The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-15
By CARLIN PHILIPS, M. D.
Visiting Physician to Poison Wards, Bellevue
Hospital, New York.

~ WING to the wide publicity given to the
affecting circumstances attending the
death Of a prominent banker and
teemed citizen OF Macon Ca from bichloride
of mercury poisoning. in all probability We
tempted suicides by this al too accessible
means. This painful aspect OF the matter.
added to the ever present menace OF acc
dent carelessness In handling this fami-
far and deadly substance. emphasizes tho
need Of publicity from a different standpoint,
that Will result in placing it beyond the reach
OF individuals in general.
At the moment OF this writing. the wife OF
druggist in the Bronx-Mrs Roy Chesman-ls
reported al the Fordham spital. New York.
suffering from the effects OF bichloride OF
mercury tablet swallowed by mistake. These
mistakes are much more frequent than the
public realize.
AT present virtually anyone may buy bichlor-
ide Of mercury openly and freely at almost any
drug store. II should not be sold except upon
a physicians prescription. AS much caro-
should be exercised In keeping this drug of
the shelves OF medicine closets In private
homes as is used IN the case OF cyanide OF
potash. pure carbolic acid. Since laws have
been enacted preventing the sale of carbolio
acid except in dilution of one part in twenty.
there have been practically no deaths from
such poisoning in the city OF New York
Bchloride OF mercury. corrosive subli-
mate. is formed BY combination OF liquid
metal quicksilver and muriatic acid Tho
worlds supply at present comes from the mines
OF Texas and California. but II Ia also found in
many other parts Of the world It is Fl white
powder easily soluble in water. and has dis
agreeable acrid metallic taste. In It's action Il
is intensely in!mica 10 life Of all varieties and
grades by combining chemically with animal
sis and death il is for this reason that the
drug is powerful gcrmcide and consequently
a disinfectant. Vegetable or animal tissues
Immersed in bichloride solutions become tough
shrunkcn. whtish in color and proof against
putrefacton.
The violent poisonous action of this drug
extends TO all living matter from the most
minute vegetable organisms (bacteria) to the
highest living cell structure as found In the
tissues of the human body Whenever the
metal, and especially the soluble and avail
able bichloride salt, in contact with
either vegetable or animal matter, albuminate
OF mercury and muriatic acid are formed
One part in million parts of water kills
the minute and microscopic forms of animal
life called algae, that live in stagnant water
pools. On account OF this peculiar property OF
olchloride. or corrosive subimate to combine
with and thereby destroy animal and vegetable
lie, 1t Is one OF our most popular and effeo-
tive household antiseptics.
1t has been used internally for centuries nv
physicians In the treatment of certain HOOD
diseases, and more recently as an antiseptio er
ternally for the cleaning OF wounds, ulcers. etc
When taken internally. the severity Of tha
symptoms and rapidity Of action DEPEND unnn
the size of the dose and the susceptibility OF the