We take a look at something from the medicine cabinet of Fannie Delord Webb Hall in today’s Artifact Corner!
www.kentdelordhouse.org/
Hi Everyone, and welcome back to another artifact corner. Today we will be looking at a box found in Fannie Delord Webb Hall’s medicine collection. This box is clearly labeled as a poison, and contained strychnine, so why was it included in Fannie’s collection of medicines? And what exactly is strychnine?
Is this little blue box dangerous? Should I even be handling it? Let’s learn a bit more about strychnine, and why it was used in Victorian medicine.
According to the CDC Strychnine is a white, odorless, bitter crystalline powder that can be taken by mouth, inhaled (breathed in), or mixed in a solution and given intravenously (injected directly into a vein). The primary natural source of strychnine is the plant Strychnos nux-vomica. This plant is found in southern Asia (India, Sri Lanka, and the East Indies) and Australia. Strychnine prevents the proper operation of the chemical that controls nerve signals to the muscles. The chemical controlling nerve signals works like the body’s “off switch” for muscles. When this “off switch” does not work correctly, muscles throughout the body have severe, painful spasms. Even though the person’s consciousness or thinking are not affected at first (except that the person is very excitable and in pain), eventually the muscles tire and the person can’t breathe. So why on earth was this very deadly poison being used to treat people in the Victorian period?
The pharmacopeia’s of the time carried a warning to say that strychnine should be prescribed and administered with the greatest caution. Indeed, many instances of death are on record as a result of careless dispensing or administration. One of the most common uses for strychnine in Victorian medicine was for patients with paralysis. The strychnine was mixed with a tiny quantity of dilute sulphuric acid and up to fifty parts glycerin before being rubbed over the limb(s) or down the spinal cord. This would heighten the sensitivity of the nerves to stimulation. It was also used for people with visual problems. In its liquid form, strychnine was used as eye drops to produce contraction of the pupil and induce muscle accommodation. In patients with loss of vision, it was injected directly into the eye to induce muscle contraction.
Our box clearly states that this was in pill form. The strychnine was being used for medical purposes, not as a poison for pests like rats. So, Fannie must have used this to treat some of her patients. Now, let me just stress how dangerous strychnine is. Please do not handle anything that states that it contains strychnine. All of our bottles and boxes have had the dangerous substances removed. So, it is safe for me to be handling this box. The box is in good condition, and is a good reminder of how scary Victorian medicine can be. Thanks so much for stopping by!
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