuge. A doctor came in here thu
other day and called for some life ever
lasting. Singular thing tor doctor t.
prescribe, wasn't it? In medicine it Is
North American plant. Jobs tears is an
other queer remedy"