The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-11

cAAo aAOHo Dr1nSS neat pronL TO
the dealer. In New York, which
is city of nerves, 1t has proved
to be an especial favorite, says the
World of that city.
Ordinarily druggists will not sell
solution Of cocaine stronger than 10 per
cent without doctors prescription.
And there is excellent reason for this
precaution. Cocaine is a fine servant,
but very ugly master, in which respect
1t is much like opium and morphine. It
is frequently applied externally for the
relief of toothache and neuralgia, and in
this way it cannot do much damage.
But when taken internally it may work
serious consequences. The effects of
an overdose of the 10 per cent solution
of the hydrochlorate of cocaine .(the
solution usually sold in drug stores) are
as follows: The patient suffers imme-
diately from vertigo, and then epileptic
commissions; the teeth are firmly
clinched, and the face and lips become
bloodiess. There is apparently no suf-
fering, as the brain becomes numb and
the patient loses consciousness. If the
dose is sufficiently large death will en-
sue. There are numerous recorded cases
of fatal poisoning by cocaine. Among
these are the case of a woman of sew
enty-one years of age, who died five
hours after the simultaneous injection
of two-thirds of a grain and the case
of man in whom the injection of one
and one-third grains was followed by a
fatal result. One case is also on record
where death occurred in female after
three grains and a half had been adj
ministered hypodermically. 1t is stat
Cd hot S.17 IL a.,
afted swallowing twenty-five grains.
The first published case was that of
a man to whom was given by mistake
twenty grains. He died in an hour. A
fatal case also occurred in Russia from
a dose of twenty-five grains. A melan-
choly interest attached to this case, as
the surgeon who in mistake prescribed
this overdose Immediately afterwards
committed suicide. Some remarkable
recoveries have been effected after very
large doses taken into the stomach.
The most notable case of the kind was
that of a man who swallowed forty-six
grains and recovered. On the other
hand, serious symptoms of poisoning
have been occasioned by the hypoder-
mic administration of such doses as
the seventh of grain and less than half
on record of a girl to whom one-twen-
tieth of a grain was given subcuta-
neously. Alarming symptoms followed,
and grave fears were entertained for
the patients safety, but she eventually
recovered. On another occasion one
one-hundredth of grain applied to the
eye of a patient aged fourteen years
caused symptoms of poisoning. From
an examination and comparison of all
the records obtainable, DR.. o. H. Gar
land, an English physician, has come
to the conclusion that the fatal dose of
cocaine is about fifteen grains. He
states, however, that Gin the present
state of our knowledge, it is practically
impossible to say what is the smallest
dose that will produce fatal results, see
ing that dose of two-thirds of grain
has caused death, and SO minute a
dose as a hundredth of a grain has
given rise to symptoms threatening
life" Physicians agree that the pres
ent habit of self dosing is particular
ly harmful when the patient begins to
treat himself with cocaine. The notion
appears to have gone abroad that the
stuff is quite harmless, and is a curee
for all pains. It certainly possesses re-
markabIe powers in deadening nerve
sensations, and it has been invaluable
in surgery. That it is not harmless,
however, is quite evident, and the diff
Guilty is that no two patients seem to
be affected in the same way.