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Cocaine for the eyes of firemen

firemenAChicago Tribune, June 24, 1897. That is the single greatest headline in the history of journalism. I’m going to start writing poetry just so I can use that as a title for my first collection.

7 Comments

  1. cocaine is still legal and the the no. 1 local anesthetic of choice in numerous eye surgeries. i’m sure the story is probably correct. don’t believe the authorities… believe the facts.

    • I did not know that. Interesting.

    • The story is no doubt correct, just as laudanum was used to keep babies calm. Since laudanum is tincture of opium, no doubt it did – although you would have to gradually increase the dose.

      Oh, and a little sip of mercury will cure that constipation, too.

      Just because it works doesn’t mean it’s a good idea…

  2. It probably just temporarily numbed their eyeballs.

    • But what about the long-term threat of retinal cancer?

  3. Would a crowd today be saved from panic by a group singing of “America” or any other song? I think they would expect to exit the building next to the fire in an orderly fashion.

    • Anything’s possible when you’re coked up to the eyeballs.


2 Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. By Links for 06/09/2009 | Errata & Ephemera on 10 Jun 2009 at 6:03 pm

    […] Cocaine for the eyes of firemen « The Hope Chest I can only agree with the blog author: “Chicago Tribune, June 24, 1897. That is the single greatest headline in the history of journalism. I’m going to start writing poetry just so I can use that as a title for my first collection.” (tags: chicago cocaine history firefighting) […]

  2. By Head games « The Hope Chest on 21 Jun 2009 at 11:46 am

    […] in Narcotics Chicago Tribune, 26, 1867. This would qualify cocaine as a double boon for balding firemen. « A story […]

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