The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-12
QUEER AND COSTLY DRUGS.
A Powder Worth $500 an Ounce
Snake Virus as an 0pfate.

A Powder Worth $500 an Ounce
Snake Virus as an 0piate.
A doctor from one of the Western
cities, who has wide practice as an ocu-
list and aurist. entered drug store the
other day and purchased a small bottle
of cocaine, the new anesthetic used with
such success in eye operations. He said
he had prescribed it for diseased ear.
The tiny bottle half full of whitisb
powder cost him five dollars.
''Provincial physicians in this country
are very enterar;sing," said the drug
gist, when the doctor had gone out.
''They have already begun the use of CO.
caine in all sections of the country, and
it is to many druggists profitable drug,
because they can charge IL fancy price for
it. Iquote it at over $500 an ounce"
ga well-stocked drug store must he
supplied with a great variety Of medicines
now if its proprietor fills prescriptions
for all schools" continued the druggist.
zone day we had call from homn
pathic physician for rattlesnake virus.
The doctor had been called in to
see a patient who was soon to die of
ates until they seemed to have but little
effect. We did not have the medicine,
but the next time | saw the doctor he
said that he had obtained it, and that
twenty minutes after taking 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 a bee, when applied externally by
bee, is not particularly beneficial; but |
know doctor who claims wonders for
it in cases of scarlet fever.
''The beaver furnishes remedy known
as castor, used to quiet spasms, and the
musk OK provides musk. 1t comes in the
form of coarse black powder, and the
best of it is quoted at about $40 an
ounce. We sell considerable quantities
of it to the Chinese. who are said to use
il for burns. 1t is believed that the
Chinese have knowledge Of many val
uabie remedies which would benefit,
but, although we have been able to pur-
chase some of their mysterious looking
drugs as curiosjties, they have refused to
impart the secret of their properties.
Some idea of their notions with respect
to medicine can be gained when it is
known that they regard the wild gin
seng root as sacred to the healing of
royalty, and as a spiritual body,
capable of volition and of concealins it
self to escape capture. Its guardians 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 go in search of the
root, whose presence is finally revealed
at night by halo over the spot of con-
ceaIm Mt, which is marked, the root be-
ing dug on the following dav. The cul-
tivated gingseng or jen shen, is not be
lievcd by the natives to be endowed
with the properties of the wild, but is
used freely by the subjects. 1t is be-
lieved that its chief value lies in its wen
| derful recuperating power, prolonglng
| life when a patient has begun to sink
into his last sleep, and in giving him
| time to arrange his affairs.
| 'In mentioning animal products as
drugs 1 should perhaps have spoken OF
ambergris, deposit of grayish matter,
which is found occasionally in the head
| of sperm whale. 1t sells often at $50
an ounce at retail. It is said that one
whaler found deposit of 750 pounds in
single whale.
| "In the list of expensive drugs the
products of the Calabar bean may be
mentioned. Physostigmine, which is
rated by many as the best remedy in
spasmodic affections, retails at over 5000
| an ounce. Apomorhine, while not to
be compared with the drugs that [ have
mentioned, is expensive. 1t was dis
covered by man named Wright, who
subjected morphine to treatment that
| entirely changed its chemical qualities,
so that instead of being an opiate it is
one of the most powerful emetics known
and is given only in extreme cases, like
poisoning. AS said at the outset, an
enterprising druggist has to keep an
extensive variety of medicines, the cheap
est as we'll as the most expensive.
Pumpkin seeds are frequently sold as a
remedy for tapeworm and with the male
fern as vermifuge. A doctor came il
here the other dav and called for soms
everlasting life. Singular thing for {.
doctor to prescribe, wasn't it? In medi
cine it is North American plant. job.
tears is another queer remedy. "-Nea
York Sun