Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-12-28
STATISTICS.
What They Show Concerning
Poising in This Country.


are alleged to be the victims Of pat
ent medicines? That they do not ex-
ist at all, is the conclusion reached
by a Chacigo statistican who has com
piled figures relating to the injury or
death of persons from the use, or ac-
cidental misuse of drugs, poisons
and medicines.
1t has been charged, by one or two
Eastern magazines, that patent"
medicines are injuring those who use
them, and, as these statements are
to be used as the basis of the argu-
ments to be made for the passage, at
the next legislative session, of laws
prohibited the sale of these medi-
cines, the figures of the Chicago
statistican are of unusual interest
and Importance.
That less than one-twentieth as
many persons are injured by the use
of all patent" medicines, Of which
it has been possible to learn the trade
name or the name of the manufac-
turer, as are injured by carbolic acid
alone is one of the facts proven.
Carbolic acid is not included in the
sweeping denunciations of ready to
use remedies, however, probably for
the reason that it does not enter into
competition with the regular school
of medicine as do the"patent" med
icines. The complaint covers 697
cases, reported in the newspapers of
the county during the period be-
tween Aug. Is and Nov. 1. AS the
services of four clipping bureaus
were engaged to furnish clippings Of
cases of poisoning, there is reason
able assurance that practically every
poisoning case that has occurred in
that time has entered into the com
l-pilation.
None of the 697 cases is a case of
suicide or attempted suicide, or a
case wherein drug or poison was
used with criminal intent. The cases
are actually those of accidental
poisoning, or poisoning from the use
or accidental misuse of medicines,
drugs or poisons. Of these cases 292
were fatal to; 191 being fatal to
adults and 101 to children. Forty
cases were Of alleged malpractice,
eleven of which were fatal and Il of
which involved criminal operations.
Six were cases involving patent
medicines, the trade name of which
could be learned by diligent injury.
Five of these cases were fatal.
Four were cases where overdoses
had been taken; three were cases
where the preparations had been
taken by mistake for other medicines
and the rest were cases where the
medicines had been left within reach
of children, who, childlike, ate OF
drank the contents of package OF
bottle. There is not a recorded
case where injury was caused by use
Iaccording to directions of patent
medicines, but there are recorded
cases where prescriptions have beer
written or filled wrong.
In 212 of the 697 cases the wrong
medicine was taken, or poison was
taken in mistake for medicine. lr
I208 cases bottles were left within the
reach of children and in SO cases
overdoses were taken by mistake.
@Carbolic acid figured in 141 of the
cases, or in one case in every five.
sit was fatal in So cases. Of these
80 were adults and 20 children.
1t was taken by mistake for other
medicine IS times and left within
the reach of children AZ times. II
was administered by mistake OF
nurse three times; one old gentle
man, carrying a bottle of it fell,
breaking the bottle, the contents OF
which seriously bruised him. One
little girl, in play, rubbed it on the
face of her playmates, all being
seriously burned.
Morphine ranked second, with sc
cases, 46 of which were fatal; SO to
adults and 8 to children. TWAS TAX
en- by mistake 6 times. and left with
in reach of children 20 times. Over
doses were taken 40 times, % of the
victims being habitues. 1t was adj
ministered by medical student three
times.
Laudanum ranked third, with AZ