Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1898 — A NEW NARCOTIC. [ARTICLE]

A NEW NARCOTIC.

t la Now Being Used in Mexican Insane Asylnms. A new narcotic Is being used In Mexican asylums for the insane., The principal of one of these institutions became much concerned at the large number of deaths among the Inmates, caused by congestion of the brain, following the excessive use of narcotics administered to the women to overcome the insomnia which Is the frequent accompaniment of insanity. He therefore requested Dr. Altimirano, principal of the National Medical Institute, to try to discover a narcotic which would produce all the good results without incurring any danger. Dr. Altimirano at once answered that he had already such a narcotic, ft consists of an extract prepared by secret process from the seeds of the white zapote. The dose for the insane is from 50 to 60 centigrams, administered all at once. In from half an hour to an hour the patient falls Into a quiet and refreshing sleep. When given to hysterical women this antidote has remarkably soothing effects. It is a specific for calming the nervous system during the periods of excitement which are frequent both In the case of hysterical and Insane women. For hysterical women the dose is 10 centigrams, mixed with 30 centigrams of bromide, potassium. or camphor, administered every half hour, until the hysterical symptoms are brought under thorough control.