Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-12-03

4 ROundpra
Spread Silly Stories.
No one can be an inmate of Bellevue
hospital for any length of time without
hearing of the famous "black bottle. "
The superstition connected with it is
very grewsome, yet it is believed in i'm.
plicitly by many of the patients. Brief.
ly told, it is as follows:
The opinion is prevalent among the
poor that Bellevue hospital is a school
of experiment for the instruction of
young surgeons and physicians, and
that only cases Of peculiar novelty and
interest are wanted there. If patient
happens to be good subject for the
operating table or clinical lecture, he
or she is welcome to all that institution
affords; otherwise the sooner the poor
creature makes room for a more inter
esting patient the better. Nor are the
physicians and nurses supposed to enter
tain any scruples of conscience as to the
means they employ in effecting such
removals. In cases of lingering sickness
where there is no hope of an ultimate
recovery they are supposed to hasten
the end by administering fatal dose
out of the mysterious black bottle. After
taking it the patient falls asleep never
to awaken.
This superstition originated from the
fact that morphine and other drugs Of
poisonous character used in the hospital
are always kept i'll bottles of particu-
larly suspicious appearance. They are
made of dark blue glass, with CORFU
gated surface, and are distinguished by
flaming red labels, on which is printed
the emblem of skull and crossbones,
hanked by the word "Poison. Now, it
frequently happens that morphine is
administered to those who are dying Of
painful diseases in order to mitigate
the severity of their sufferings, but the
ignorant patients around do not under
stand this. They see the nurse take the
dreaded black bottle from the medicine
chest measure out a portion Of its con-
tents in glass and give it to their
. comrade to drink. Then they shake
their heads ominously and whisper TO
one another i'll frightened tones.
"They are giving him the black bot
tie. Poor fellow, they are tired of himl
He's been occupying wanted room, but
= he'll be on his way to the morgue soon
enough now"
When the sick man dies, the other
natients do not attribute his death to
natural causes, but to the mysterious
poison contained in the black bottle. Nc
amount of reasoning could convince
/ them otherwise. Once nurse tried tc
argue an old patient out Of the supersti
tion. but he maintained his belief III Il
as obstinately as ever and answered:
Don't tell me. I'll believe my owl
eyes sooner than what other folks say
II there isn't death in the black bottle
: why is it marked with skull and cross
homes? And why is Poison printed OF
it2 Tell me that.
IL is needless to say that the bottle
containing poisonous drugs are so Ia
beled to insure the safety OF the pa
) tients. The corrugated surface Is
further precautionary measure, for NJ
one could be mistaken, even III TN
dark as TO what such vial contained
The sense of touch would warn IN
nurse where that Of sight might fail
In Bellevue hospital the greatest car
is exercised over poisonous drugs. Ihe'
are kept under lock and key in stronI
4 closet specially prepared for them u
the pharmacy, and the door Is furnish
ed with an automatic arrangement Una
rings am electric bell whenever u
opened. ..AA
- The black bottle superstition Is by u
4e means the only one associated WIN ho'
as nitals. There are certain beds IN almo'
q. every hospital that are eonslaefea ~
~ lucky. The old hospital FOUNDERS hho
them and are probably responsible y
J, Keeping alive the superstition eo'l'eii %
inq them. A hospital rounder Is a pe
he son who makes capital out o. q enron
sq ailment He makes the rounds Of u
o., hospitals IN precisely the saip9 ",
'ss that the habitual yagranl makes v
,ounds Of the police stauop lolBll
houses flo is pretty wei Pos'oq oA y
affairs Of tho insttuuons tAal nave W
bored him and takes particular palAs
i imnart bis information % lhe ON"
III Hspts no treasures ip bic mong
Iu sysrv arewsome detail that comes ~
nauee and that may seFye 10 fnp'llI
bis stories. lfapow patient Ahp 'Ns
bs brought 10 Che ward ol NNl'N ~
ao inmate aud laid on ihe COZ lN'i
supposed 10 he auluosy ho lAh.'
II gantaQe of the hfst opportunity ~ sl
w to bis side ane whisper 'p0l i''p'
mogs ysr outer that beq ~ soon 40
Dao Ysfs ooultip DEATH N llp l4'
gige haye diad ip % the paa' lo'lA, IN ..
mai, guaA an announcement ,a''ii'" '.''
inspife ~ peBeomm SAD Ni'Al
nNslially N he b boa edaeslpl el1'p
.sIGeid M supalsuuonf. pa u lN. y
s'' hall Ls n compelled 90 of'pW
D anlpely oot d pey a. lle ng'' \ ~
"rsDodinps 1he pplnoky N.l y
a ..,s ihsi M which lhe si'al',' ''s ,,'.
y M dsaiAs lsYe peeuilf4' aye 'N
gsuoially upp ln raaN H''N '3'
~ slMm saal d aisapal0o N'"
III HtH
Vn Aa Asflasis \. gswff inlN
... llaI iNNIN II