The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-04-04
DRUG CLERKS MISTAKES.
a Physician Explains How Easily They
May BE Made.

The mixing up of prescriptions,
through which a number of serious
results have recently ensued, has called
renewed attention aud interest to tho
subject of drug clerks mistakes, says
a writer in the New York World. Peo-
pie in general do not stop to reflect
how easily such mistakes may occur,
nor how little short or marvellous it is
that they do not happen more fire.
quently. A prominent physician was
recently talking upon this subject and
said he:
'.It is the most natural thing in the
world for errors to occur in handling
drugs and medicines. There are many
medicines and drugs which to all out
ward appearances are identical, though
differing widely in character. Unless
the utmost care is taken to keep them
properly labeled and separated fatal
mistakes would constantly occur. In-
deed, the great wonder is that they are
so comparatively infreQuent.
Another source of danger is the
similarity ia names of different drugs.
Take, for instance, wine of opium and
wine of ipecac. Vino of opium is u
deadly poison, unless taken with the
greatest care, while wine of ipecac is
comparatively innOcuous. Suppose Il
physician is writing prescription for
wine of ipecac. Somebody interrupts
him by asking question or otherwise.
He writes wine of opium instead. Dis
aster will follow.
Then the use of the gramme and
grain is confusing. There are fifteen
grains in a gramme. Suppose ply
sician intends to write grain of opium
IN prescription. He writes hurrie,lly
and the symbol for grain looks like
that for gramme, for they are much
alike. The patient, as q result takes
fifteen times the intended amount.
Then there are hydrocyanic acid
and hydrochlOric acid. The former is
a poison, one or two drops being IL
dose. The usual dose of hydrochloric
acid is from fifteen to twenty drops.
Both of these acids are used daily.
The hydrocyanic might, in the haste
of the moment, be readily written in-
stead of the hydroehloric.
There are almost uumberless other
medicines that might be as easily con-
founded. choose these illustrations,
since they are in constant use. These
are the simplest pitfalls that may en-
trap the unweary.
"As precaution prescription is
very often returned by the drug clerk
for veritication to the physician who
wrote it. if it appears unusual in any
respect.
"'rhe other day lady whom ! know
swallowed Il lot of corrosive sublimate.
Sho had not looked ut the label on :he
bottle. She was rescued with the
greatest difficulty.
.'The greatest care should be used
not to take anything from bottles not
properly labeled. Medicines should
never DO taken in the dark. It would
be a wise arbitrary law for Congress
to pass that all bottles containing
poisons should be made by some dis
tinctive shape, so as to be readily dis
tinguishable in the dark.
.sBitter almonds aud sweet almonds
might readily be eonfounded, and the
bitter almond is poisonous, while the
sweet is harmless. Sweet almonds are
commonly administered to infants.
Should the bitter be given by mistake
there would be a dead baby in less than
no time.
Drug clerks are enjoined from SELL
ing poison, except on physicians pre-
scriptions, but q person intent on sui
eide can easily get around that rogu-
lation. Several druggists are visited,
and as much poison bought from each
as they can be induced to sell; for of
course they will sell small quantities
of drugs. like laudanum. which can be
taken with impunity in small doses.
The combined amount is then swal-
lowed aud the desired end attained.
'.Yes, 1t is easy for people intent on
poisoning themselves to accomplish
their object.
LAS in the case of the drug clerk,
but to greater extent, the physician
carries his reputation in his hand.
No matter how brilliant record he
may have achieved during long term
of years. should he make an error such
as have tried to illustrate, his repu-
tation and practice would straightway
vanish. Despite this sword of Damo,
cles, which is constantly suspended
over our heads, the exercise of our ex-
acting profession possesses strange
fascination for those properly consti-
tuted for its practice. II this fasciua-
ton and absorbing interest are lack
ing the physician will not be sue
cess"