Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-10-11
DID NOT
READ THE
| LABELS
|eOpIe Who Have Taken Poi
son First and Looked at
Bottle Afterwards

M chicago, Oct. 11.-An interesting
mpliation showing the number of
rsons killed or injured in the Uni
ID States in a year from accidents
Bsulting from the use of misuse of
Medicines and poisons, has just been
&sued from the offices of the press
pmmitee of the Proprietary associa-
Ion. The figures were compiled
|rom newspaper accounts of acci-
1ents of this nature in all parts of
be country the reports being fur
4shed by six of the largest press
bureaus in the United
fates.
During the twelve months, from
Lhly 1, 1905 to July 1, 1906, 2O4S
|fcidents tesulted from the misuse
q medicines and poisons, and of
hese accidents S92 were fatal. Car
5plic acide figured in 456 cases. of
fhich 1S6 were fatal; and holds the
bdisputed first place among drugs
md poisons as an agent of injury
|nd death. 1t was involved in 22.26
Der cent of all the cases recorded
Ind 2O.S5 per cent of all deaths.
Il was the cause of ten times as
hany accidents and nine times as
hany deaths as all of the hundreds
bf patent medicines.
OF the 204S accidents, 1862, or
b6.92 per cent of the whole number,
Iesulted in carelessness in handling
boisons of various kinds, ranging
Pom carbolic acid to shoe polish.
The remaining $50 accidents result
n from the misuse of medicines,
ynd of these 40 cases were attributed
b patent medicines" the other S37
icing due to medicines usually pre-
Frbed by physicians. These medi-
Enes are chargeable with 4O.S7 per
Fnt of all the accidents. and 52.47
Ter cent of all the deaths, while to
patent medicines" are attributed
|S9 per cent of all of the accidents,
nd 2.35 per cent of all of the fa-
Mites.
The newspaper clippings on which
bis tabulation (Which is the first of
IS kind covering a full year, was
|ased, show a great variety of acci-
|ents resulting from carelessness in
be handling and use of poisons and
bedicines. AS already stated car
|olic acid leads with 456 accidents
md 1S6 deaths; morphine is charged
Eith 1913 cases and 143 deaths;
budanum with 1876 cases and Sc
|eaths; strychnine tablets with 95
bses and 65 deaths: wood alcohol
Fith 81 cases and 20 deaths; arsenic
Fith 60 cases and 27 deaths; chloro-
brm with 81 cases and 80 deaths,
|nd all patent medicines with 40
|hses and 21 deaths.
In no single case does IL appear
|hat medicines of any kind caused
|eath or injury when taken in the
described doses. II was only when
|irections were disregarded, or the
hedicine left within the reach of
|hildren. or used by mistake that
|ccident resulted. Medicines and
|oisons left within the reach of chill
/ ren were the cause of large pro-
portion of the accidents. some of
Fhich were chargeable to articles OF
Faily household use. For instance,
1 accidents and deaths were
Paused by fly poison being left where
fabies could get it.; IA children
Prank gasolene, and in 10 cases chill
Prem swallowed turpentine. Wash
Pg powder, bluing, washing soda,
Penzine, soldering acid, stove polish,
Fhoe polish, printers ink, ant poison.
polishing fuid. picture gliding, and
fnosquito poison all contributed their
quota Of victims.