THE 
AMERICAN  JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY. 
SEPTEMBER,  18  7  2. 
AN  UNUSUAL  CASE,  WITH  COMMENTS. 
By  Prof.  E.  Parrish. 
In  a  recent  number  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Journal  and  Transac- 
tions, a  case  of  accidental  poisoning  is  detailed,  which  has  more  than 
usual  interest.  It  appeared,  upon  evidence  before  the  Coroner's 
jury,  that  the  deceased  was  a  lady,  62  years  of  age,  who  had  been 
long  an  invalid,  and  had  been  prescribed  for  repeatedly  during  three 
and  a-half  years  by  a  medical  practitioner  residing  at  some  distance 
from  her  home.  On  a  certain  evening,  he  saw  her  at  about  10  min- 
utes past  seven,  and  about  8  she  received  from  the  shop  of  the  neigh- 
boring druggist  and  chemist  a  box  of  pills  and  a  lotion,  prescribed  for 
her  at  the  shop.  A  pill  was  given  to  her  about  five  minutes  after- 
wards, which,  in  forty  minutes,  was  observed  to  cause  a  deep  sleep  ; 
the  label  directed  a  second  pill  in  four  hours  ;  but  meanwhile,  the  hus- 
band of  the  lady  being  alarmed,  went  to  the  shop  to  inquire  whether 
it  would  be  safe  to  administer  it.  This  led  to  the  discovery  that  the 
mistake  had  been  made  of  giving  an  overdose  of  morphia.  Measures 
were  immediately  resorted  to  for  her  restoration ;  the  medical  prac- 
titioner was  sent  for,  but  more  than  an  hour  necessarily  elapsed  be- 
fore he  could  arrive,  and  the  patient  could  not  then  be  roused,  and 
she  died  in  the  morning  about  seven  o'clock. 
It  was  in  evidence  that  the  prescription  was  compounded  by  an  as- 
sistant in  the  store,  of  eight  years'  experience,  "  of  fair  ability,  and 
intelligent  in  his  business."  No  blame  was  attached  to  his  employer, 
who  had  adopted  proper  precautions  in  the  management  of  his  busi- 
ness, and  whose  candor  and  zeal  in  endeavoring  to  avert  the  conse- 
quences of  the  mistake  were  commendable. 
Now,  as  to  the  causes  of  the  mistake.    It  appears  that  the  pre- 
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