ACONITE POISONING.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 29 June 1926, Page 5

ACONITE POISONING.

FATAL MISTAKES IN DISPENSING. STORY OF FAKIRS’ “LOVE PHILTRE.” LONDON, May 18. Amazing, instances of human poisoning are contained in the annual report of the Chemical Examiner’s Department, Bengal, just issued. I nder the heading -“Poisoning due to careless dispensing,” reference is made to the death of a Hindu mate child aged about a. year. The child was given half an ounce of castor oil from a phial labelled “Castor Oil” dispensed: by a local druggist; it became uneasy soon after the administration, and died within an hour of admission to the Campbell Hospital. Aconite was subsequently detected in the child. The phial labelled “Castor Oil” was ■analysed, when tincture of aconite, and not castor oil, was found.

The Deputy Magistrate of Howrah forwarded two paper packets each containing a quantity of bark with the history that the bark contained in one of the pager packets was sold tm the investigating officer by a. shopkeeper as Karohi bark (‘Holarrhena Anti-dysen-terrea bark”). The bark in the other paper packet was bought by a person from the same shop for the treatment of dysentery, but after taking a decoction of the bark he suffered from severe symptoms of strychnine poisoning, from which, however, he recovered. The barks in both of the paper packets were found on analysis to be “Nux Vomica bark. The substitution of “nux vomica” bark for Karchi bark, adds tho report, is not uncommon in Bengal in “baiiias’ ” shops. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Calcutta, forwarded a sample of a powder which was supposed, to be prescribed’ by a doctor for asthma.. It is said that soon after taking a smaill quantity of the powder the patient complained of a burning sensation in the stomach. He recovered., however, after treatment. The powder, on analysis, was found! to contain aconite. A man, said to have been overwhelmed with grief at. the sudden death of his sons by accidental burns, took with liquor “rat-out poison.” He died soon after admission to hospital, and yellow phosphorus was detected. The report adds: Cases of poisoning by aconite from drinking “pachwai” sophisticated with aconite are referred to this department every year from the localities where “pachwai” drinking is in vogue. It is to be regretted that such poisonings occur from the liquor manufactured and sold by vendors, who probably mix the poison to increase the intoxicating property of the liquor. The Assistant Surgeon of Patuakhali (Bakarganj) reported the death of a man whose wife was given medicine by- a. fakir, with instructions to give it to him “to correct his temper and to make him Uv® her.” After taking the ■medicine the husband vomited several times and died. Aconite was detected.