Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-04

liable to incur the penalty of manslaughter
by the negligent selling of poison to per-
sons who from their known recklessness
of character, or manifest drunkenness at
the time of their purchase of poison. are
This manifestly is a consideration OF the
first importance, both to the community
and to the druggists.
LAS respects the penalties PRESCRIBED Ior
failure to observe the present law. the
mere imposition of a fine is too slight to
meet the requirements of the case. A law
with proper provisions hedging ABOUT the
sale and purchase of poison and prescrlp-
ing adequate penalties for its breach, Is as
much a necessity as any other law m
tended for the general protectlon OF the
health and lives of our citizens Bllis are
now pending in Congress INTENDED properly
to cover this subject, and recent occur
rences in the community will doubtless
have good effect in bringing about the pas
sage Of a law meeting the necessities
Concerted Action Contemplated.
president R. NJ. Harper Of the commis-
sioners of pharmacy has already conferred
with me on the subject" said Mr.. Davis.
In conclusion, land 1 have suggested that
united action be seasonably had against the
next meeting of Congress by the commis-
sioners of pharmacy, the Medical Soclety'
the committee on legislation of the Bar AS.
Columbia and the United States district at
torney, looking to bringing about compre-
hensive and adequate law In the premises:
The concerted action Of the associations ana
officials named ought and Will, In my oplh-
ion achieve the desired result, and If have
anything to do with the matter shall see
TO it that every act on the subject now In
force in England and in this country, as
well as the pending bills in Congress, Will
be freely drawn upon for aid
An Old Drug Clerks Story.
An old drug clerk, who has been en-
p'oyed in Washington for number of
years, conversed with The Star reporter
freely when he was assured that his iden-
tity would be preserved.
"I have always wondered why more safe
guards are not thrown around the sale of
poisons" he remarked. Under the pres
ent law there is absolutely no way of pre-
venting persons procuring all the deadly
drugs they desire. The law simply pro-
VideS that a purchaser must give his name
and address and state the purpose for
which the poison is required. l have sold
poison several times to customers of good
appearance who gave very Straightforward
accounts Of what they wanted with it and
then found out from the newspapers that
they had made MISREPRESENTATION and
really wanted 1t to end their lives with.
1 think have five suicides of this sort on
my list. If there could be some law adopt
ed to prevent the indiscriminate sale of
poison 1 think the druggists would be re-
lieved of a very great responsibility. They
are now compelled to sell it merely on the
representation of the buyer. Why? Be-
cause if one druggist declines to make the
sale another one two squares off will do 1t.
1t may be a ghastly sort of competition,
but the facts are as 1 have stated.
Treatment of Dope Fiends.
II don't believe there is a drug store in
Washington or any other city," he con-
tinued, that has not regular trade with
dope fiends.' Dope fiends' use as a gen.
eric term to include all those addicted to
the habit of taking such poisons as NOR
phine. cocaine, choral and so forth. AS
soon as one of these people become known
to the average dispenser of drugs the lat
ter dfscontinues the custom of recording
the purchases. The dispenser comes to
know the customer and takes his trade
as a matter of course, just as a saloon
keeper comes to know a regular habitue.
The Sadie Taskers and women of her class
are not the only morphine users among
their sex in this city.
Il know a dozen women who are regular
fends, as we call them, and five times as
many men. / know they would go stark
staring crazy II they didn't get their regu-
lar supplies. The worst iends of all are
the cocaine fiends. After they get the habit
they cannot do without the drug was
doing a night shift at an all-night drug
store here once, and there were five of
and o'clock In the morning. Did I sell
them the drug? Yes. Just the same as I'd
sell a hungry man food If was running a
restaurant. OF course it may seem mere
tricious in me to say this, but the man out
side the drug business cannot understand
1t.
some Remarkable Cases.
81 felt cocaine fend's pulse one night,
and 1t was 1OS. Ten minutes after he got
his dose 1t was 81.
Morphine takers are nearly as bad. I
know ere who gets away with seventeen
grains day. Is that much? Well, If you
or took half Of It they'd call the coroner.
There was q man here once who took n.y.
perdermically, over forty grains Of sulphate
Of morphia regularly day. He would take
In a tablespoon, fill the latter with water
and hold It over the gas Jet until the NOR
phia was dissolved. Then he'd pour the
liquid into the syringe and shoot 1t into
himself. He wss paralyzed from his waist
down by reason of falling on an avenue
street car one night down near the navy
yard. He sued the company: the latter
compromised. and then the man took ID
crutches and opened q bucket shop in New
York Sometimes he used to take sixty
grains a day. He was favorite here in
society twenty years ago. and could play
the plano like Paderewski. He broke on
the needle Of his syringe In his arm one
day, and I saw him sitting up in bed cut
ting out the point with a penknife. Lots
Of people here know that what ! say shout
this man IL true. ] went to see him be-
cause wanted to look at q man who could