Bromo caffeine: Could CAFFEINE soothe one's nerves?

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ddnoe@bellsouth.net - 23 Sep 2007 15:11 GMT

In the aftermath of the murders of Abby and Andrew Borden, Dr. Seabury
Bowen gave Lizzie Borden bromo caffeine in order to calm her down.
Regardless of whether she did it or not, Dr. Bowen testified that she
appeared greatly distressed.
Caffeine is a stimulant. How could something with caffeine be
expected to CALM someone?
Thanks to anyone who helps.

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bae@cs.toronto.no-uce.edu - 23 Sep 2007 20:36 GMT

>In the aftermath of the murders of Abby and Andrew Borden, Dr. Seabury
>Bowen gave Lizzie Borden bromo caffeine in order to calm her down.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>expected to CALM someone?
> Thanks to anyone who helps.

Bromides are sedatives, and were widely used before more modern drugs
became available. "Bromo caffeine" might have been a mixture containing
both bromides and caffeine. Possible the caffeine was in there to
prevent dangerous overdoses, or to elevate mood. Or this may have been
one of the patent medicines of the time with undisclosed ingredients
far more powerful than indicated by the name, very common in those
unregulated days. A lot of them contained opiates, strychnine, cocaine
or remarkable amounts of alcohol.

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ddnoe@bellsouth.net - 25 Sep 2007 01:03 GMT

On Sep 23, 3:36 pm, b...@cs.toronto.no-uce.edu wrote:

> In article <1190556695.711550.203...@57g2000hsv.googlegroups.com>,
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> unregulated days. A lot of them contained opiates, strychnine, cocaine
> or remarkable amounts of alcohol.

(Denise) Thank you for your answer. May I quote you for publication?
If so, how should I identify you? I need both a name -- although that
can be truncated or pseudonymous -- and an occupation.

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bae@cs.toronto.no-uce.edu - 25 Sep 2007 02:53 GMT

>On Sep 23, 3:36 pm, b...@cs.toronto.no-uce.edu wrote:
>> In article <1190556695.711550.203...@57g2000hsv.googlegroups.com>,
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>If so, how should I identify you? I need both a name -- although that
>can be truncated or pseudonymous -- and an occupation.

I'm a computer systems jock, a dilettante in biomedical issues. Any
information or opinions I post here are of no professional value or
credibility.

If you do a little research on 19th century medicine and pharmacology
you'll probably find something more credible to quote.

Good luck with your article.

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