Pocket Inhalers
„The Inspirator“. Pocket inhaler from the USA. DARLING‘S HEMLOCK INHALER. Printed on the packaging: „Place the small end of the Inhaler in the Nostril and take deep inhalations; then exhale slowly through the mouth. Occasionally reverse the inhaler, drawing through the mouth and exhale through the nose. Repeat this as often as you wish as no harm will result even if used daily.” In the package insert is written among others: „DARLING‘S HEMLOCK INHALER: A necessary ally with darling oil for the successful treatment of catarrh of the head, throat and bron....“ HEMLOCK INHALER with DAR-LING-OIL, both products of „Hemlock Oil Company, Derry, New Hampshire. Printed on the packaging of the bottle: „DAR-LING-OIL THEGREAT TREATMENT for Headache, Toothache, Earache, Coughs, Grippe, Colds, Catarrh, Sore Throat, Croup, Hoarseness, Bronchitis, Asthma, Catarrhal Deafness, Influenza, Asthma, Neuralgia, Sciatica, Lumbago, Stiffness, Backache, Gout and Rheumatism“. Hemlock (e.g. Conium maculatum) is among the most poisonous native plant species. Its active component, which is present in all its parts, is alkoloid Coniin, which is deadly for adults in a dose of 0.5 to 1g. The toxin concentrated in unripe fruit is especially strong. It especially influences the nervous system. The poisoning causes nausea, loss of speech or the ability to swallow and muscle cramps until eventually death occurs through apnoea. Poisoning can occur above all when hemlock is mistaken for similar looking umbellifers such as cow parsely or parsely. The strong, mousy smell, the split leaves and reddish spots on the streaked stem are, however, clear distinguishing features. Socrate died of hemlock poisoning. (From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium). However, it is improbable that an umbellifer was used as the basis for DAR-LING-OIL. Canadian hemlock is possibly the plant which provided the essential substances. The only thing it has in common with hemlock is its name. The two devices on the left can be unscrewed and served as bottles for smelling salt. On the right the HEMLOCK INHALER with the unscrewed perforated (not visible) bottom covered with foamed material on which the DAR-LING-OIL was sprinkled. The absorbed air streams through the soaked foam and „the vapours pass through your nostrils, penetrate to your eye, ear, forehead, temples, and into the throat, bronchial tubes & lungs“.
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