The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-11-20
POTENT P0IS0NS.
Remarkable Properties Exhibited
In Certain Cases.
"a NoNlous Weed OF India Which
Causes Permanent Imbeclhty.

OF a quiet chat with writer for
"Pearson's Weekly" "Porhaps not
moro than a third Of them arc really
well known, however Still, they are
known to exist, aud every year We
add two or three newly discovered
poisons to tho existing list.
"Tho effects Of some poisons are
very remarkable indeed. Poisons do
not necessarily kill. All noxious drugs
are chased as poisons, and, contrary
to the general superstition that all
poisous have fatal properties, some
merely causo the destruction or roduc-
ton OF certain faculties common 10
the human being. For instance, there
is a poison which has been known to
the natives Of India for probably
hundreds Of years, hut which is very
little known to US it is called dhatoora.
II given in proper quantities it de-
stroys the power Of the mind, and causes
permanent imbecility. It is power
ful drug, and owing to its not being
altogether unpleasant Of taste, was ex-
tensively used in India for private re-
venge in the days when that vast con-
tineut looked after itself. Many a
potent person has been made incapa-
BILE Of fulfilling his Office by this drug,
administered at the instIgation OF some
rival who desired to take his position.
Ali There's many a blood-curdling
romance and many a terrible tragedy
wound round tue history Of Indian
poisous.
"Nitro-benzine Is another poison
which contains remarkable properties.
1t is much better known than the poi
sou have Just mentioned, bnt Few
people are aware of the extraordinary
effects it causes. Mind you, this IS a
poison in the sense in which the term
is generally nccepted-it is n deadly
poison. Aperson having taken sniff
ciently large dose Of nitro-benzne ex-
periences no immediate discomfort,
but his skin gradually assumes n hid
eous blueish, or, rather, purple-white
color, which is simply horrible to see.
AS l sny, he feels no discomfort; he
may continue to 10 whatever be was
occupied in doing before he took the
drug without the loast difficulty. But
suddenly, as if he were struck by a
flash OF lightning, he will feel the
spasm OF death and-cease to exist.
"a very peculiar case attracted my
attention short time ago. 1t was
that OF a street hawker who was suffer
ing from form Of paralysis Of the
brain, which I was convinced was
cause by poisoning Ny investiga-
tions proved my hypothesis to be a
sound one. The man, who occupied a
small, ill-vonti.ated room in Drury
lane, had, the day before his attack,
purchased large stock of Iudia rub
Der goods, which lie intended to retail
on the streets. These goods, rs is fire.
queutly the case, had, during the
night, given off n large quantity o.
bi-sulphate of carbon, which brough
about tho mans paralysis of the brain
He subsequently recovered, however
but the case is probably unparalleled
"a very large percentage Of known
poisons affect the brain in some way
or another. Experimenting with mer
curious compounds has frequently
caused temporary and occasionall,
permanent insanity. The most care
tul measures are necessary to insur
safety when dealing with mercury,
"S6me poisons cause symptom
which are not iufrequently mistaken
for symptoms of certain diseases. Fo
instance, atropine, very poisonou
substance, extracted from that fairy
= like hedge-we the deadly nigh
shade, taken under certain circum
stances, causes symptoms in man
ways resembling scarlet fever, Will
the early symptoms OF cholera ar
/. very strangely like those Of arsenics
poisoning