The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-11

these preparations is acetate of lead, and
an ounce bottle of some eye waters pro-
cured in any drug store may be as GER
tainly fatal as the same quantity of prus-
sic acid. Almost any of the salts of zinc,
frequently used in the arts and as
ons, and for few. cents one
may purchase a quart bottle of disinfec-
tant, wine glass full of which will kill
him in an hour. Anthony, in the form
of tartar emetic, is still used to some ex-
tent in medical practice, although viru-
lent poison, comparatively small dose of
which will prove fatal, while phosphorus,
found in abundance on the heads of
matches and in much larger quantities in
various patent vermin destroyers, is both
slow and quick poison. Taken in small
quantities for a considerable period, it
causes a frightful disease of the teeth and
jaw bone, causing the former to fall out
and the latter to decay and break in
pieces taken in large doses, it brings
death speedily, though under circum-
stances of frightful agony.
VEGETABLE PoIsoNs.
Among the contents of every drug store
will be found large number of prepare
lions used in medicine in one way or an
other which are rank poisons, and even
in minute doses will prove speedily fatal.
Strychnine is famous as a wolf-killer.
In the western states, where wolves for
merly abounded, it was customary to
place a carcass literally dosed with
strychnine where these animals could
reach it, and on the following morning
wolves would be found lying on or near
their fatal repast, having eaten and fallen
down dead. Yet Strychnine is a favorite
medicine, and very noted tonic is
composed of this deadly substance in COM
bination with iron and quinine. A couple
of ounces of this tonic, swallowed at once,
if it did not prove fatal, would at least
cause symptoms so serious as to make the
would-be suicide bitterly regret his haste.
Iodine, too, constantly in use and valu-
able remedy is a poison of fI1ehtful
virulence, and a small quantity swallowed
brings on death with the utmost suffer-
ing. The number of vegetable poi
sons used in medicine is really enormous
They are often called narcotic poisons,
or narcotic acrid, though their action is
by no means always Supplying, some pro-
ducing effects as burning and irritating
as the most acute mineral poisons. One
of the most deadly plants is the digitalis,
seen in almost every garden. The entire
plant-rOOt, branch. leaf and flOwer-is
extremely poisonous; and yet, as used in
medicine, is a valuable remedy. When
the dose is excessive the result is a
marked depression of the action of the
ncdTb, lO1lOWGu ny 1dlublllR, COLQd anu
loss of life. An uncertain and dangerous
drug, digitalis is thoroughly reliable as a
poison. Belladonna, too, extracted from
the deadly nightshade, a common plant,
is as rank poison as ever was gathered
from the fields, and the active principle,
atropia, is as easily obtained as the bella
donna. While iodine and strychnine,
digitalis and atropia may be had with
little difficulty, opium is harder to obtain,
many restrictions being thrown around
its sale as well as that of morphine.
Both, however, as well as chloroform,
choral and many others, may be had
with no great difficulty, and the enormous
quantities used of each almost justify the
fear expressed some time ago by promi-
nent physician that the American people
will become nation of lunatics Nor
phine is more popular than opium, prob
ably on account of its speedier and more
certain effect. 1t is the fayorite remedy
among ladies for many ailments, and it is
more than limited that the number of
morphine users among women is on the
increase. 1t is hard to differentiate, that
is, so far as the respective moral qualities
of the two vices are concerned, between
morphine using and whisky drinking
We are ever prone to "condone the sins
we are inclined to by canning those we
have no mind to, and it is believed that
in the large cities of this country there
are strenuous advocates of temperance,