CHLORAL. 219 



6. Banger of Administering Opiates to Children. 



Children are extremely easily poisoned by opium and all 

 things containing it or morphia. They should never be 

 given to a child except on the order of a physician, and exactly 

 as ordered. Many an infant has been killed by paregoric 

 or some " soothing syrup" containing opium, given, with- 

 out medical advice, by a parent or nurse to stop diar- 

 rhoea or produce sleep. 



7. Chloral, Chloral Hydrate, Syrup of Chloral. A few 

 years ago, chloral was proclaimed a wonderfully harm- 

 less narcotic: it caused sleep or lessened pain without 

 harm, it was said, to mind or body. Physicians have 

 since learned that it is not at all the harmless drug they 

 formerly believed it, but many other people have not yet 

 had their eyes opened to its dangerous character. Vari- 

 ous preparations containing it are sold in drugstores to 

 any one asking for them; and many persons who would 

 hesitate to take opiates without medical advice, use 

 chloral, believing it quite safe and harmless. 



Chloral, taken habitually, is at least as mischievous as 

 opium. To retail it in any form except on the prescrip- 

 tion of a physician, should be made illegal. 



The chloral habit is acquired with great ease, and is 

 very hard to break. The first phenomena of chloral dis- 

 ease (chloralisni) are these: The digestion is greatly im- 

 paired; the tongue is dry and furred; there is nausea; 

 sometimes vomiting, and a constant feeling of oppres- 

 sion from wind on the stomach. 



6. Why should opiates never be given to a child except by a physi- 

 cian's order? What has resulted from neglect of this precaution? 



7. What was believed of chloral a few years ago ? What have 

 medical men lately learned about it? Why do so many people take 

 chloral without medical advice ? Describe the first symptoms of 



