The Washington herald., 1908-06-14

coroner's Office. says the Chicago Irl-
bune
Dying by any hurried, artificial. self
administered means never can be all that
Il is cracked up to be, for the reason
that until the victim begins dying he
doesn't know anything about how It's
going to feel and taste. One OF the sor-
riest sights in all our highly civilized lie
is the spectacle Of that occasional per-
| son who, after dosing himself with some
nauseatingly fatal drug. discovers that
he doesn't like the taste OF il, and starts
out on a wild. cavorting chase for an an
tidote that may taste twice as bad as
/ the poison Itself
| Could any situation be more absurd!
Here is our victim soused full Of some
perniciously active poison which he took
| for the first time in the first effort to-
ward his first funeral suddenly turning
upon himself and demanding Of his out
ragged system that it hike him or on
All run for an antidote that he never
has tasted in his life!
! Oversight IneHcusabIe.
There is no possible excuse for such
circumstance. For years these silly eX-
| periences Of men have been pointing to
/ the necessity Of studying carefully the
several suicide routes with a view 10
making intelligent choice When, for eX-
ample. a poison is fixed upon. let the
| neophyte. as "a precaution, collect the one
/ or several anodynes listed in the pharma-
! copeia and have them ready on a side
table. stump. or stone in easy reach.
But as a widest. sanest precaution, let
the morbid one make tentative choice Of
/ several poisons. Let him get together
the antidotes for each Of these Poisons
and taste freely Of the antidotes. Some
Of these poison remedies are enough 20
| turn the stomach wrong side out. and
even II after taking the poison the vic
/ tim knows that he'll stand pat on Il. he
can't tell whether some one with a hor-
/ rible nauseating panacea for 1t may not
rush UP and food his system with the
/ revolving stun. To be jumped on when
you're down with a corrosive poison and
/ have some one squirt half a gallon OF oil
. or turpentine. whites Of eggs, or laundry
starch behind your solar pleXus on the
inside makes the ordinary hazing Of
| college freshman appear like a pink tea
I function
Several years ago one Of the large
/ Chicago drug stores added a few re-
marks as addenda 10 its poison label
/ on carbolic acid. The management con-
sidered that il owed a little registered
/ pharmacist advice TO persons who might
be considering carbolic suicide. and in red
Ink il explained IN this wise;
Intending suicides are hereby notified
that carboHc acid imposes the most
/ frightful suffering and lingering death
! known TO science. II determined 10 90.
why not take the easier route, drowning
| which is said 10 be a delightful slumber
with blissfully ecstatic dreams2"
] Coming from a drug house whose profit
: able stock in trade included carbolic acid
| this warning against a purchased drug
and in favor of the free and unlimited
water Of the lake or river should have
been looked on as a humanitarian gratu-
ity almost without parallel. But in spite
Of this the drug store has not remarked
any especial acceptance Of its expert opin-
| ion as 70 the water route.
But there are some drawbacks 70 this
water route in Chicago. where the police
are likely 10 butt in Unexpectedly. The
] experience Of a young man on the beach
/ Of Lincoln Park is characteristic. This
young man had walked out on a pier and
pumped into the water which he imag-
ined Of drowning depth. Instead he land
ed on his feet in only four feet OF water.
A policeman. who had been watching him.
. suddenly sprang out OF a clump OF bushes
with drawn revolver
Objected 10 Being shot.
Come out Of that. now" he com
manded, sighting along the barrel Of the
revolver; come out Of that or I'll blow
yer brains out,''
"D-d-don't s-s-shoot, p-p-Tiease d-don't,
I-I-Tu c-c-comer' and the speed al which
he came left a wake ike that Of motor
boat at full tilt through lake Of glass
The worst OF the poison means unques-
tionably is carbouc acid It's touch upon
the skin and mucous membranes means
a horrible. soaring, whitening scar, which
carries with il awful tortuges. Don I
bother with assembling the antidotes if
you are going TO try carbOlc acid. If
some hopeful friend should find YOU
however. he might slosh some milk down
your throat, If he can. DILUTED alcohol
IS about as good as anything else or the
white of raw eggs may be used.
/ ChlOroform and choral are means TO
suicidal ends which preclude the possibil-
it, Of the victims helping himself TO his
/ antidotes after the drugs have begun 20
take effect. Friends who may wish 10
aid him may lay him down and put cold
| applications 10 his head: efervescing
drinks should be given, and friction ap-
piled to the skin: ammonia should be held
10 the nostrils TO stimulate breathing.
Rough Usage Necessary.
Morphine and opium always have been
regarded as quiet. peaceful means for
Sl,alirr- one g,+o tj,o t,.,-,, rto- ~. de-
not need to swallow any great amount of
the matter and sleep presages the end.
But if one is discovered by his friends as
ne is going under the influence, he may
be treated 10 some rough usage while he
is susceptible still TO pain. Keep the pa
tent moving is one Of the prime resus-
citating requisites. and if your friend may
have a few things "in for you" he is
privileged TO take them out Of you at such
a time while posing safely behind the
mask of his friendship. He can pour ran
cid castor oil down you, dash you with
cold water, drench you with bitter tea
and coffee, pour laurel water down you.
rub your skin raw with a gunny sack
all in the name Of an undying friendship.
Prussc acid, or cyanide Of potassium in
the white cake of its commercial form Is
a popular poison for the wOuld-be suicide.
If you have an idea of taking it all back.
you must have your antidotes handy and
get a move on you. Chlorine and am
monia should be shifted freely: injections
Of camphOr should be made literally; cold
applications 20 the head exert a revivify-
ing influence, If you are not too far gone.
II might be well to have made up and
ready Tor use the following prescription
introduced by the 'RX" of a physician:
Gale OF
40. dest u
Ac hydrochlor dill.