Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-23
DANGEROUS POISONS
PRESCRIPTIONS CALLING FOR
THEM SHOW AN INCREASE.
Strychnine Enters in Some Degree
Into 80 Per Cent-other Deadly
Elements Used.


the Chicago physician that prescriptions
calling for some of the most dangerous
poisons in existence are on the increase
over those old slips, ''Rx," from the old
fashioned doctor.
Strychnine, for instance is entering in
some degree into nearly 30 per cent Of the
Chicago prescriptions of today indicating
with the certainty of barometer that nerv-
Gus disorders are on the increase out of pro-
portion to other ills. But to many persons
who recognize "strychnfa" as written In the
doctors prescription. and who have become
accustomed to seeing 1t there, it may still be
startling enough to be told that prussic acid
In the pharmacopeia Is taking a new and
more frequent place in the physicians for
mula against disease.
Prussic or hydrocyanic acid Is recognized
as perhaps the most active and dangerous
poison in the world. The fact that the ply
stefan of today is writing hydrocyanic acid
into prescriptions and putting after the
name of the poison the mark of measure
that may be blotted little or not quite
plain as to chirograp PHYS enough to startle
the invalid who does not know how 1t is
hedged about In the prescription counter,
and in even the laboratory producing the
acid.
In the laboratory putting the acid into
the pharmacopeia the 1ayman may think
he has reassurances in the formula on the
bottles showing that the liquid Is only
per cent of hydrocyanic acid and 9S per
cent water. But when he is told that only
three drops of this water entering into a
prescription Is the limit to be considered by
the drug clerk. he may be at sea again.
Double Check on Prescriptions.
But it is here that the pharmacy laws
check the doctor, and the pharmacist who
checks the doctor is checked himself by
another pharmacist in all prescriptions call
Ing for virulent poisons in any quantity. 1t
Is the business of the registered pharmacist
to know the amount of poison of the diff
ferent varieties that can be taken into the
system. If the greatest physician in the
United States writes in the plainest man.
ner possible more than this maximum dose
In prescription, the pharma cist will not
fill it. Or, if one pharmacist mistakenly
should fill 1t, his brother pharmacist, check
Ing him. could not fail to stop the prepara-
ton.
The mere keeping of these poisons in stock
is one of the troubles of the drug store en-
ployes. Prussic acid is the most trouble
some OF the list, however. for the reason
OF Its extreme volatileness, despite its 9S
per cent of water. For keeping 1t bottles
with extremely small necks are used, the
glass being of deep amber When the
bottle has been filled 1t is corked tightly
and tied over with impervious tissues. turn
ed upside down and put away in the dark
The drug is transparent colorless and has
the odor of peach kernels Tasting it. the
first impression Is that of coolness chang
ing rapidly to an irritation that is intoI-
cradle. One drop of this fluid in a prescrip-
ton is the average quantity.
Delicate Scales for Strychnine.
Strychnine as it is kept on the shelves is
In the proportion of one grain of poison TO
ten grains of milk sugar 1t is not trusted
In stock in crystals. There are scales In the
modern pharmacy that will register one
fortfeth of a grain, but they are not used
in these poisons. One-sixteenth of grain
of strychnine is close to the maximum dose
In prescription, ranging downward to a
hUndredth part of grain. 1t is a drug
naturally creating depression after taking
and this is so strong in some persons that
it may not be administered.
Choral hydrate is another of the poisons
used with frequency in prescriptions While
1t Is the choral of the knockout drops"
nevertheless it may be put into prescrip-
ton at the rate of ten to twenty grains.
For knockout the criminals dose to his
victim is fifty to eighty grains, while 100
grains will kill
Belladonna extract, or its powdered
leaves. may be used to the extent of one
eighth to one-half grain. Oddly enough.
morphine, another poison, is the antdote
for belladonna poisoning. while belladonna
acts as an anodyne for morphine.
Few people accustomed to hearing of
morphine as a drug appreciate just how
small a dose must be given to the person
who has never been accustomed to its use
Not more than one-twelfth grain is given,
ordinarily while half grain may be con-
sidered large. Stories are told of individuals
so far habituated to the drug that they may
take thirty grains of morphine without dan
ger.
Cocaine Most Carefully Restricted.
Cocaine. as an anaesthetic. has brought a
train of "fends' in Its wake since 1t was
discovered fifteen years ago or more. In
prescriptions for the eye and the this
drug enters into at least one-fifth of the
number The misuse of the drug, however,
has led to restrictions in Chicago concern
ing it's use moro than are imposed upon
any other. When a physician has written
a prescription containing cocaine In the
smallest quantity that prescriptions own
ership is settled at once beyond all contro-
versy The druggist is not allowed to give
the customer even copy OF 1t, while in
the most urgent case it may not be refilled
from the prescription files. In an eye or
ear prescription the range of the drug is
secured from solution of one ounce of
water and five grains of cocaine. When
hypodermically cocaine is
given in one-tenth to one-half grain, while
two grains is the limit.
Arsenic as a medicinal drug, is admins
tered with even more care than ones every
day knowledge of 1t would seem to justify.
1t is called to mind how an over
dose of the poison prevents death. and the
lay idea of 1t at best is that 1t Is a mild
sort of drug Yet prescribed dose of one
fftieth of grain reads naturally to the
while, If the signature calls for
more than one-twelfth of a grain, he holds
the prescription out for verification.
Make Carbolic Acid Weak.
Carbolic acid is one of the best known of
all the poisons named in this article, and
yet there are few people who know that 1t
enters into prescriptions to any appreciable
extent AS a poison it causes perhaps the
most painful death of any drug in the
burning and soaring the
mouth and aesophagus and stomach like 80
much molten iron. AS it has been so easy
to reach by the suicide in recent years the
law has hedged its sale in Chicago in
great measure. The druggist may no long |
er keep 1t in more than a per cent solu- |
ton, OF the chemically pure solution not !
more than three drops of the acid, diluted, |
may be taken into the stomach through a |
A regularity of carbolc acid is that one |
third of its quantity taken of glycerin and /
another third taken of alcohol bring about |
chemical changes until 1t no longer is a
poison.
"As to these posons made up in prescrip- |
TONS" said a Washington street pharma-