Chlorodyne.

Evening Star, Issue 7407, 30 December 1887, Page 4

Chlorodyne.

[From the ‘Saturday Review.’ Tho most dangerous of the patent medicines are naturally those which contain poison. Taken under tho advice of a qualified medical practitioner, they may very possibly prove to be useful remedies, and'lndeed often arc. But the indiscriminate sale to tho public of nostrums of this description, although no doubt it produces a considerable revenue, cannot fail to be attended with tho most serious consequences. Most of us are agreed that opium is a valuable remedy, but even the most rabid Freetrader- would scarcely desire to see this drug sold indiscriminately to ignorant persons or to persons actuated by criminal motives. Laudanum is difficult to obtain, simply because its sale is regulated by the Poisons Act; but there is no such difficulty with regard, to chlorodyue, of which there are at least three well-known rival varieties. Let us look at the composition of this nostrum Six drachms of chloroform, half a drachm of tincture of capsicum, three minims of oil of peppermint, eight grains of morphia (sixty-four doses), twelve drops double strength prussic acid, one drachm of tincture of Indian hemp (Bh'ina. or Indian hemp, is a poison used throughput tho East to produce insensibility; it is the Benj of the Arabian Nights), one drachm of treacle. The maximum dose is half a drachm, and a 4a 6d bottle would kill at least eight people; but chlorodyne is a patent medicine, and may be sold with impunity in the largest quantities. As might be naturally supposed, the results of the indiscriminate safe of such a dangerous compound aro frequently deplorable. At Weymouth in December, 1884, a young lady, who had been previously confined in an asylum, thieatened “to do something terrible.” On the fourth of that month she was missed, and she was not found two days later, when she was discovered a condition in an empty room in her fathers house. In a drawer wore found three empty bottles that had contained a preparation of chlorodyne, two large and one small- Treatment was unavailing, and she soon afterwards died. At the inquest one chemist’s assistant dcposed that on the I3th of the previous month he had sold her a small bottle of Chlorodyne, and o» the IGth a large or 4s Gd bottle (the size containing enough poison to kill eight persons). On the gOth another chemist’s assistant supplied a second large bottle, and two days later the unfortunate lady obtained from a third chemist a similar quantity. The chemists in question ttll stated that they had sold these large quantities of chlorodyne over the counter without any inquiry; but one of them, on being asked if he would have supplied the young lady with half-a-dozen bottles if she had requested him to do so, hesitated, and said that it was a poisonous preparation. Another chemist, however, was troubled with no such scruples, and frankly admitted that he would have sold her any quantity she might have desired to purchase, “as it was a patent medicine.” The jury in this case added a rider to their verdict, urging fhafc “ representations should be made to the proper quarter that chlorodyne and other, patent medicines of such a potent nature should be placed under paragraph 2 of the Poisons Act.” Of course nothing came of their sensible suggestion, and this dangerous drug is within the reach of all who have money to pay for it. In the same month of the same year a lady residing at Brighton swallowed a whole bottle of chlorodyne “by mistake,” and her life would no doubt have been sacrified had not the physician who was sailed in promptly administered a powerful emetic. Chlorodyne has unquestionably now become tho moat favorite narcotic. “ Just a few drops of chlorodyne” will, no doubt, when taken for the first time, produce tranquil sleep, relieve pain or cough, diarrhoea or colic, or bronchial affections. The worst of it is that, in the majority of eases where people have begun to take iC&lorodyne and have found from it temporary relief, recourse is had again and again to the succfljsful nostrum, and very soon the victims find that the dose has to be increased. It is increased accordingly, qrith the result that the general health is impaired, many of the natural functions of the body are entirely or partially suspended, and what was once merely a bad habit becomes one of the ’absolute necessities of existence. Alady whosedeathwas recently announced began by taking small doses of chlorodyne to relieve neuralgia. As is gsual in these cases, she fell into the habit of taking the drug in largo quantities, with the result that she bad to be placed under restraint. For a time all went well, and the lady became gradually better, and was at last ordered abroad for change of air. But while stopping at the port of embarkation for a few hours she somehow managed to procure a bottle of chlorodyne. Within *wenty-four hoars she was found dead in her bed with tho empty bottle under her pillow. We will content ourselves with calling attention to two other eases of chlorodyne poisoning, now unhappily of frequent occurrence. Dr Diplock recently held an inquest concerning the death of Mr Edward James Richard Harris, aged thirty-two, a stockbroker, lately residing at 48 Blenheim crescent. Considering the history of the case, and the symptoms exhibited by the deceased, the doctor had no doubt that death was due to poison from chlorodyne. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide when in a state of unsound mind, to which they attached the following rider; “That the sale of patent medicines should bo restricted.” And Mr William Carter, coroner, lately held an inquiry at the Star Tavern, Abbey street, Bermondsey, into the circumstances attending the death of Mr Thomas Pash, aged sixty-four years, lately residing at 5 Oxley place, Parker road, Bermondsey, who died from the effects of an overdose of chlorodyne. The jury returned the following verdict: “ Death from misadventure by an overdose of chlorodyne, administered inadvertently, and not with the intention of destroying life.” Some idea of the profits on the sale of chlorodyne may be obtained from the fact that it is sold in bulk by the wholesale druggist at IOJd the ounce, first quality, and 8d the ounce, second quality, and that the actual cost is only Gd. The retail consumer, on the other hand, pays 4s Cd for a two-ounoe bottle, which gives the vendor a profit of somothing very like 300 per cent, after deducting the cost of the stamp. The patent medicine proprietors make as large a profit on the stamp as they do on the medicine. In estimating bis profit, the vendor calculates it on the materials, bottles, labor, and on the cost of the Government stamp. A profit on the stamp is added by each middleman until it reaches the consumer. Instead of the consumer merely paying the duty (which is calculated on the retail selling price) of 17* per cent., he pays it several times over. The cost of the medicine, bottle, label, and tabor could never exceed Is fid, or, adding the value of tho stamp, 2s. Tho manufacturer receives 2s lOd fromihe wholesale dealer, the wholesale 3s 2d from tho retailer, and the retailer 4s fid from the public; the last vendor thus obtaining over 40 per cent, on the cost of the nostrum, the stamp, and the intermediate profits. The amount received under the Stamp Act for patent medicines is over L 150.000 a year. ~ , That a compound such as chlorodyne can be purchased in the manner we have de* seribed constitutes a grave scandal, and *«ll« for immediate interference on the part of the proper authorities. In France the unrestricted sale of nostrums is absolutely forbidden until the State analyst has pronounced .them harmless. If' a. similar regulation -Were in force in this country many Uteavouldbe preserved.