The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-11
PRODUCING DRUGS
Which May be Easily Obtained in Any
Store by Anybody.

Various Poisons Which are in Con-
slant Use as -Strychnine,
Arsenic and Aconite as Tonnes.
Some Startling Statistics of Suicide
From Poison.
From the St. Louis Globe Democrat.
The death of two prominent citizens
within a few months by the same kind of
swift poison suggests the ease with which
the most virulent substances may be pro-
cured for either suicidal or murderous
purposes, and also that additional safe
guards should be thrown around the sale
of drugs which are known to be of viru-
lently poisonous character, so that would
be suicides or criminals may not so readily
obtain the means of carrying out their
deadly purpose. AT present so loose is
the system of dispensing these noxious
elements that it is possible for any per-
son to procure almost any poison he
wants, in any quantity, nor need he do
more than resort to a little evasion in
answering the questions that, as for
mality, are asked by the person who sells
the deadly drugs.
WHAT IS A POISON?
According to the definition given by the
standard works on the subject, a poison is
ANY substance which, when introduced
in small quantities into the animal sys-
TEN, seriously disturbs or destroys the
vital functions" The quantity is feat
ure of vital Importance in the definition,
for so numerous are the harmful sub
stances which are included in the daily
prescription list of the druggist that the
difference between medicine and poi
son is frequently only matter of dose.
The researches of the chemists have also
discovered that several of the most active
posons, when used in doses almost incOn-
ceivably small, become valuable medi-
cines, and some of these, such as strych-
nine and aconite, have become recognized
remedies. On the other hand many
remedies, commonly beneficial, may be-
come powerfully poisonous when used in
large doses, and even the most nutritious
foods, when taken in excessive quantity,
may cause symptoms that closely resem-
bic those induced by active poisons.
The pathway of the druggist is there
fore beset with difficulties, which are not
diminished in number or in gravity by the
fact that no restriction whateveris placed
On the sale of many compounds, like we'll
known preparations for destroying YER
min, known to owe their efficacy to ar
senic or other poisons. AS a rule, refined
or educated people are the most likely to
resort to the use of poison when resolved
On suicide, and such persons can, with no
great difficulty, evade the Questioning of
the druggist or invent plausible reasons
for desiring to obtain the coveted drug.
People who are resolved to leave the
world can very easily do so without the
aid of the drug store if they choose, and,
above all, the number of suicides is so
small compared with the total number of
persons who purchase drugs with which
life might be taken that even the most
careful pharmacist may sometimes be ex-
cused for viewing with lenient eye the
excuses rendered, particularly as he
knows perfectly well that if he declines
to sell the person DESTROYS of buying will
be able to procure what he wants in
drug store, perhaps in the immediate vi
entity, where no troublesome questions
Will be asked.
PoIsONs HABITUALLT USED
One of the most unfavorable features
Of the subject is the habitual use Of
poisonous drugs by hundreds Of persons