"UNIVERSAL" 
Poison Register. "UNIVERSAL" 
Po 1 SO N R EG I ST E R: 
CONTAINING ALSO THE 
POISON ACTS OF THE VARIOUS STATES; LIST OF POISONS 
IN GROUPS. WITH ANTIDOTE TREATMENT; TABLE 
OF MAXIMUM DOSES, Etc., Etc. 
CHICAGO MEDICAL BOOK CO., 
35-37 Randolph Street, 
CHICAGO. Copyright, 1887. PREFACE TO FOURTH EDITION. 
npHE popularity of the UNIVERSAL POISON REGISTER and 
-*■ the exhaustion of the previous editions thereof have made advis- 
able the publication of a new and thoroughly revised edition in con- 
formity with the present state laws governing the sales of poisons. 
In the space "Name of Purchaser" should be entered the name 
of the person by whom the poison is individually purchased if an adult, 
and for whom purchased if the buyer be a minor, the latter's name in 
such case being entered in the column "To Whom Delivered." 
It will be observed from a perusal of the poison laws, as pub- 
lished in this volume, that the "Name of Witness" is rarely required. 
Even though not specifically required by law, it will be found 
prudent to fill all columns as ruled, excepting the two tinder "Remarks]' 
which may be used for the purposes indicated when desired or re- 
quired, or for any special memoranda relating to any sale. 
CHICAGO MEDICAL BOOK CO. 
January, 1898. POISON LAWS. 
Legislation designed to guard against the careless or criminal use of poisons is 
common to nearly all States, though the statute requirements are not always enforced 
and hence not universally complied with. This disregard of law is not infrequently 
attended with unhappy results to all concerned in the transaction, and a more sys- 
tematic and faithful adherence to the spirit and letter of the statute is urgently 
demanded. The various laws do not vary materially in their essential provisions. 
We present them in alphabetic order, omitting superfluous phraseology and con- 
densing where it can be done without sacrifice of perspicuity or essential com- 
pleteness. 
Alabama.-[Phar. Law, § 8, Feb. 28, 1887.] No person shall retail any of the 
enumerated poisons: Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white and 
red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, 
strychnine, and all poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their salts, and the essential 
oil of almonds; opium and its preparations, except paregoric and other prepara- 
tions of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce; aconite, belladonna, 
colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, savin, ergot, cotton root, cantharides, cre- 
osote, veratrum, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical preparations; croton oil, chloro- 
form, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, carbolic and oxalic acids, 
without labeling the container with name of article, the word "poison," and name 
and place of business of the seller. The seller must not deliver any of 
above poisons unless purchaser is aware of its poisonous character and repre- 
sents that it is to be used for a legitimate purpose. This law does not apply to dis- 
pensing poisons in not unusual quantities upon physician's prescription, nor to 
manufacturers making and selling at wholesale, provided the containers are labeled 
with the word "poison," its name, and the name and place of business of the seller 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $10 to $100. 
Arizona.-Has no poison law. 
Arkansas.-§ 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, either at whole- 
sale or retail, any of the drugs usually denominated poisons without distinctly la- 
beling the bottle, box or package with the name of the article and the word "poison," 
together with the name and place of business of the seller. 
§ 2. It shall be the duty of every person selling a poison at retail, before deliver- 
ing the same to make or cause to be made an entry in a book kept for the purpose, 
stating the date of sale, name of poison, quality, for what purpose, name, sex, color of 
the purchaser, or for whom purchased, residence of purchaser, by whom sold. Such 
book is to be preserved for at least five years after the date of the last entry, and to 
always be kept open to the inspection of the coroner and the officers of the different 
courts. 
§ 3. The following named articles, and those hereafter declared to be poisons 
by law, shall be considered poisons within the meaning of this act, to-wit: Arsenic 
and its compounds, strychnine and its salts, corrosive sublimate, hydrocyanic acid, 
oil of bitter almonds, croton oil, opium and its preparations, except paregoric and 
those preparations containing less than two grains of opium to the ounce. 
§ 4. Nothing herein contained shall apply to or in any wise interfere with the 
compounding and dispensing of medicines and poisons by a medical practitioner or 
upon the prescription of one. 
§ 5. Any person who shall violate any provision of this act shall upon convic- 
tion thereof be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $5.00 nor more than $100.00 
for each offense. 
§ 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after thirty days after 
its passage. 
Approved March 19, 1881. 
California.-[Pharm. Law. app. March 11, 1891; amend. March 3, 1893.] No 
person shall retail any poisons enumerated in Schedules A and B herewith, without 
labeling the container with the name of the article, the word "poison,"and the name 
and place of business of the seller. The seller is required to learn by inquiry that the purchaser of a poison is aware of its poisonous character, and that it is to be 
used for a legitimate purpose. Seller must not deliver any poison included in 
Schedule A, without making entry in a book kept for that purpose only, stating the 
date of sale, name and address of the purchaser, name and quantity of the poison 
sold, purpose represented by purchaser, and name of the dispenser; said book to be 
always open for inspection by the proper authorities, and to be preserved for at least 
five years. The law does not apply to the dispensing of poisons when prescribed 
by practitioners of medicine, nor to the sale of poisons if a single bottle or package 
does not contain more than an ordinary dose. Dealers shall affix to every con- 
tainer, or inclosure of an original package containing any article named in Schedules 
A and B, a suitable label or brand with the word " poison," but are hereby exempted 
from the registration of the sale of such articles when sold at wholesale, or to a 
registered pharmacist or physician. 
Schedule A. Arsenic, corrosive sublimate,cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic 
acid, strychnine, cocaine, and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their 
salts, opium and all its preparations, except those which contain less than two grains 
to the ounce. 
Schedule B. Aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, savin, 
cantharides, phosphorus, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical preparations; croton 
oil, chloroform, chloral, sulphate of zinc, sugar of lead, mineral acids, carbolic acid, 
oxalic acid, white precipitate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, essential oil of 
almonds. 
Violations are punishable by a fine not exceeding §50. 
Colorado.-[Pharm. Law, app. April 2, 1887, as amended.] No person shall 
retail any poison enumerated in Schedules A and B herewith, without distinctly 
labeling the container or cover with the name and place of the seller. Seller must 
not deliver any poison included in Schedule A without, before delivering to the 
buyer, entering in a book kept for that purpose only, the date of sale, name and 
address of the purchaser, name and quantity of the poison sold, the purpose repre- 
sented by the purchaser, and the name of the dispenser ; said book to be open for 
inspection by the legal authorities and to be preserved for one year. The. law does 
not apply to the dispensing of poisons in not unusual doses or quantities upon pre- 
scriptions of legitimate practicing physicians, neither does it apply to or interfere 
with the business and sale of medicines in the original packages of the manufacturer. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, prussic acid, cyanide of potassium 
and all metallic cyanides, strychnine and all poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their 
salts, aconite and its preparations, and tartar emetic. 
Schedule B. Belladonna, conium, cantharides, corrosive sublimate, henbane, 
nux vomica, savin oil, ergot, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical preparations; croton 
oil, chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, carbolic acid, oxalic 
acid, opium, and all preparations of opium, except paregoric and other preparations 
of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce. 
Violations are punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment for not 
longer than six months. 
Any person who, in making application to purchase any poison named in 
Schedules A and B, shall give a false or fictitious name or address to the seller shall 
be fined not exceeding $500 or imprisoned not exceeding six months, or both, in the 
discretion of the court. 
Connecticut.-[Extract from State Pharmacy Law.] § 10. (As amend- 
ed.) Every person who shall sell arsenic, strychnine, corrosive sublimate, or prussic 
acid, shall affix to the package sold by him a label, plainly marked with his name, 
date of sale, and the word "poison," and shall enter in a book kept by him for that 
purpose, the name of the purchaser, the date of sale, and the quantity sold; which 
book shall be kept open for public inspection, carefully preserved; and when he shall 
close his business, or remove from the town in which such business is carried on, or 
when such book shall be filled with entries.it shall be deposited by him in the office of 
the town clerk of the town in which he may conduct his business; and any person 
who shall violate the preceding provisions of this section, or who, when purchasing 
the articles herein named, shall give a false or fictitious name to the vendor thereof, 
shall be fined no less than $10.00, nor more than $100.00. 
Every person who shall sell any of the articles named in the schedule accom- 
panying this section, marked Schedule A, except when prescribed by a practicing 
physician, or sold at wholesale to licensed pharmacists, or for use in the manufac- 
tures or the arts, shall label the bottle, box or wrapper containing such article with a 
label upon which shall be plainly written or printed the word "poison," and any per- 
son violating the provisions of this section shall be fined one dollar. 
6 7 
Schedule A. Acid carbolic, ammoniated mercury, acid muriatic, chloroform, 
acid nitric, tincture aconite, acid sulphuric, tincture belladonna, acid oxalic, tincture 
digitalis, creosote, tincture opium, extract belladonna, tincture veratrum viride, sugar 
of lead, paris green, morphine, croton oil, nux vomica, cobalt, oil almond bitter, 
opium, oil tansy, cocculus indicus, cyanide potassium, aqua ammonia, red oxide mer- 
cury. 
Delaware.-[Pharm. Law, April 14, 1887.] Dispensers of drugs are required 
to keep a record of every sale of strychnine, arsenic and corrosive sublimate, said 
record to be kept open to the inspection of officers of the law. 
Violations punishable by a fine of $5 for each offense. 
District of Columbia.-[Act of Congress, approved June 15, 1878.] No 
person shall sell at retail any poison enumerated in Schedules A and B, without dis- 
tinctly labeling the cont liner, and also outside enclosure, with the name of the 
article, the word " poison," and name and place of business of the seller. The seller 
must learn by inquiry, before delivery of any poison, that the purchaser is aware 
of its poisonous character, and the purpose represented by the purchaser must be 
legitimate. No article in Schedule A shall be delivered until an entry of sale is re- 
corded in a book kept for the purpose, stating the date of sale, name and address of 
the purchaser, name and quantity of poison, purpose represented, and name of dis- 
penser ; said book to be kept for five years from date of last entry, and always open 
to officers of the law. 
This law does not apply to the dispensing of poisons in not unusual quantities 
or doses, upon the prescriptions of practitioners of medicine. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipitate, 
red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, strych- 
nine, and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their salts, essential oil of bitter 
almonds, opium and its preparations, except paregoric and other preparations of 
opium containing less than two grains to the ounce. 
Schedule B. Aconite, belladonna, colchicum, nux vomica, henbane, savin, 
ergot, cotton root, cantharides, creosote, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical prepara- 
tions ; croton oil, chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, car- 
bolic acid and oxalic acid. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of not less, than $25 nor more than $100, to be 
collected from the proprietor. 
Florida.-[Pharm. Law, app. May 30, 1889.] Restrictions of poison sales are 
the same as those in Alabama. 
Georgia.-[Poison Act of May 1, 1876.] No person shall sell at retail any 
poison enumerated in Schedules A and B, without labeling the bottle, box, vessel or 
paper containing it, and also the outer enclosure, with the-name of the article, the 
word "poison," and the name and place of business of the seller ; nor without learn- 
ing, by inquiry, that the person to whom it is delivered is aware of its poisonous char- 
acter, and represents a legitimate use for it. No ait cle in Schedule A shall be de- 
livered without making an entry in a book kept for the purpose, stating date, name 
and address of receiver, name and quantity of the poison, the purpose represented, 
and name of the dispenser. Such book to be kept five years from last entry, and 
open to lawful inspection. This law does not apply to dispensing of poisons in not 
unusual quantities or doses upon the prescriptions of practitioners of medicine. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipi- 
tate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, 
strychnine, and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their salts ; essential oil 
of bitter almonds ; opium and its preparations, except paregoric and other prepara- 
tions of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce. Schedule B.-Aco- 
nite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, savin, ergot, cotton root, 
cantharides, creosote, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical preparations; croton oil, 
chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, carbolic acid and oxalic 
acid. 
Violations are punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for six 
months, or both, at discretion of the court. 
[Opium Sale Act, September 6, 1887.] No person shall sell, give or furnish 
directly or indirectly opium or its preparations containing more than two grains of 
opium to the ounce, in any quantity, to any person addicted to its use, after a written 
notice from a near relative of such person that he or she is habitually addicted to its 
use, except upon the written prescription of a physician setting forth the necessity 
of its purchase, and showing the good faith of the prescription.-Violations are a 
misdemeanor and punished as described in § 4310 of the code. 8 
[Morphine Sale Act, January i, 1886.] No person shall sell or offer for sale any 
sulphate or other preparations of morphine in any bottle, vial, envelope or other 
package, unless the same be wrapped in a scarlet paper or envelope, and all bottles 
or vials used for the above purpose shall have, in addition to said scarlet paper 
wrapper, a scarlet label lettered in white letters, plainly naming the contents of said 
bottle.-Violations are punishable by a fine of from $10 to $50. 
Idaho.-No person shall retail any article commonly recognized as a poison, 
and particularly aconite, arsenic, belladonna, biniodide of mercury, carbolic acid, 
chloral hydrate, chloroform, conium, corrosive sublimate, creosote, croton oil, cya- 
nide of potassium, digitalis, hydrocyanic acid, laudanum, morphine, nux vomica, oil 
of bitter almonds, opium, oxalic acid, strychnine, sugar of lead, sulphate of zinc, 
white precipitate, red precipitate, or cocaine, without labeling the container and outer 
wrapper with the name of the article, the word "poison," and name and place of 
business of the seller. The seller must keep a record of all poison sales, stating the 
kind and quantity of the article, the purpose represented, and having the signature 
of the purchaser. This law does not apply to dispensing the articles named on the 
prescription of a physician. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of not less than $5 for each offense. 
Illinois.-[Extract from State Pharmacy Law relating to sales of poi- 
sons.] § 14. No person shall sell at retail any poisons commonly recognized as 
such, and especially aconite, arsenic, belladonna, biniodide of mercury, carbolic acid, 
chloral hydrate, chloroform, conium, corrosive sublimate, creosote, croton oil, cyanide 
of potassium,digitalis,hydrocyanic acid, laudanum, morphine, nux vomica, oil of bit- 
ter almonds, opium, oxalic acid, strychnine, sugar of lead, sulphate of zinc, white pre- 
cipitate, red precipitate, without affixing to the box, bottle, vessel or package con- 
taining the same, and to the wrapper or cover thereof, a label bearing the name of 
the article, and the word "poison" distinctly shown, with the name and place of bus- 
iness of the seller, who shall not deliver any of said poisons to any person under fif- 
teen years of age, nor shall he deliver any of said poisons to any person, without satis- 
fying himself that such poison is to be used for a legitimate purpose: Provided, 
that nothing herein contained shall apply to the dispensing of physicians' pre- 
scriptions of any of the poisons or articles aforesaid. Any person failing to com- 
ply with the requirements of this section shall he liable to a penalty of $5.00 for 
each and every such offense. 
[Chapter 38, Criminal Code.] § 63. If any druggist or other person sells or 
gives away any arsenic, strychnine, corrosive sublimate or prussic acid, without the 
written prescription of a physician, and fails to keep a record of the date of such sale 
or gift, the article and amount thereof sold or given away, and the person to whom 
delivered, he shall be fined not exceeding $50 for each neglect. Whoever purchases 
any such poison and gives a false or fictitious name shall be punished in the same 
manner. 
Indiana.-Has no poison law. 
Indian Territory.-Has no poison law. 
Iowa.-[Pharm. Law, § 9, March 22, 1880.] No person shall retail any poison 
enumerated in Schedules A and B, without labeling the bottle, box, vessel or paper 
containing it, with the name of the article, the word "poison," and the name and 
place of the seller. Before delivery the seller must learn, by inquiry, that the pur- 
chaser is aware of the poisonous character of the article, and a legitimate purpose 
for its use must be represented; also a record must be kept in a book for that pur- 
pose, stating date of sale, name and address of the purchaser, name of the poison 
sold, the purpose represented by the purchaser, and the name of the dispen- 
ser; said book shall be kept for five years from date of last entry, and be open 
to lawful inspection. This law does not apply to the dispensing of poisons in not 
unusual quantities or doses upon prescriptions of practitioners of medicine. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipi- 
tate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, 
strychnine, and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their salts; essential oil 
of bitter almonds, opium and its preparations, except paregoric and other prepaia- 
tions of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce. Schedule B.-Aco- 
nite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, savin, ergot, cotton root, 
cantharides, creosote, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical preparations; croton oil, 
chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, carbolic acid and oxalic 
acid. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $25 to $100, collectible from the owner or 9 
principal; for repeated violations the fine may be collected and the pharmacist's 
name stricken from the register. 
[Amendment to Chapter 83, app. March 28, 1888.] No person shall sell or 
deliver concentrated lye and potash without having the word "poison" and the true 
name written or printed upon a label attached to the container. A record need not 
be kept. Violations are punishable by imprisonment not above thirty days, or a fine 
not above $100. 
[The Commission of Pharmacy has ruled that paris green, " rough on rats" and 
"homoeopathic" poisons are within the scope of the poison law.] 
Kansas.-[Pharm. Law, March 5, 1885, as amended.] No person shall retail 
any article enumerated in Schedules A, B, C, herewith, without labeling the box, 
vessel or paper containing the said poison, and also the outside wrapper, with the 
name of the article, the word "poison," and the name and place of business of the 
seller. Before delivery of any article in Schedules A and B, the seller must 
learn, by inquiry, that the purchaser is aware of its poisonous character, and repre- 
sents that it is for a legitimate purpose. No articles in the Schedules A and B shall 
be delivered purchaser without an entry in a book kept for the purpose, stating the 
date of sale, the article sold and the quantity, the purpose for which it is repre- 
sented by the purchaser to be required, the name of the dispenser and the name and 
address of the purchaser, signed by himself; such books to be always open lor in- 
spection by the proper authorities, and to be preserved for at least five years. No 
articles in Schedule C shall be sold except on thd prescription of a legally qualified 
physician. This law does not apply to the sales of poisons to practicing physicians 
and photographers, and to the dispensing of poison in not unusual doses or quantities 
upon the prescriptions of licensed practitioners of medicine. All prescriptions of 
practicing physicians shall be retained by the dispenser. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipi- 
tate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, 
chloroform, strychnine, morphine, and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and 
their salts, essential oil of bitter almonds, opium and its preparations, except pare- 
goric and other preparations of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce. 
Schedule B. Aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, 
cantharides, creosote, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical preparations; croton oil, 
chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, sugar of lead, mineral acids, carbolic acid, oxalic 
acid, and all other virulent poisons. 
Schedule C. Oil of savin, oil of tansy, ergot and its preparations, cotton root 
and its preparations, and all other active emmenagogues or abortives. 
Any person procuring from any pharmacist articles enumerated in Schedules A, 
B and C, under fraudulent representations, shall be liable to a fine of $25 to $100. 
[An old law further prohibits sales of poisons to minors.] 
Kentucky.-§ 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, either by whole- 
sale or retail, any poison without distinctly labeling the bottle, box or paper, and 
wrapper or cover in which said poison is contained, with the name of the article, the 
word "poison," and the flame of the place of business of the seller. 
§ 2. It shall likewise be unlawful for any person to sell any poison without be- 
ing satisfied that the buyer has attained his lawful majority and that the poison is 
purchased for legitimate use. 
§ 3. It shall be the duty of every person selling a poison at retail, before deliv- 
ering the same to the buyer, to make or cause to be made an entry in a book kept 
for that purpose only, stating in the form [as shown by the register] the date of sale, 
the name and address of the purchaser, the name and quantity of the article sold, 
and the purpose for which it is stated by the purchaser to be required; and such 
book is to be preserved for at least five years after the date of the last entry and is to 
be always open to the inspection of the coroner and officers of the different courts. 
§ 4. No article shall be considered a poison within the meaning of this act un- 
less such article be enumerated in Schedule B annexed to this act or shall hereafter 
be declared a poison by law. 
§ 5. Nothing hereintofore contained shall apply to or in any manner whatever 
interfere with the compounding and dispensing of medicines and poisons upon the 
prescription of medical practitioners. 
§ 6. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this act shall be sen- 
tenced upon conviction to pay a fine of not less than five dollars ($5.00) nor more 
than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each offense. 
[The act specifies that the following articles shall be considered poisons within 
the meaning of the poison act:] Aconite leaves, roots, preparations, alkaloids and 
their salts; arsenic, its compounds and preparations; belladonna, root, leaves, prepara- 10 
tions, alkaloids and their salts; cannabis indica and its preparations; cotton root bark 
and its preparations, croton oil, digitalis, its preparations, alkaloids and their salts; 
ergot and its preparations, fish berries and its preparations, hydrocyanic acid, mer- 
curic, ammonio chloride, chloride, iodide, nitrate and solutions, oxide, mix vomica, its 
alkaloids, their salts and its preparations, opium and its preparations, except par- 
egoric, morphine and its salts and solutions, potassium cyanide,savin and its prepar- 
ations, veratrum viride, its preparations, alkaloids and their salts, volatile oil ot bitter 
almonds, pennyroyal, savin, and tansy, proprietary, or secret emmenagogue, or 
abortifacient, or parturient preparations, and all containing a large proportion of 
opium or other powerful narcotics. 
Chapter 1037, taking effect September 1, 1886, prohibits the sale of any morphine 
sales, except wtth a scarlet wrapper and a scarlet label, with white letters, giving 
the name of the article. The penalty is not less than $10.00 nor more than $50.00. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $50; and the guilty party or parties shall 
also be liable for all damages done. 
Louisiana.-[Pharm. Law, July 11, 1888.] Pharmacists shall label all bottles, 
vials, jars, boxes, parcels, packages or other receptacles or coverings of drugs, 
medicines or chemicals, sold or dispensed, with the label in legible writing or print, 
giving the name of the proprietor of the store, the name of the prescribing phys- 
ician, or shop, and the place of sale of said drug; and if the drug be of a nature 
poisonous to the human system or to animals, there shall be printed on the said 
1 tbel a skull and cross-bones, with the word "poison" in large, heavy letters. All 
prescriptions shall have, in addition thereto, a number, the name of the person actu- 
ally and personally compounding the same, lhe directions for its use internally or 
externally, and the date of its compounding. 
Violations of any provision of the pharmacy law are punishable by a fine of $50 
to $100, and, in default of payment, imprisonment for not more than thirty days. 
Maine.-Section 8 of the State Pharmacy Law provides: If any druggist or 
other person sells arsenic, corrosive sublimate, or prussic acid, except on prescrip- 
tion of a physician in regular standing in his profession, without labeling each parcel 
with the name of the article and the word "poison" legibly written or printed thereon, 
and recording such sale in a book kept for the purpose, open to public inspection 
specifying the kind, quantity and to whom sold; or if any person, for the purpose of 
killing wolves, foxes, dogs or other animals, and not for the destruction of insects or 
vermin in a building, leaves or deposits any such poison within two hundred rods of 
a highway, pasture field or other land, he shall be fined not less than $20.00 nor more 
than $50.00, or be imprisoned not less than thirty nor more than sixty days. 
Maryland.-The State Pharmacy Law does not contain a poison act. The 
city of Baltimore has enacted restrictions for the sale of poisons. 
Massachusetts.-[General Statutes, Chap. 166.] § 7. If an apothecary or 
other person sells any arsenic, strychnine, corrosive sublimate or prussic acid, with- 
out a written prescription of a physician, he shall keep a record of the date of such 
sale, the article, the amount thereof sold, and the person or persons to whom deliv- 
ered; and for each neglect he shall pay a fine not to exceed $50.00. Whoever pur- 
chases deadly poisons, as aforesaid, and gives a false or fictitious name to the apoth- 
ecary or other person, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $50.00. 
Poisonous articles: Arsenic (arsenious acid), atropine or any of its salts, chloral 
hydrate, chloroform, cotton root and its fluid extract, corrosive sublimate, cyanide of 
potassium, Donovan's solution, ergot and its fluid extract, Fowler's solution, lauda- 
num, McMunn's elixir, morphine or any of its salts, oil of pennyroyal, oil of savin, 
oil of tansy, opium, paris green, Parsons' vermin exterminator, phosphorus, prussic 
acid, "rough on rats," strychnine or any of its salts, tartar emetic, tincture of aconite, 
tincture of belladonna, tincture of digitalis, tincture of nux vomica, tincture of vera- 
trum viride. 
This law does not apply to poisons sold by wholesale dealers or manufacturing 
chemists to retail druggists. 
[Sale of Spirituous Liquors; § 2 Chap. 283 of the Acts of 1878.] Every drug- 
gist and apothecary licensed under the provisions of this act shall keep a book and 
enter therein the date of every sale made by him, the person to whom sold, the kind, 
quality and price thereof, and the purpose for which it was sold, substantially in due 
following form: Date, name, residence, kind and quality, purpose of use, price ; which 
book, together with certificate provided for in the license, shall be at all times open 
to the inspection of the mayor and aldermen, selectmen, overseers of the poor, sher- 
iffs, constables, and justices of the peace of the city or town. 11 
Michigan.-[Approved April 17, 1865.] That every apothecary, druggist or 
other person who sells any arsenic, strychnine, corrosive sublimate, prussic acid or 
other poison, shall keep a record of the date of such sale, the article and amount 
thereof sold, and the person or persons to whom delivered and their residences; 
which record shall be kept open to the inspection of any police officer or physician 
during the business hours of each day; and each and every neglect to keep such a 
record as herein provided shall be deemed a misdemeanor, and the person or per- 
sons guilty thereof shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to a fine not exceeding 
$50.00. 
| Amendment, March 17, 1865.] The giving of false or fictitious name to the 
druggist or other person from whom such poison was purchased, shall be deemed a 
misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be liable to a fine not exceeding 
$50.00. 
[Amendment, April 4, 1873.] Every apothecary, druggist or other person who 
shall sell and deliver at retail any arsenic, corrosive sublimate, prussic acid or any 
other substance or liquid usually denominated poisonous, without having the word 
poison, and the true name thereof, and the name of some simple antidote, if any is 
known, written or printed upon a label attached to the vial, box or parcel containing 
the same, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100.00. 
[An Act to prevent the advertisement and the sale of drugs or medicines 
designed to produce criminal abortion.] § I. No person shall in any manner, ex- 
cept as hereinafter provided, advertise, publish, sell or publicly expose for sale any 
pills, powders, drugs or combination of drugs designed expressly for the use of 
females for the purpose of producing an abortion. 
§ 2. Any drug or medicine known to be designed, and expressly prepared, for 
producing an abortion shall only be sold upon the writt'en prescription of an estab- 
lished practicing physician of the city or village or township in which the sale is 
made; and the druggist or dealer selling the same shall, in a book provided for that 
purpose, register the name of the purchaser, the date of the sale, the kind and quan- 
tity of the medicine sold, and the name and residence of the physician prescribing 
the same. 
§ 5. Any person violating any of the provisions of this act shall, upon convic- 
tion thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $100.00, in 
the discretion of the court. [Approved April 22, 1873.] 
Minnesota.-[Penal Code, approved March 9, 1885.] § 327. An apothecary 
or druggist, or a person employed as clerk or salesman by an apothecary or druggist, 
or otherwise carrying on business as a dealer in drugs or medicines, who sells or gives 
any poison or poisonous substance, without first recording in a book, to be kept for 
that purpose, the name and residence of the person receiving such poison, together 
with the kind and quantity of such poison received, and the name and residence of 
some person known to such dealer as a witness to the transaction, except upon the 
written order or prescription of some practicing physician whose name is attached to 
the order, is guilty of a misdemeanor. 
§ 328. A person whose duty it is by the last section to keep a book for recording 
the sale or gift of poisons, who willfully refuses to permit any person to inspect said 
book upon reasonable demand made during ordinary business hours, is punishable 
by a fine not exceeding $50.00. 
§ 329. A person who sells, gives away or disposes of any poison or poisonous 
substance, without attaching to the vial, box or parcel containing such poisonous 
substance, a label with the name and residence of such person, the wbrd "poison," 
and the name of such poison, all written or printed thereon in plain and legible 
characters, is guilty of a misdemeanor. 
Any person purchasing any of the above-named drugs who shall give the 
seller a false name for registration shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a 
misdemeanor. 
No person shall sell or give away arsenic or its preparations, aconite, belladonna, 
lead or its preparations, mercury or its preparations, hydrocyanic acid, oxalic acid, 
copper or its preparations, morphine, phosphorus, oil of savin, oil of tansy, oil of 
cedar, strychnine, rough on rats, cyanide of potassium, carbolic acid, tincture of nux 
vomica, fluid extract ergot, fluid extract cotton root, chloroform, chloral hydrate, 
croton oil, sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, stramonium, conium, opium or its prepara- 
tions, except paregoric and Dewees' carminative, without attaching to the vial, box 
or parcel containing such substance, a label with the name and residence of such 
person, the word "poison," and the name of the article written or printed, or partly 
written and partly printed thereon, in plain characteis. The violation of this provis- 
ion is a misdemeanor. The provisions of this section do not apply to the sales made 
upon the written prescription or order of a physician. 12 
Sales of paris green need not be recorded, but this article must be labeled with 
the word " poison." 
Mississippi.-[Pharm.and Poison Laws.] No person shall sell at retail or give 
away any article of medicine belonging to the class usually known as poisons, ex- 
cept upon the written prescription of a physician, without entering, in a book kept 
for that purpose, the name, place of residence, age, sex and color of the person ob- 
taining such poison, the kind and quantity sold, the purpose for which it was required, 
the day and date of sale, and the name and residence of the person for whom the 
article is intended, if not the person to whom delivered. The word "poison" shall be 
carefully marked upon the label or wrapper of each package. No person shall sell 
or give away arsenic in quantities less than one pound, except to physicians, without 
first mixing soot or indigo therewith in the proportion of one ouncn of soot or one-half 
ounce of indigo to the pound of arsenic. Violations are punishable by a fine not to 
exceed $500, or imprisonment for twenty days, or both. 
No person shall sell or give away any poisons to a minor. 
No person shall sell or give away, or offer for sale, any preparation of morphine 
without wrapping the container in scarlet paper and labeling with scarlet labels let- 
tered in white letters, stating the name of the contents. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $10 to $50. 
Missouri.-[Extract from pharmacv act approved March 26, 1881.] § 9. I- 
shall be unlawful for any person, from and after the passage of this act, to retail any 
poisons enumerated in Schedules "A" and "B," except as follows: 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipit 
tate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide potassium, hydrocyanic acid, 
strychnia, and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their salts, and the essen- 
tial oil of bitter almonds. 
Schedule B. Opium and its preparations, except paregoric and otherprepara- 
tions of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce; aconite, belladonna, 
colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, savin, ergot, cotton root, cantharides, cre- 
osote, veratrum, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical preparations; croton oil, chloro- 
form, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, carbolic acids, oxalic acids- 
without labeling the box, vessel or paper in which the said poison is contained, and 
also the outside wrapper or cover, with the name of the article, the word "poison," 
and the name and place of business of the seller. Nor shall it be lawful for any 
person to sell or deliver any poison enumerated in Schedules A and B, unless, upon 
due inquiry, it be found that the purchaser is aware of its poisonous character, and 
representsthat it is to be used for a legitimate purpose. Nor shall it be lawful foh 
any registered pharmacist to sell any poisons included in Schedule A, without, before 
delivering the same to the purchaser, causing an entry to be made in a book kept- 
for that purpose, stating the date of sale, the name and address of purchaser, the 
name of the poison sold, the purpose for which it is represented by the purchaser to 
be required, and the name of the dispenser; such book to be always open for inspec- 
tion by the proper authorities, and to be preserved for at least five years. The pro- 
visions of this section shall not apply to the dispensing of poison in not unusual 
quantities or doses, upon the prescriptions of practitioners of medicine. Nor shall it 
be lawful for any licensed or registered druggist or pharmacist to retail, sell or give 
away any alcoholic liquors or compounds as a beverage; and any violation of the 
provisions of this section shall make the principal of said store or pharmacy liable 
to a fine of not less than $25 00 and not more than $100.00, to be collected in the 
usual manner. 
Montana.-[Pharm. Law, March 9, 1895.] No person shall sell at retail any 
arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white and red precipitates, bini- 
odide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, strychnine, and all poison- 
ous vegetable alkaloids and their salts ; the essential oil of almonds, opium and its 
preparations, except paregoric and other preparations of opium contaming less than 
two grains to the ounce; aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium,nux vomica, digi- 
talis, and their pharmaceutical preparations; croton oil. chloroform, chloral hydrate, 
sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, carbolic acid, oxalic acid, without labeling the box, 
bottle, vessel, paper or package in which said poison is contained, with the name of 
the article, the word " poison," and the name and place of business of the seller. Nor 
deliver or sell any poisons enumerated above, without learning, bv inquiry, that the 
purchaser is aware of its poisonous character, and represents that it is to be used for 
a legitimate purpose. 
This law does not apply to the dispensing of poisons in not unusual quantities or 
doses upon the prescription of physicians; nor does it apply to manufacturers, mak- 13 
ing and selling at wholesale any of the above-named poisons, and provided that each 
bottle, box, vessel, paper or package in which said poison is contained shall be 
labeled with the name of the article, the word "poison," and the name and place of 
business of the seller. 
The willful or ignorant neglect to label any drug as required by law is made a 
misdemeanor by the penal code, or, if death ensues, a felony. 
Nebraska.-[Crim. Code, Chap. VI.] § 42. Every apothecary, druggist or 
other person, who shall sell or give away, except upon the prescription of a physi- 
cian, any article or articles of medicines belonging to the class usually known as 
poisons, shall be required: (1.) reregister, in a book kept for that purpose, the 
name, age, sex, and color of the person obtaining such poison; (2) the quantity sold; 
(3) the purpose for which it is required; (4) the day and date on which it was obtained; 
(5) the name and place of abode of the person lor whom the article is intended; (6) 
to carefully mark the word "poison" upon the label or wrapper of each package; (7) 
to neither sell nor give away any article of poison to minors of either sex. 
§ 43. No apothecary, druggist or other person, shall be permitted either to sell 
or give away any quantity of arsenic less than one pound, without first mixing either 
soot or indigo therewith, in the proportion of one ounce of soot to one pound of ar- 
senic, or half an ounce of indigo to one pound of arsenic. 
§ 44. Any person offending against the provisions of either of the last two pre- 
ceding sections shall be fined in any sum not less than $20.00 nor more than $100.00. 
(Amended 1875, 4.) 
Nevada.-Has no law governing the sale of poisons. 
New Hampshire.-[G. L., Chapter 271.] §5. Whoever fraudulently adul- 
terates, for the purpose of sale, any drug or medicine, or knowingly sells any drug 
or medicine so adulterated, shall be imprisoned not exceeding 1 year or fined not 
exceeding $400.00, and such adulterated drugs or medicines shall be forfeited. 
§ 6. Every apothecary, druggist or other person who sells arsenic, corrosive 
sublimate, nux vomica, strychnine or prussic acid, shall make a record of the sale in 
a book kept for the purpose, specifying the kind and quantity of the article sold, the 
time when, and the name of the person to whom such sale was made, which record 
shall be open to all persons who may wish to examine the same. 
§ 7. Any person who shall violate the provisions of the preceding sections shall 
be fined $100.00. 
§ 8. The foregoing sections shall not apply to physicians in prescriptions to 
their patients. 
New Jersey.-[Extracts from State Pharmacy Law.] § 6. And be it enacted 
that it shall not be lawful for any person to retail or dispense any of the poisons 
enumerated in Schedule A appended to this section, or any other substance com- 
monly recognized as a deadly poison, without distinctly labeling with a red label 
the bottle, box, vessel or wrapper in which such poison is contained, with the name 
of the article, the word "poison," and the name and place of business of the dis- 
penser, nor without being satisfied that the purchaser is aware of its poisonous na- 
ture and intends to use it for a legitimate purpose; nor shall it be lawful for any 
person to sell any poison enumerated in said Schedule A without, before delivering 
the same to the purchaser, causing an entry to be made in a book to be kept for that 
purpose, stating the date of the sale, the name and address of the purchaser, the 
name and quality of the poison sold, the purpose for which it is represented to be 
wanted, and the name of the dispenser; such books shall be preserved for at least five 
years from the date of the last entry, and shall always be subject to the inspection 
of the proper authorities; any person failing to comply with the requirements of this 
section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and for every such omission shall 
be liable to a fine of not less than $10.00; and any person who shall give a fictitious 
name or who shall make any false misrepresentation to the seller when buying any 
of the poisons thus enumerated, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and be 
liable to a fine of not less than $10.00; the penal provisions of this act shall not apply 
to the sale of such poisons as are used in the arts, or in manufacturing, to persons 
known to be engaged in such pursuits, nor to the dispensing of poisons upon the pre- 
scription of a practicing physician. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and all its compounds or chemical derivatives; corrosive 
sublimate and other poisonous derivatives of mercury; phosphorus and its poison- 
ous derivatives; prussic acid and its poisonous derivatives; tartrate of antimony; 
essential oil of bitter almonds; oils of tansy, savin or croton; chloroform, chloral 
hydrate, aconite, belladonna, conium, cantharides, digitalis, hyoscyamus, nux vomica, 
Indian hemp, veratrum viride, yellow jessamine, opium, their alkaloids or other preparations (except paregoric and other preparations of opium having less than 
two grains to the ounce); ergot, savin, cotton root and their preparations. 
New Mexico.-Sales of drugs commonly designated as poisonous are re- 
stricted to registered pharmacists, without specfic regulations. 
New York State.-[Passed April 6, i860.] § 1. No person shall sell or 
give any poison or poisonous substance without recording, in a book to be kept for 
that purpose, the name of the person receiving said poison, and his or her residence 
together with the name and residence of some person as witness to such sale, ex- 
cepting upon the written order or prescription of some regularly authorized practic- 
ing physician, whose name must be attached to such order. Such book shall be kept 
open for inspection. 
§ 2. No person shall sell, or give, or dispose of any poisonous substance, except 
upon the order or prescription of a regularly authorized practicing physician, with- 
out attaching to the vial, box or parcel containing such poisonous substance, a label, 
with the name and residence of such person and the word "poison," all printed upon 
it with red ink, together with the name of such poison written or printed thereon in 
plain and legible characters. 
§ 3. These provisions will apply to the following substances, excepting when 
soldin wholesale quantities of one pound or over, viz.: Arsenic and its various 
preparations, oxalic acid, corrosive sublimate, chloroform, sugar of lead, tartar 
emetic, opium and its preparations,oil of bitter almonds, cyanurets of potassium, mer- 
cury, silver, zinc, deadly nightshade, henbane, poison hemlock, prussic acid, aconite 
and its various preparations, atropia and its salts, cantharides, croton oil, datura and 
its salts, delphinea and its salts, digitalis and its preparations, nux vomica and its 
preparations, elaterium, ergot and its preparations, veratria and its salts, cannabis 
indicus and its preparations. 
§ 4. Any person infringing upon any of the provisions of this act shall, upon 
conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine not 
exceeding $50.00. 
§ 5. This act shall only apply to incorporated cities and villages having a pop- 
ulation of one thousand inhabitants and upwards in this State. 
[The following amended law was passed in 1886:] 
§ 404. A person who sells, gives away or disposes of any poison or poisonous 
substance (except upon the order or prescription of a regularly authorized practicing 
physician) without attaching to the vial, box or parcel containing such poisonous sub- 
stance, a label with the name and residence of such person, the word " poison," and 
the name of such poison, all written or printed thereon in plain and legible charac- 
ters; and a person who, after the first day of January, 1887, sells, gives away or dis- 
poses of or offers for sale any sulphate or other preparation of opium or mor- 
phine, except paregoric and those preparations containing two grains or less of 
opium or morphine to the ounce, without attaching to the bottle, vial, box or pack- 
age contain/ng such sulphate or other preparation of opium or morphine, a scarlet 
label letter ed in white letters, plainly naming the contents thereof, with the name 
and residence of such person, is guilty of a misdemeanor. 
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately. 
County of Erie.-Chapter 72, 1885, provides that no person shall sell any of the 
poisons hereinafter specified without a label containing the name of the article, and 
the word "poison" distinctly shown, with the name and place of business of the seller, 
all printed in red ink, together with the name of such poisons printed or written 
thereupon; which schedules are as follows, to-wit: 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, cyanide of 
potassium, hydrocyanic acid, oil of bitter almonds, strychnia, morphia, and all other 
poisonous alkaloids and their salts; opium and its preparations containing more 
than two grains of opium, or its equivalent, to the ounce. 
Schedule B. Aconite, belladonna, cantharides, colchicum, conium, cotton 
root, creosote, digitalis, ergot, henbane, nux vomica, savin, and their pharmaceutical 
preparations; chloral hydrate, chloroform, croton oil, carbolic acid, oil of tansy, 
white precipitate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, oxalic acid, sulphate of zinc, 
acetate of lead and the mineral acids. 
Every person who shall sell any poisons included under Schedue A shall, 
before delivering the same, make, or cause to be made, an entry in a book kept for 
that purpose, stating the date of sale, the name and address of the purchaser, the 
name and the quantity of the poison, the purpose for which it is represented by the 
purchaser to be required, and the name of the dispenser; such book to be always 
open for investigation by the proper authorities, and to be preserved for at least five 
years after the last entry. He shall not deliver any of said poisons without satisfy 
14 ing himself that the purchaser is aware of its poisonous character, and that the said 
poison is to be used for a legitimate purpose. The foregoing portions of this section 
shall not apply to the dispensing of medicines or poisons on physicians' prescriptions. 
Wholesale dealers in drugs, medicines, pharmaceutical preparations or chemicals, 
shall affix, or cause to be affixed, to every bottle, box, parcel, or outer inclosure of an 
original package, containing any of the articles enumerated in Schedule A of this 
act, a suitable label or brand with the word "poison" upon it; but they are hereby 
exempt from any registration of the sale of such articles, when in the usually recog- 
nized wholesale quantities. Any person failing to comply with the requirements of 
this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. 
[The acts of the County of New York and of Kings are substantially the same as 
the above.] 
North Carolina.-[Pharm. Law, March 12, 1881.] No person shall sell at 
retail any poisons enumerated in Schedules A and B herewith without distinctly 
labeling the bottle, box, vessel or paper in which said poison is contained, with the 
name of the article, the word "poison," and a vignette representing a skull and 
cross-bones, and the name and place of business of the seller; nor shall any person 
.sell or deliver any poison enumerated in said Schedules A and B without learning, 
by inquiry, that the purchaser is aware of its poisonous nature, and represents that 
it is to be used for a legitimate purpose; nor shall any person sell any poison in- 
cluded in Schedule A without, before delivery to the purchaser, making an entry in 
a book kept for that purpose, stating the date of the sale, the name and address of the 
purchaser, the name and quantity of the poison sold, the purpose for which it is rep- 
resented by the purchaser to be required, and the name of the dispenser-such book 
to be always open to the proper authorities for inspection. 
This law does not apply to the dispensing of poisons in usual doses, and by 
physicians' prescriptions, nor does it apply to or interfere with the business of any 
practitioner of medicine who does not keep open shop for retailing of medicines and 
poisons; nor with the business of wholesale dealers, excepting § g,and the penalties 
of its violation. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precip- 
itate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, 
strychnine, and essential oil of bitter almonds. 
Schedule B. Aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, 
savin, ergot, cotton root, cantharides, creosote, digitalis and their pharmaceutical 
preparations; cotton oil, chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, carbolic acid, 
oxalic acid, opium and its preparations, except paregoric and other preparations of 
opium containing less than two grains to the ounce, and other poisons. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $25 for each offense. 
North Dakota.-[Pharm. Law, March 20, 1890; amended March 6, 1893.] 
A poison in the meaning of this act shall be any drug, chemical or preparation, 
which, according to standard works on medicine or materia medica, is liable to be 
destructive to adult human life in quantities of sixty (60) grains or less. No person 
shall sell at retail any poisons mentioned in Schedules A and B herewith without 
affixing to the bottle, box, package or vessel containing them, the name of the con- 
tents, the word "poison," and the name and place of business of the seller, nor shall 
he deliver said poison to any person without learning that said poison is to be used 
for legitimate purposes. These provisions do not apply to the dispensing of physi- 
cians' prescriptions specifying poison. The seller of poisons, before delivering to 
the purchaser, shall make an entry, in a book kept for that purpose, stating the date 
of sale, the name and address of the purchaser, the name and quantity of the poison 
sold, and the name of the dispenser, such book to be always kept open for inspec- 
tion by the proper authorities, and to be preserved for reference for at least five 
years. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipi- 
tate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, 
strychnine and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their salts, essential oil of 
bitter almonds, opium and its prepa'ations, except paregoric and other preparations 
of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce. 
Schedule B. Aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, 
savin, ergot, cotton root, cantharides, creosote, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical 
preparations; croton oil, chloroform,chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, mineral acids, 
carbolic acid and oxalic acid. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of not less than $5 for each offense. 
Ohio.-[R. S„ § 6,957.] Whoever sells or gives away any quantity of arsenic 
less than one pound, without first mixing therewith soot or indigo in the proportion 
15 16 
of one ounce of soot, or half an ounce of indigo to the pound of arsenic, or, except 
on the prescription of a physician, sells or gives away any quantity of any article be- 
longing to the class usually denominated poisons, to any minor, or sells or gives 
away any such article to any person, without first having marked the word "poison" 
upon the label or wrapper containing the same, and registered in a book to be by 
him kept for that purpose, the day and date upon which it is sold or given away, the 
quantity thereof, the name, age, sex, and color of person obtaining the same, the pur- 
pose for which it is required, and the name and place of abode of the person for 
whom the same is intended, shall be fined not more than $200.00 nor less than $20.00. 
[Label Law; in effect June 21, 1890.] Whenever any druggist or other dealer 
in poisons, chemicals, medicines and drugs, whether wholesale or retail, shall sell 
any drug or chemical, an indiscriminate or careless use of which would be destruc- 
tive of human life, he shall affix to each bothe or package of such drug, chemical 
or poison, a label printed in red ink, having on it the name of the article by which 
it is commonly known, the cautionary emblem of the skull and cross-bones, the 
words "caution" and "poison," and in addition thereto at least two of the most read- 
ily obtainable effective antidotes to such poisonous article. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $10 to $100. 
[Morphine Law; in effect September 1, 1886 J No person other than a whole- 
sale druggist or other dealer in drugs and medicines shall sell at wholesale, or any 
person other than a registered pharmacist or a registered assistant pharmacist shall 
sell at retail morphine or any of its salts; nor shall such person sell morphine or any 
of its salts in any bottle or vial, envelope or other package, unless the same shall be 
wrapped in scarlet paper or envelope, and all bottles or vials shall contain not more 
than one drachm each, and shall have, in addition to said scarlet wrapper, a scarlet 
label lettered in white letters, and the same must be on both vial and wrapper, 
plainly naming the contents of said bottle; and no person shall have the right to 
change any preparation of morphine from its original package to any other recep- 
tacle for the purpose of retailing or dispensing therefrom, but it must be retailed or 
dispensed only from the original package with scarlet wrapper and scarlet label. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $10 to $50 for each offense. 
Oklahoma.-[Amendment to Pharm. Law, March 14, 1893.] No person shall 
sell at retail: Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipitate, 
red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, strych- 
nine and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their salts, essential oil of bitter 
almonds,opiumandits preparations, except paregoric and otherpreparations of opium 
containing less than two grams to the ounce; aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, 
nux vomica, henbane, savin, ergot, cotton root, cantharides, creosote, digitalis, and 
their pharmaceutical preparations; croton oil, chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphate 
of zinc, mineral acids, carbolic acid, and oxalic acid, without labeling the bottle or 
other container, and the wrapper with the name of the article, the word "poison," 
name and business address of seller. A book shall be kept in which shall be en- 
tered the date, name and address of purchaser, name of poison, purpose represented 
to be used for, and name of dispenser; such book to be always open for inspection 
and preserved for five years. This law does not apply to physicians' prescriptions. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $25 to $100 for the first offense; for second 
offense, name of pharmacist stricken from the register. 
Oregon.-[Pharm. Law.] No person shall retail: Arsenic and its prepara- 
tions, corrosive sublimate, white precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potas 
sium, hydrocyanic acid, strychnine, morphine, cocaine, and their combinations; and 
essential oil of bitter almonds, aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, 
henbane, savin, ergot, cotton root, cantharides, creosote, digitalis, and their pharma- 
ceutical preparations; croton oil, chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, car- 
bolic acid, oxalic acid, preparations containing opium, except paregoric and other 
preparations of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce, and other deadly 
poisons, without labeling the bottle or other container with the name of the article, 
the word "poison," and the name and place of business of the seller. Nor shall the 
seller deliver any poison without learning that the purchaser is aware of its poison- 
ous character and represents that it is to be used for a legitimate purpose. The seller 
shall keep a registry book, in which shall be entered an accurate record of the sales 
of all such poisons. This law does not apply to manufacturers making and selling 
at wholesale, provided that each box, vessel or paper in which poison is contained 
shall be labeled as above. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $10 to $100 for each offense, to be assessed 
against the owner or principal. 17 
Pennsylvania.-[Act of March 31, i860.] § 103. No apothecary, druggist 
or other person shall sell, dispose of by retail any morphia, strychnia, arsenic, prussic 
acid or corrosive sublimate, except upon the prescription of a physician, or on the 
personal application of some respectable inhabitant of full age, of the town or place 
in which such sale shall be made; and in all cases of such sale the word "poison" 
shall be carefully and legibly marked or placed upon the label, package, bottle or 
other vessel or thing in which such poison is contained; and when sold or disposed 
of, otherwise than under the prescription of a physician, the apothecary, druggist or 
other person selling or disposing of the same shall note in a register kept for that 
purpose, the name and residence of the person to whom such sale was made, the 
quantity sold, and the date of such sale; any person offending herein shall be guilty 
of a misdemeanor, and on conviction, be sentenced to .pay a fine not exceeding 
$50.00. 
The law defines a poison as any drug, chemical or preparation liable to be destruc- 
tive to adult human life in quantities of sixty grains or less, and such articles must not be 
sold without affixing to the container a label, printed or written, containing the name of 
the article, the word "poison," and the name and place of business of the seller, and 
the seller must learn that such poison is to be used for legitimate purposes. Sales of 
poisons known to be destructive to adult human life in quantities of five grains or 
less must be entered in a book kept for the purpose, stating the name of the seller, 
the name and residence of the buyer, the name of the article, quantity sold and pur- 
pose for which intended, which book of record shall be preserved for at least two 
years, and shall at all times be open to the inspection of the coroner or county offi- 
cers. This law does not apply to the dispensing of physicians' prescriptions specify- 
ing poisonous articles, nor to the sale to agriculturists of such articles as are com- 
monly used by them as insecticides. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $5 to $50. 
Rhode Island.-[Pharm Law.] No person shall reta'l any article enumerated 
in Schedule A herewith without labeling the bottle, or other container, and the 
wrapper with the name of article, the word "poison," name and address of seller,.and 
in a book must be kept a record of date, name of purchaser, name and quantity of 
article, for what purpose required, said book to be open to inspection by board of 
pharmacy or other proper authorities and be preserved for five years. Physicians' 
prescriptions are exempt from these restrictions, but they must be kept on file in a 
book and numbered in the order of receipt by the pharmacist, for five years. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, co'ton root and its preparations, 
corrosive sublimate, cyanide of potassium, ergot and its preparations, hydrocyanic 
acid, opium and its preparations-paregoric excepted-oxalic acid, savin, strychnine, 
volatile oil of bitter almonds, of pennyroyal, of savin and of tansy; proprietary or 
secret medicines recommended, sold or advertised as emmenagogues and parturients. 
South Carolina.-Section 11, of the general pharmacy act, approved March 
10, 1876, is as follows: 
§ 11. That every pharmaceutist, or other person selling any poison, shall be sat- 
isfied that the purchase is made for legitimate purposes, and shall keep a book in 
which shall be recorded every sale of the following articles, viz.: Arsenic and its 
preparations, all metallic cyanides, and cyanides of potassium, tartar emetic, corro- 
sive sublimate, aconite and its preparations, strychnine, and all other poisonous alka- 
loids and their salts, cantharides, ergot, hydrocyanic acid; the said record also to ex- 
hibit the name of the person to whom sold, his place of residence, and purpose of 
purchase as stated, which book shall be kept at all times subject to the inspection 
of the coroner of the county and the solicitor of the said association, or such other 
persons as either of them may designate. 
§ 12. That all persons in this State engaged in business as pharmaceutists, 
apothecaries, or druggists, either in the wholesale or retail of drugs, shall, to every 
bottle, vial, box or other package containing any poison named in the preceding sec- 
tion, or any one or more of the following articles, viz.: Oxalic acid, chloroform, bel- 
ladonna and its preparations, opium and all its preparations, except paregoric, digi- 
talis and its preparations, henbane and its preparations, hemlock or conium, or any 
other article that may be added to this list by the Pharmaceutical Association of the 
State of South Carolina, securely attach a label, whereon shall be either printed 
or legibly written with red ink, the name of the poison, and the name of at 
least one antidote, with brief directions as to the mode of using same; Provided, that 
nothing herein contained shall be construed to apply to the filling of prescriptions 
made by tegular physicians; And, providedfurther, that it shall be the duty of the 
board of parmaceutical examiners, or either of the said board, on application at the 
time of registration, to furnish to the party registering a form of label for poisons. 18 
South Dakota.-[Pharm. Law, app. March i, 1893.] No person shall sell any 
poison named in Schedule A by retail unless the box, bottle, wrapper or cover is 
distinctly labeled with the name of the article, the name and address of the person 
selling and the word " poison "; and no person shall sell any poison in Schedule B 
to any person unknown to the seller, unless introduced by some person known to the 
seller, and on every sale the seller shall, before delivery, make entry, in a book kept 
for that purpose, stating date of sale, the name and address of the purchaser, the 
name and quantity of the article sold, the purpose for which it is required and the 
name of the peison, if any, who introduced the purchaser. 
Schedule A. Acetate of lead, pans green, oxalic acid, carbolic acid, chloral 
hydrate, chloroform, ether, sulphate of zinc and other poisonous medicines fatal to 
human life in doses from 15 to 60 grains. 
Schedule B. Aconite, arsenic, belladonna, opium (except in paregoric and 
Dover's powders) and their preparations, strychnine, corrosive sublimate, prussic acid, 
cyanide of potassium, nitric and sulphuric acids, tartar emetic and other poisonous 
medicines fatal to human life in doses of fifteen grains or less. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $10 for each offense. 
Tennessee.-[Act of 1873.] Any person who sells and delivers any poison- 
ous liquid or substance without having the word "poison" written or printed on the 
label attached to the vial, box or parcel in which same is sold, shall, on conviction, be 
fined not less than $20.00 nor more than $100.00. 
Any person who sells or delivers any liquid or substance, in addition to having 
the word "poison" printed or written on the label thereof as now required by law, 
shall note in a book kept by such person for that purpose, the name of the person to 
whom such poison was delivered, the date of delivery and the kind, and the amount 
of such poison so delivered, and shall keep such book open for public inspection. 
Any person violating the provisions of this act shall, on conviction, be fined not 
less than $20.00 nor more than $100.00. Provided that the provisions of this act shall 
not apply to the prescriptions of regular practicing physicians. 
Also any person who sells to any child under ten years of age any poisonous 
liquid or drug without an order in writing from the parent, guardian or other person 
having the legal care of such child, designating such drug either by its name or its 
effect, shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $100, or imprisonment for not more 
than three months. 
Texas.-Has no law governing the sale of poisons. 
Utah.-[Pharm. Law, app. March 10, 1892.] No person shall sell any article 
commonly recognized as poisonous, and especially aconite, arsenic, belladonna, bini- 
odide of mercury, carbolic acid, chloral hydrate, chloroform, conium, corrosive sub- 
limate, creosote, croton oil, cyanide of potassium, digitalis, hydrocyanic acid, lauda- 
num, morphine, nux vomica, oil of bitter almonds, opium, oxalic acid, strychnine, 
sugar of lead, sulphate of zinc, white precipitate, red precipitate, without affixing to 
the container and also to the wrapper a red label bearing the name of the article and 
the word " poison," with the name and place of business of the seller; nor shall the 
seller deliver any of said poisons without being satisfied that said poisons are to be 
used for legitimate purposes. This law does not apply to the dispensing of phy- 
sicians' prescriptions. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of not less than $300 for each offense. 
Vermont.-[R. L., § 4260.] A person who sells arsenic, strychnia, corrosive 
sublimate, prussic acid, or chloroform, without the written prescription of a physi- 
cian, shall keep a record of the date of such sale, the article, the amount thereof 
sold, and the person to whom delivered; and for each neglect shall be fined not more 
than $100.00; whoever purchases such articles and gives a false name to the seller 
shall be fined not more than $50.00. 
Virginia.-§ 9, of the pharmacy act approved March 8, 1886, is as follows: 
§ 9. It shall not be lawful for any person who has authority to sell or dispense 
medicines or poison, under a penalty of $25.00 for each and every offense, from and 
after the passage of this act, except as provided herein, to retail any poisons enu- 
merated in Schedules A and B as follows, to-wit: 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipi 
tate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, strychnine and 
essential oil of bitter almonds. 
Schedule B. Aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, 
savin, ergot, cotton root, cantharides, cieosote, digitalis, and their pannaceutical 
preparations, croton oil, chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphate of zinc, carbolic acid, 19 
oxalic acid, preparations containing opium, except paregoric and other preparations 
of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce, and other deadly poisons, 
without distinctly labeling the bottle, box, vessel or paper in which said poison is 
contained, with the name of the article, the word "poison," and the name and place 
of business of the seller; nor shall it be lawful for any person to sell or deliver anv 
poison enumerated in said Schedules A and B, unless upon due inquiry it be found 
that the purchaser is aware of its poisonous nature, and represents that it is to be 
used for a legitimate purpose; nor shall it be lawful for any person to sell any poi- 
son in Schedule A, without, before delivering the same to the purchaser, causing an 
entry to be made in a book kept for that purpose, stating the date of the sale, the 
name and address of the purchaser,.the name and quantity of the poison sold, the 
purpose for which it is represented by the purchaser to be required, and the name of 
the dispenser; such book to be always open to public inspection. The provisions of 
this section shall not apply to the dispensing of poisons in usual doses on physicians' 
prescriptions, put up by registered pharmacist, or dispensed by the physician. 
An Act approved March i, 1886, requires that morphine and its preparations 
shall be sold only when enclosed in a scarlet wrapper and with a scarlet label with 
white letters on the bottle or package. The penalty is not less than $10.00 nor more 
than $50.00. 
Washington.-[Pharm. Law, app. March 9, 1891.] Every druggist shall 
keep in his place of business a registry book, in which shall be entered an accurate 
record of the sales of all mineral acids, carbolic acid, oxalic acid, hydrocyanic acid, 
cyanide of potassium, arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, red precipi- 
tate, preparations of opium (except paregoric), phosphorus, nux vomica and strych- 
nine, aconite, belladonna, hellebore, and their preparations; croton oil, oil savin, oil 
tansy, creosote, wines and spirituous malt liquors. Said record shall state amount 
purchased, the date, for what purpose used, the buyer's name and address, and said 
record shall at all times during business hours be subject to the inspection of the 
prosecuting attorney, or to any authorized agent of the board of pharmacy. No such 
wines, spirituous or malt liquors shall be sold for other than medical, scientific, me- 
chanical or sacramental purposes Also, all poisons shall be plainly labeled as such, 
and such labels shall also bear the name and address of the druggist selling the 
same. This law shall not apply to dispensing by physicians' prescriptions. 
West Virginia.-[Amended Pharm. Law, app. March 28, 1882.] No person 
shall sell any articles enumerated in Schedules A and B herewith, without labeling 
with device bearing the death's head and cross-bones, name of the article, the word 
" poison " and name and place of business of the seller; nor without being satisfied 
that the purchaser is aware of the poisonous character of the drug and that it is to be 
used for a legitimate purpose. All sales of poisons in Schedule A must be recorded 
in a book kept for that purpose, the entry stating the name and residence of the pur- 
chaser, name and quantity of the poison sold, the purpose for which purchaser repre- 
sents it is to be used and name of dispenser. This book must always be subject to 
the inspection of the proper authorities, and must be preserved for five years from 
date of last entry. It is also required that all drugs, poisons and preparations sold 
by any druggist must be labeled with the name of the article in English, or with com- 
mon name of the article. 
This law does not apply to the dispensing of drugs in not unusual quantities on 
physicians' prescriptions. 
Schedule A. Arsenic and its preparations, corrosive sublimate, white precipi- 
tate, red precipitate, biniodide of mercury, cyanide of potassium, hydrocyanic acid, 
strychnine and all other poisonous vegetable alkaloids and their salts, essential oil of 
bitter almonds, opium and its preparations, except paregoric and other preparations 
of opium containing less than two grains to the ounce. 
Schedule B. Aconite, belladonna, colchicum, conium, nux vomica, henbane, 
savin, ergot, cotton root, cantharides, creosote, digitalis, and their pharmaceutical 
preparations; croton oil, chloroform, chloral hydrate, sulphite of zinc, mineral acids, 
carbolic acid and oxalic acid. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $25 to $100. 
Wisconsin.-[Pharm. Law, § 12.] No person shall seller retail any poison 
commonly recognized as such, except paris green put up in packages and labeled 
"paris green, poison," and especially aconite, arsenic and its preparations, bella- 
donna, biniodide of mercury, carbolic acid, chloral hydrate, chloroform, conium, cor- 
rosive sublimate, creosote, croton oil, cyanide of potassium, digitalis, hydrocyanic 
acid, morphine, nux vomica, oil of savin, oil of tansy, oil of bitter almonds, oil of cloves, 
oxalic acid, opium and preparations of opium, phosphorus, sulphuric ether, strych- 20 
nine, sugar of lead, sulphate of zinc, white precipitate, or any mixture containing 
enough of any of said poisons, or of any combination of them, sufficient to kill a per- 
son taking the same, without affixing to the bottle, box, vessel or package containing 
the same, and to the wrapper or cover thereof, a label bearing the name " poison," 
distinctly shown, together with the name and place of business of the seller. And 
every person who shall sell or retail any such poison shall keep in his place of busi- 
ness a book, in which shall be entered an accurate record of the sale of all poisons; 
such record shall contain the amount purchased, the date, for what purpose pur- 
chased and the buyer's name and address. The record shall be at all times, during 
ordinary business hours, subject to the inspection of the district attorney of the 
county in which such store is located, or of any authorized agent of the board of 
pharmacy. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $5 to $50. 
Wyoming.-[Pharm. Law, § 13.] No person shall sell at retail any poisons 
commonly recognized as such, and especially aconite, arsenic belladonna, biniodide 
of mercury, carbolic acid, chloral hydrate, chloroform, conium, corrosive sublimate, 
creosote, croton oil, cyanide of potassium, digitalis, hydrocyanic acid, laudanum, 
morphine, mix vomica, oil of bitter almonds, opium, oxalic acid, strychnine, sugar of 
lead, sulphate of zinc, white precipitate, red precipitate, without affixing to the box, 
bottle, vessel or package containing the same, and to the wrapper or cover thereof, 
a wrapper bearing the name of the article and the word " poison," with the name and 
place of business of the seller; nor shall he deliver any of said poisons to any per- 
son under the age of fifteen years; nor deliver any of said poisons to any person 
without being satisfied that such poison is to be used for a legitimate purpose. This 
provision does not apply to the dispensing, on physicians' prescriptions, of any of the 
poisons or articles aforesaid. The seller of the poisons aforesaid, before delivery to 
the purchaser, shall make entry in a book kept for that purpose, stating the date of 
sale, the name and address of the purchaser, the name and quantity of the poison 
sold and the name of the dispenser; and such book shall always be open for inspec- 
tion by the proper authorities and shall be preserved for reference for at least two 
years. 
Violations are punishable by a fine of $10 for each offense. 
POISONS AND ANTIDOTE TREATMENT. 
The treatment of poisons ranges itself under two heads: the antidotal and the general. 
Antidotes are of two varieties: those which prevent the action of the poison on the system and 
those which counteract its effects. They are hence often divided into chemical antidotes, 
which form insoluble or innocuous compounds with the poisonous substance, and physiological, 
which antagonize its effects on the general system. Magnesia in the case of acid poisoning is 
a chemical antidote. Belladonna in opium poisoning is a physiological antidote. 
The relation which exists between poisons and their treatment is much obscured and the 
treatment rendered of little effect by the prevalent ideas about physiological antidotes for each 
poison. While there are marked differences between poisons belonging to the same class, 
they have often so much in common that, apart from the specific physiological antidote, the 
treatment is essentially the same. Often the poison has produced secondary effects by the 
time the sufferer comes under treatment; effects which the physiological antidote aids rather 
than antagonizes; furthermore, the dose of the poison not being known, the question of an- 
tagonizing its action by a single antidote involves too much time to determine the quantity of 
the physiological antidote. The treatment of the symptoms produced by the poisons and the 
prevention of its effects, are best attained by general treatment devoted to the class to which 
the poison belongs. The question of the classification of poison is hence the most important 
as a guide, since in the treatment of poisoning, time is the all-important element. 
Th° clarification herewith adopted is modeled on that of Mr. Dunn as modified by a special committee of the Michigan Pharmaceutical Association. It is simple, readily compre- 
hended, sufficiently comprehensive to embrace all varieties of poisoning, and yet containing 
directions as to treatment which can be readily followed by any intelligent person whom direc- 
tions as to specific physiological antidotes would only confuse, and thus endanger life. An- 
other recommendation is the fact that the simplicity of the groupings renders it readily applica- 
ble to labels, as will hereafter be referred to again. 
In a case of poisoning by unknown cause, if the patient present symptoms of stomach 
and gullet burning, such as would probably result from an acid, the treatment described for 
Group I should be employed. If there be some probability that the poison was a caustic 
alkali, the treatment given for poisons of Group IV should be adopted. In all other cases 
common salt and ground mustard in lukewarm water should be given in copious doses, and 
this should be followed by free doses of calcined magnesia, charcoal and hydrated iron oxide 
in equal parts. If the patient appear drowsy or snore loudly, tincture of capsicum in dram 
doses should be poured into the rectum. By this time the nature of the poison can be deter- 
mined. If the patient seem about to sink into collapse, ammonia well diluted with whiskey 
should be poured into the rectum. In case of bites of mad-dogs, snakes, spiders, scorpions, 
etc., tie the affected part tightly above the wound, cut out the affected part or cauterize with 
lunar caustic, carbolic acid, mineral acids, or the white hot iron. Internally give ammonia, 
tincture iodine, whiskey and quinine in large doses. Dissection wounds and human bites from 
drunkards, epileptics, idiots and lunatics, should be first washed with carbolized water and 
then cauterized with lunar caustic or the mineral acids. The stings of bees, insects, etc., 
should be washed with spirits of ammonia, then powdered with sodium bi-carbonate and 
stimulants given if necessary. Poison Ivy eruptions should be washed with carbolized oil. 
An alphabetical list of poisons is appended to the following groups to facilitate ready ref- 
erence to any poison and its treatment: 
21 
TOISONS. 
GROUP I. 
TREATMENT. 
Acids: Acetic (strong), Muriatic, Nitric, 
Nitro-muriatic, Sulphuric. 
Give no emetic. Give at once large 
draughts of water (or milk) with chalk, whit- 
ing, magnesia, or baking soda, or give strong 
soap suds, to neutralize acid; olive oil, white 
of egg, beaten up with water, and later, mu- 
cilaginous drinks of' flaxseed or slippery elm, 
are useful. Give laudanum (20 drops) if much 
pain. 
Carbolic Acid, Creosote, Resorcin 
GROUP 11. 
Promote vomiting with warm water con- 
taining baking soda, or cause it with mus- 
tard (a tablespoonful, stirred to a cream with 
water). Give white of egg, beaten up with 
water, or olive oil (a cup-ful); stimulants 
(whiskey, etc.) freely; warmth and friction to 
the extremities. 
Antimony and its salts, Cantharides and 
its preparations, Colchicum and its prepara- 
tions, Copper and its salts, (blue vitriol, ver- 
digris, etc.,) Elaterium, Iodine and its prepa- 
rations, Chromic acid and potassium bichro- 
mate, Croton oil, Savin oil, Tansy oil, Mer- 
cury and its salts, Zinc and its salts (white 
vitriol). 
GROUP HI. 
Give white of eggs (% dozen or more, raw) 
or flour, mixed with water. Promote vomit- 
ing with warm water containing baking soda, 
or cause it with mustard (a tablespoonful, 
stirred to a cream with water). Give strong 
tea or coffee, stimulants, if needed, laudanum 
(20 drops) if much pain; demulcent drinks of 
flaxseed or slippery elm. GROUP IV. 
22 
Caustic Alkalies (Potash, Soda, Ammo- 
nia, etc). 
POISONS. 
Promote vomiting by large draughts of 
warm water. Give vinegar or diluted lemon 
juice; olive oil, the whites of eggs, beaten up 
with water, gruel, or demulcent drinks of flax- 
seed or slippery elm; laudanum (20 drops), if 
much pain. 
TREATMENT. 
GROUP V. 
Alcohol, Benzin, Benzol, Camphor, Car- 
Oon bisulphide, Chloral hydrate, Chloroform, 
Prussic acid and its salts, (Mercury cyanide, 
Potassium cyanide, etc.,) Ether, Spts. Ether 
Co., Mirbane oil, Sulphurets. 
If necessary give emetic of mustard (a 
tablespoonful, stirred to a cream with water). 
Let patient have plenty of fresh air; maintain 
a horizontal position. Keep the body warm, 
but try to rouse the patient ammonia to 
nostrils, cold douche to the head, friction and 
mustard plasters to limbs, etc. Use artificial 
respiration. 
Cannabis Indica and its preparations, 
Opium, its alkaloids (Morphine, etc.), and 
their salts and its preparations, Coca and its 
preparations, Cocaine. 
GROUP VI. 
Give emetic (if necessary) of mustard (a 
tablespoonful, stirred to a cream with water), 
followed by large draughts of warm water. 
Then strong tea or coffee. Rectal injections 
of tincture of capsicum. Arouse the patient, 
and keep him awake and in motion. Keep 
up artificial respiration even after life seems 
to be extinct. 
GROUP VII. 
Aconite and its preparations, Aconitine 
and its salts, Cottonroot and its preparations, 
Digitalis and its preparations, Lobelia and its 
preparations, Tobacco and its preparations, 
Veratrum (album and viride), Veratrine and 
its salts. 
Give emetic of mustard (a tablespoonful, 
stirred to a cream with water), followed by 
large draughts of warm water. Give strong 
tea or coffee, with powdered charcoal; stimu- 
lants, (whiskey, etc.,) freely; warmth to the 
extremities; keep the patient in a horizontal 
position; use artificial respiration persistently. 
GROUP VIII. 
Belladonna and its preparations, Atropine 
and its salts, Calabar bean and its prepara- 
tions, Eserine and its salts, Conium (hemlock) 
and its preparations, Coniine and its salts, 
Gelsemium and its preparations, Hyoscyamus 
and its preparations, Jaborandi and its pre- 
parations, Pilocarpine and its salts, Santonine, 
Stavesacre seed, Stramonium (stinkweed) and 
its preparations. 
Give emetic of mustard (a tablespoonful, 
stirred to a cream with water), followed with 
large draughts of warm water; give strong 
tea or coffee, with powdered charcoal; stimu- 
lants (whiskey,etc.,) if necessary; rouse the pa- 
tient if drowsy; heat and friction to extremi- 
ties; artificial respiration. 
GROUP IX. 
Cocculus Indicus, Nux Vomica and its 
preparations, Strychnine and its salts. 
Give emetic ot mustard (a tablespoonful, 
stirred to a cream with water), followed by 
large draughts of warm water. Give pow- 
dered charcoal, iodide of starch, or tannin. 
To relieve spasms let patient inhale pure 
chloroform, or give chloral hydrate (25 grains) 
or potassium bromide. (% oz.) Lose no time. 23 
POISONS. 
GROUP X. 
TREATMENT. 
Arsenic and its compounds (Cobalt, Paris 
Green, etc.) 
Promote vomiting with warm water, or 
cause it with mustard (a tablespoonful, stirred 
to a cream with water). Procure at once from 
drug store, hydrated oxide of iron, and give a 
cupful of it (or mix a teaspoonful of calcined 
magnesia with a cup of water, add three tea- 
spoonfuls of tincture of iron, mix well and 
give the whole of it.) Follow with olive oil, or 
whites of eggs (raw) and mucilaginous drinks. 
Laudanum (20 drops) if much pain. 
GROUP XI. 
Oxalic acid and its soluble salts. 
Give chalk or whiting (a tablespoonful), 
or even air slacked lime (a teaspoonful in fine 
powder) mixed with two tablespoonfuls of 
vinegar (do not give soda or potash to neutral- 
ize the acid). Promote vomiting by large 
draughts of water, or cause it with mustard 
(a tablespoonful, stirred to a cream with 
water). Give olive oil and mucilaginous 
drinks; stimulants (whiskey, etc.,) and warmth 
to extremities. 
GROUP XII. 
Barium and its salts, Lead and its salts. 
Give Epsom salt (y£ oz.) or Glauber's salt 
(1 oz.) dissolved in a tumbler of water. Pro- 
mote vomiting by warm water, or cause it 
with mustard (a tablespoonful, stirred to a 
cream with water). Give milk, demulcent 
drinks of flaxseed or slippery elm, and lauda- 
num (20 drops) If much pain. 
GROUP XIII. 
Silver Nitrate (Lunar Caustic). 
Give common salt (a tablespoonful dis- 
solved in a tumbler of warm water); then an 
emetic of mustard (a tablespoonful stirred to 
a cream with water), followed by large 
draughts of warm water. Later, give gruel, 
arrow root, or demulcent drinks of flaxseed or 
slippery elm. 
GROUP XIV. 
Phosphorus Compounds (Rat Paste, etc.) 
Give an emetic of mustard (a tablespoon- 
ful stirred to a cream with water) or better, 
of blue vitriol, 3 grains every 5 minutes, until 
vomiting occurs. Give a teaspoonful of old, 
thick oil of turpentine; also, Epsom salt 
oz in a tumbler of water). Do not give oil, 
except the turpentine. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF POISONS. 
WITH MAXIMUM DOSES AND REFERENCES TO GROUPS INDICATING ANTIDOTE TREATMENT 
POISON. 
M AX P 
MUM 
DOSE. 
G ROUP 
POISON. 
M A X 1- 
MUM 
DOSE. 
GROUI 
Acid, Acetic (Strong). 
* 
I 
Benzin .. _ 
*x- 
V 
" " (Dil.) 
I ! 
Benzol 
•X- 
V 
Carbolic 
pt 
11 
Bitter Almond Oil ... .. 
i m 
V 
" Nitric 
/2 s1 
-X- 
I 
Bromal Hydrate 
20 gr 
V 
" " Dil. (3 to 16) 
40 m 
1 
Bromine 
2 gr 
HI 
" Nitro-muriatic 
* 
I 
Calabar Bean, Fluid Extract. 
3 m 
VI11 
" " " Dil. (4-16) 
20 m 
I 
" Solid Extract. 
X gr 
VIII 
" Oxalic 
1 gr 
XI 
Camphor 
10 gr 
V 
" 44 Salts Lime 
I PT 
XI 
" Bromat. ... 
6 gr 
V 
" Prussic 
•X- 
V 
Cannabis Indica, Ex. Solid.. 
X gr 
VI 
" " Dil. (1-50) .. 
4 m 
V 
" Tincture .. 
15 m 
VI 
4 4 4 4 Bitter Alm Oil 
I m 
v 
Cantharides, Tincture. _ 
20 m 
HI 
" " CherryLaure! W. 
1 dram 
V 
Carbon Bisulphide 
V 
" " Cyanide Merc.. 
% gr 
V 
Caustic, Alkalies 
♦ 
IV 
" " Cyanide Potass. 
% gr 
V 
" Ammonia 
IV 
4 4 4 4 Mirbane ()il 
* 
v 
' ' Eime 
IV 
" " W'd Cherry, fl.ex. 
60 m 
V 
" Potass 
'A* 
IV 
" " Wild Cherry, Sy. 
4 dram 
V 
" Soda 
IV 
" Sulphuric 
•X* 
[ 
Cherry Laurel Water 
i dram 
V 
" " Dil 
1 
Chloral Hydrate 
30 gr 
V 
'1 Tartaric . 
60 or 
ChloroIorm ..... 
2 dram 
V 
Aconite, Extract 
X gr 
VII 
" Chloride " Lime .... - 
# 
HI 
" " Fl. Ex. 
2 m 
VII 
Cobalt (Arsenical Fly Paper) 
# 
X 
44 Tincture 
r; m 
VII 
Cocaine and its salts 
X 
VI 
Aconitine and its salts 
VII 
Cocculus Ind. (Dried Berries) 
3 gr 
IX 
Alcohol 
4 dram 
V 
Conium, Fluid Extract 
5 m 
VIII 
X- 
IV 
" Solid Extract.. . . 
3 gr 
VIII 
" Sulphides, Potass, _ 
10 gr 
V 
" Tincture 
15 m 
VIII 
Soda 
10 gr 
V 
Copper and its salts 
Ammonia, Aqua.---- 
30 m 
IV 
" Ammoniated 
Yz gr 
III 
Antimony, and Pot. tartrate 
" Acetate (Verdigris).. 
1 gr 
III 
(Tartar Emetic) 
3 gr 
III 
" Aceto-Arsenite (Paris 
Antimony, Oxide 
3 gr 
III 
Green) 
■■ 
X 
Oxysulph. (Ker- 
" Sulphate(Blue Vitriol) 
Yz gr 
III 
mes Mineral),. 
3 gr 
III 
Corrosive Sublimate .. 
Y gr 
HI 
Sulphide 
20 gr 
HI 
Corn Smut (Ustilago Maidis) 
Arsenic and its compounds 
Fluid Extract .. . 
1 dram 
VII 
" Arsenious Acid, (Ar- 
Cotton Root, Fluid Extract. 
1 dram 
VII 
senic) 
-J-. PT 
X 
Creosote. . _ .. - 
2 m 
II 
" Bisulphide (Realgar) 
* 
Curara 
Y gr 
VIII 
" Tersulph (Orpiment 
•X- 
X 
Cyanide, Mercury 
Y» gr 
V 
" Bromide 
tXf pt 
V 
" Potass . 
% gr 
V 
" Cobalt 
Delphinium, Tincture.. . . 
10 m 
VIII 
" Donovan's Solution. 
10 m 
X 
Digitalis, Fluid Extract 
3 m 
VII 
Fowler's Solution 
10 m 
x 
" Solid Extract 
Y gr 
VII 
*1 
x 
' ' Tincture 
20 m 
VII 
* 
x 
Duboisine and salts 
■jj1;; gr 
VIII 
Atropine 
-V °T 
VIII 
Elaterium. .. 
Y gr 
III 
" Salicylate 
2 5 & 
A gr 
VIII 
Ergot, Extract 
12 gr 
VII 
4 4 Sulphate 
J. nr 
VIII 
" Fluid Extract 
20 m 
VII 
Barium and Salts 
I PT 
XII 
" Tincture ..... 
20 m 
VII 
Battey's Solution 
30 m 
VI 
Ether and Spts. Ether Co... 
2 dram 
V 
VI11 
Flake White - 
XII 
Extract Fluid., 
5 m 
VIII 
Fox Glove (See Digitalis).... 
VII 
Tincture 
30 m 
VIII 
Gamboge . - 
3 gr 
III 
*Are not used internally POISON. 
M A X I- 
MUM 
DOSE. 
GROUP 
POISON. 
M A X I- 
MUM 
DOSE. 
GROUI 
Gelsemium, Fluid Extract.. 
5 ni 
VIII 
Nightshade (Belladonna) ... 
VIII 
Tincture 
5 m 
VIII 
Nux Vomica, Extract 
% gr 
IX 
Goulard's Solution 
XII 
1 incture 
30 m 
IX 
Hellebore, White (Veratrum 
Opium, Gum . 
" Tincture 
2 gr 
VI 
Album). .. 
VII 
20 m 
VI 
Hellebore, Green (Veratrum 
" Vinegar 
20 m 
VI 
Viride) 
VII 
' ' Wine 
20 m 
VI 
Hemlock (Gonium) 
VIII 
" Paregoric (Children) 
20 m 
VI 
Henbane (Hyoscyamus) 
VIII 
Orpiment 
* 
X 
Hyoscyamus. Fluid Extract. 
20 m 
VIII 
Oil, Bitter Almonds 
1 m 
V 
Solid Extract 
1 gr 
VIII 
'1 Croton 
2 m 
III 
1 incture .. .. 
4-3 m 
VII ' 
" Cajeput 
5 *n 
III 
Hyocyamine 
Agr 
VIII 
" Camphor 
3 m 
V 
Hy oscine 
A gr 
VII1 
' ' Carui 
10 m 
III 
Iodine, 1 incture. 
io m 
III 
" Caryophylli 
5 -m 
III 
*' 1 incture Go. 
15 m 
III 
' ' Cassia 
8 m 
III 
Jaborandi, Extract 
3 gr 
VIII 
" Chenopodium _- - 
8 m 
III 
Fluid Extract 
30 ni 
VI11 
" Mirbane 
V 
" Jamestown " Weed (Strain- 
" Rue 
5 m 
III 
onium) 
VIII 
" Savin - 
5 m 
HI 
Kermes Mineral ... 
3 gr 
HI 
' ' '1 ansy 
5 m 
III 
Lead 
XII 
Paraldehyde 
35 gr 
V 
' ' Acetate (Sugar of Lead) 
3 gr 
XII 
Paris Green 
-X- 
x 
" Carbonate(White Lead) 
XII 
Phosphorus (Rat Paste) . . 
XIV 
" Oxide (Litharge) 
XII 
Pilocarpine and its salts 
% gr 
VIII 
" Subacetate Solution 
Pot. Bichromate and Chromic 
(Goulard's) 
* 
XII 
Acid 
/+ gr 
III 
Labarraque's Solution . 
Lime, " Chloride of " . 
III 
Realgar 
"A" 
x 
HI 
Red Precipitate 
% gr 
III 
Lime, Unslacked 
* 
IV 
Resorcin 
5 Jr 
II 
Litharge 
-T 
XII 
' ' Rough on Rats " 
X 
Lobelia, 1 incture 
I dram 
VII 
Rue Oil 
5 m 
III 
Lunar Caustic 
I gr 
XIII 
Santonin - 
6 gr 
VIII 
Magendie's Solution 
15 m 
VI 
Silver Nitrate 
1 gr 
XIII 
Mercury Salts 
" Ammoniated( White 
III 
Stavesacre (Delphinium) 
VIII 
Strychnine 
A gr 
LX 
Precipitate) 
* 
III 
Sugar ol Lead (Plumb. Acet) 
3 gr 
XII 
" Bichloride (Corro- 
Sulphides, Alkaline - 
V 
sive Sublimate) 
% gr 
III 
Tartar Emetic 
3 gr 
III 
Cyanide 
% gr 
V 
Tobacco 
VII 
Green Iodide (Mer- 
Urethan 
US gr 
V 
curous Iodide).. 
3 gr 
III 
Ustilago Maidis, Ex. Fl. 
1 dram 
VII 
" Red Iodide (Mer- 
Veratrine and.its salts 
A gr 
VII 
curie Iodide). 
% gr 
III 
Veratrum Album, Tincture. 
10 m 
VII 
" Red Oxide (Red 
Veratrum Viride, Tincture . _ 
10 m 
VII 
Precipitate). 
% gr 
HI 
Vermillion - ... 
* 
HI 
Red Sulphide (Ver- 
Vitriol, Blue (Copper Sulph.) 
10 gr 
111 
million) 
•X- 
HI 
" Green (Iron Sulph.). 
3 gr 
111 
" Yellow Oxide (Mer- 
" White (Zinc Sulph.) 
10 gr 
HI 
curie Oxide) 
% gr 
111 
White Lead ... 
XII 
V e 11 o w Sulphate 
White Precipitate . . 
HI 
(Turpeth Min).. 
2 gr 
HI 
Wild Cherry Fluid Extract 
6) m 
V 
Misbane Oil (Nitro-benzol).. 
V 
" " Syrup 
4 dram 
V 
Monk's Hood (Aconite) 
VII 
Zinc and its salts 
III 
Morphine and its salts 
X gr 
VII 
" Chloride . . 
2 gr 
III 
Nicotine 
A gr 
VI 
" Sulphate (White Vitriol) 
10 gr 
HI 
25 
♦Are not used internally 
Doses as above (for adults) are those given by standard authorities, and are not to be ex- 
ceeded or repeated, unless specifically directed by the physician. Their chief purpose is to 
indicate the limit of safety. 
Doses for children may be obtained by the familiar rule: Divide the age by the age in 
creased by 12, and multiply the adult dose by the Quotient. 26 
POISON LABELS. 
The system of poison groups presented in these pages, provides a means of labeling 
poison packages in a manner affording not only the usual safeguards against accidents through 
the " poison " warning, but, what is not infrequently of vital importance, a ready method is 
also afforded for including in the label the proper antidote treatment. This is one of the 
prime advantages of the groupings, which have been arranged with this object specifically in 
view, and the treatment so worded as to be readily comprehended by the general public. A 
case of poisoning usually demands instant treatment; to await medical aid may prove fatal to 
the patient; the system of labels here presented provides the public with the requisite infor- 
mation with each sale. Following is the form of label recommended, all being printed except- 
ing the name of the poison, which is to be written in the blank as sales are made, (or in the 
case of an extensive business, the space may be left open to be filled by a strip label); 
(Group 1.) 
Name of Poison [to be written.] 
poisonT 
ANTIDOTE.-[Printed.] 
Name and Address of Druggist [Printed.] 
It wiil be seen that but fourteen kinds of labels are required corresponding to the four- 
teen groups. 
THE KEEPING OF POISONS. 
The manner of keeping of poisons has naturally been the cause of great diversity of 
opinion. It has been claimed that poisons should be kept in a special poison closet under 
lock and key, systematically arranged in such a way as to ensure rapidity in dispensing and 
hence also promote accuracy. In opposition to this plan it is justly urged that a systematic 
arrangement of poisons leads to mechanical dispensing by reason of the rapidity and ease 
with which poisons can thus be dispensed and is consequently a fruitful source of acci- 
dent. 
It is therefore suggested that the proper method of keeping poisons would be in a drawer 
or otherwise without definite arrangement; in other words the poison closet should be kept in 
a condition of chaos. While this system of keeping poisons has a decidedly slovenly aspect, 
and hence has been much opposed and even ridiculed, yet it must be admitted that it has a 
good metaphysical basis. Poison errors on the part of pharmacists, have resulted in the ma- 
jority of reported cases from pre-occupation on the part of the druggist and consequent me- 
chanical dispensing. Anything which rouses the druggist from his pre-occupation prevents 
mechanical dispensing by enforcing his attention to his immediate duties. Systematic ar- 
rangement of poisons aids the pre-occupied druggist in mechanically dispensing by the ease 
with which he obtains the drugs. Confusion compels him to think upcn the prescription and 
because of the difficulty with which its ingredients are found. Such are the ar- 
guments advised in favor of the two systems. The reader who has in mind the object of 
poison-closet arrangement-prevention of poison errors, not rapidity in dispensing-can judge 
which of the two is best adapted to ensure this object. "UNIVERSAL'" 
REGISTER. 
.. ■ A-i- 1 i 
By Whom.Sold. 
(Initials). 
PURPOSE REPRESENTED.. 
To Whom Delivered. 
Name of Witness, Etc. FOI8OJST 
■THE 
Date. 
NAME OF PURCHASER. 
ADDRESS OF PURCHASER. 
Also age, sex, color (if required). 
KIND. 
QUANTITY