DOPED SACCHARINE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 52, 1 March 1919, Page 19

DOPED SACCHARINE.

Doped saccharine Is tbe latest drug scare, and the Australian military authorities regard the matter so seriously that they hnve issued a special warning to all their troops. This warning has been read to the men In all their commands, and Australian soldiers coming Into personal association with the evil are requested to take possession of the suspected tablets and hand them over for expert examination. A "Dally Chronicle" representative who made inquiries learned that the drugged saccharine tablet is an increasingly popular trick employed by a certain class of male ■ and female sharpers who live on the proceeds of tlie theft of money and pe.sonai effects. The majority of these dope experts appear to be women, and the general plan adopted is to strike up . casual acquaintance with any likely-looking stranger. For this purpose they- frequent cafes, theatres, and : restaurants in the West End. in the hope ,of meeting soldiers who, having no settled residence in London, may reasonably lie expected to be carrying a considerable sum of loose money with them. They get Into conversation with the object of coaxing an invitation to take tea. and when that has been accomplished they produce a box of I Innocent-locking saccharine tablets, with tbe suggestion that they shonld be used to j make up for the lack of sugar. I These tablets are drugged, and their j effect, nccording to the Australian authorities, is lo produce a slight stupor, generally followed by a complete loss of memory re garding anything that has happened in :he preceding few hours. During the short period of unconsciousness the victims are .robbed of all their money and often of their j private paper*. * v