The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-08-09
TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS.
Some Sensible Advice About the Use of Al
Kinds of Medicines.

Some Sensible Advice About the Use of All
Kinds of Medicines.
In his recent addresses before the
graduating class of the National Col
lege of Pharmacy DIR. E. M. Schaeffer
gave the following advice about the use
of medicines:
Medicines, like guns, are very good
when they go off at the right time and
hit the proper mark, but very bad
when they are misdirected.
The danger apt to arise from edged
tools in the hands of children is
proverbial, but if child is seen play
ing with a razor to snatch the instru-
ment from its hands is the natural I'M
pulse of whoever sees it with the dam
gerous plaything.
So let me, in imitation of Mr.. Punch's
lecture ''to those contemplating matri-
mony," give you few domestic ''don'ts"
that may may be of effect to prevent
harm some day.
Don't get up in the night and take
yourself or give another dose of medi-
cine without first turning up the light
to see the bottle or powder plainly.
Don't pour out the contents of bot
tie of medicine and refill with another
fluid without at once erasing the old
label and writing new one.
Don't give new medicine without
first smelling and tasting. A good
plan is for the attendant to take full
dose before giving very young child
dose of the new medicine ii. e.,
the first out of bottle of new pre-
scription or an old one renewed). A
mistake which would only make an
adult sick might prove fatal to an in
FAINT.
Don't repeat a dose oftener than
written directions indicate, and, if
verbal. write them down for reference.
Don't mind a little delay in order to
consult the druggist or doctor if the
slightest uncertainty exists as to the
dose or mode of administration. Every
doctor and druggist can relate ANUS
ing instances within his personal ex-
perience of mistakes about taking
medicines-often harmless, but too
frequently serious in their conse-
quence.s
A safe rule, which I have long prac-
ticed. is to read the label every time you
take dose of medicine or give to any
one else, even if you have just set the
bottle down. This may seem trivial
and even childish precaution, but a
habit of this kind once formed is an alb
solute protection against danger. There
are persons now living who would give
worlds if they had always acted on this
rule, but, not doing SO, there came one
little moment, and it was forever too
| late.
The sportsman who cultivates from
the start that habit of never pointing a
gun toward himself or any one else he
| does not desire to shoot, even if he has
| just discharged the piece or has sounded
| it with a ramrod and known it to be
unloaded, is a safe man to 60 hunting
with. All others are apt to prove like
the Pickwiclziap who let off his gun in
such a manner that the entire charge
passed over the small boys head in the
exact spot where the tall gamekeeper's
brains would have been had that func-
tionary occupied that position he was
in but a moment before!
In like manner few simple precau-
tions such as have been referred to
would, if acted upon, greatly diminish
if not entirely do away with so-called
''accidents'' caused by mistakes in the
use of drugs. Doctors and druggists,
being human, are of course fallible, and
may make mistakes themselves, but
all the mistakes of all the doctors and
druggists in the country in period OF
ten years combined would not do the
damage, l believe, that is caused by
the domestic mistakes of single
month. Chicago Times.