The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1885-10-24
POISON TALK.


A Pharmacists Chatter About Death
Dealing Drugs and Antidotes.
"The careful druggist never putt
poisonous drugs in shelf bottles. H,
keeps them in the original packages il
the poison drawer of his prescription
case, under lock and key. But whert
a druggist makes one error his Gus
toners make ten, and yet almost in
variably you will find that mistaken
doses of roisons are charged TO fault
on the part of the druggist. Let me
show you what l mean. What would
you call this?"
He produced a paper containing a
white powder.
'Baking-powder?"
mo; guess again.
Cream of Tartar?"
Not anv. 1t is arsenic. | may sell a
quantity of arsenic on a doctors pre-
scription, properly label it and caution
the buyer to be careful in its use, and
yet suffer in my good name through
having sold it. How? In this way.
The arsenic may be taken out OF
the original package, or the label may
be lost, and the drug placed
in cupboard whence it may
be carelessly taken and used by mis-
take for baking-powder. The result is
case of accidental poisoning. The
first question asked in such cases IS:
Where was the poison purchaSed?'
Without knowing the circumstances Of
the case at all. thoughtless people at
once Jump to the conclusion that the
mistake was the druggists. Many a
pharmacists reputation has been
blighted in this way, and the evil is sc
great that our State Association has
advised that our druggists color all
misunderstanding to formula which
does not interfere with It's properties
before selling it, so that it may by nc
possibility be taken for ANYTHING else.
''Oxalic acid has been taken in
number of cases for epson salts, which
it somewhat resembles, the crystals of
the acid being much coarser than those
of the salts. however. When it has
been taken by mistake the symptoms
are uImistakable They are exquisite
pain. violent efforts to yomit, dizziness,
languor, debility, and finally death
without struggle in very short time
after taking the poison.
There is but little hope with this
poison; but if an antidote be taken al
once it may be. effect We. Chalk or
magnesia mixed with water. and ad.
ministered in large doses, is the best
that can be used; but if not to be had
at once whitewash, swallowed in guam.
titles, may serve the purpose of coun
teractant.
In cases where morphine has beel
taken through mistake for quinine
the symptoms VIII be that of Iaudan IN
poisoning. in which drowsiness is the
prominent feature. An emetic should
be at once administered, such as mus
tard-four, followed by copious
draughtS of warm water, after which /!
all the attention is to be given to keep
ing the patient awake and in constant
motion. Coffee in large and strong
doses will often promote wakefulness !
when other efforts fail.
Corrosive sublimate has been mis-. |
taken for washing soda. and left about |
within the reach of children; but ar
senic captures more victims than al |
the others.
when you have poisoned yourself |
with arsenic fetid state of the mouth |
will be first noticed. followed by con- |
tinual hawking construction of the !
pharynX and es0phagus or throat,
h:ccough, nausea, inflammation of the |
lips. tongue and throat, vomiting, thirst
and alterations of heat and lev cold.
ness.
The first thing to be done, in case
GO emetic be. handy, is to thrust
feather, or even finger, down Your
throat sufficiently to bring about the
desired result. Swallow milk. VIII tie
of eggs and water. or flour and water.
Follow this with ferric hydrate which
Is the best antidote known. in quaint
ties at least twelve times as
great as the amount of ar
senic taken. The ant 'dote is in
nocent, however, and may be swallowed
n almost any quantity. 1t shopld be
given in doses of a tablespoonful at d
Time for adults, and teaspoonlul for
children, every five or ten minutes. -
Cincinnati Enquirer.