Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-19
STRYCHNINE FIENDs.
They become Able to Take n Guam
tity Sufficient TO Exiu Ten Persons.
QPearson's Weekly.


a new kind Of patient can shortly be
looked for at the gold-cure establish
ment-the victim of the strychninc habit
We have had the cocaine tiend, the NOR
phine fend, the slave of 10 hasheesh
drug and the Wretchel mOrtals whom
only a regular diet of opium could keep
alive.
The strangest victim 10 drugs of an
excessively stimulating nature. however.
is the strychnine fend. Strychnine is
known TO medical science as a deadly
poison, but when under medical direction
it acts as a powerful tonic, greatly stimu-
latlng the hearts action. SO powerful is
II in It's operation that only the most in
finitesimal proportion is allowed In q
tonic prescription. Yet II has been seized
upon by the physical wrecks of civiliza-
tion as a means OF stimulating the flick
ering spark OF life, and a strychnine
Jag can be added 10 the hilarious mo-
ments that nerVe-smashlng drugs afford.
The discovery OF the strychnine hend
was made BY a religious worker In a
large city. whose mission takes him
nightly into the society OF women 10
whom excitement OF some kind IL essen
tial TO the fOrgetfulness of lies dark
side. This missionary recently found
early one morning the form OF we'll
dressed woman PROSTATE on the pave
ment She was taken TO one Of the in
stituti0ns I'm connection with which the
missionary worked, and a doctor sent for.
kind or other. The usual remedies were
applied; but the deathlike pallOr OF the
patients face and the queer action Of the
heart alarmed the doctor, and he ordered
her clothing TO be searched 10 obtain a
clue 10 guide him In his efforts TO bring
her to consciousness.
In the woman's pocket was found a
small bottle containing a few pellets,
which. upon Investigation, proved to con-
tain enough strychnine 10 Kill an elephant.
The woman was suffering from an over
dose OF strychnine, and the drug had done
done its work we'll IL was with the great
est difficulty that her life was saved, and
for days following this she cried pitisuily
for the deadly tonic that was withheld
from her. From her own statement, and
the doctor and those present believed It.
she had begun by taking very small rOr-
ton Of strychnine, and, as the craving fof
the drug increased had added TO her daily
dose, until she found she could take with
impunity q quantity sufficient 10 Kill ten
people who were unused 70 poison.
4 reporter who visited the chemists
shops in the district gathered some addi'
tiOnal particulars regarding the new
dope" one chemist stated that the poi
son-book, I'm which entries are made OF
all deadly drugs sold. showed a steady In
crease IN the amount OF Strychnine con
sumed 1T is quite evident that the now
druggist, and the recklessness or tbs
'fends' Is sure 10 result In some fatality
unless druggists decline 10 sell strychnin'
altogether. Those addicted 10 its use buy
Il IN pellets. and the dose they take j.
regulated BY themselycs The seasOne.
hands are able 10 take an enormous quan
tity without doing any more than quick
ening the beating OF their dying hearts
and stimulating their faded nerves, bu
those 10 whom the drug is a new thins
are likely 10 kill themselves with a com
paratively small quantity.
Il have on my books the names o
women who are shining ornaments OF so
ciety who sent 10 me for strychnine pellets
with the stereotyped assertion that thel
are wanted to Kill dying cat The womei
who send for the poison are without doub
victims Of the strychnlne habit. Then
shall show you the names OF men who arr
regular customers for strychnne. In thei
case the poison Is taken TO counteract tn
evil effects OF tobacco-smoking. a person
can derive some benefit from takini
strychnine. as the stimulating action o
the one poison counteracts the sedauv'
effects Of the other. In these cases IN
poison may be taken with Some beneht
,nder medical direction. but with the ordi
nary mend" who merely takes u for tn
measurable sensation II produces. IN
after effect Is bound 10 be disastrous
The Gu.ra.sgon nj PETER.