Inside the

Doctor’s Bag
1920s

by

Miguel Garcia
Chloral Hydrate
Onset: 30-60 minutes Amount: 10x doses
Duration: 4-9 hours qqqqqqqqqq

Chloral Hydrate is better known as the chemical ingredient of a "Mickey

Finn." It is a (relatively) fast acting sedative, administered orally as a
sleeping drug. An excessive dose is dangerous; alcohol and other sedatives
or narcotics might exacerbate its effects. This is probably the best thing to
use if the investigators are going to be drugged by cultists (or vice-versa). It
tastes bad, so it will be noticeable if administered covertly (ie via drugged
food or drink) although a strongly flavored medium would probably disguise
the taste.

Codeine
Onset: 30-60 minutes Amount: 20x doses
Duration: 4-6 hours qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq

Codeine is a partially synthetic narcotic, injected as an analgesic (or pain killer).

It is not as powerful as other opiates such as morphine or heroin, but still habit-
forming if taken for a long time. It would be used to control light or moderate
pain, rather than severe pain such as surgery.

Epinephrine (Adrenalin)
Onset: 5 minutes
Amount: 10x doses
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Duration: up to 4 hours

Epinephrine (better known as adrenalin) is a fast

acting injected drug, primarily used to counteract
cardiac arrest (heart attacks) (10 doses). It is also
usedto slow bleeding during surgery (5 doses), as it
Constricts blood vessels. It is also administered in
combination with other drugs to prolong (2 doses) their effects.

Morphine
Onset: within 1 hour Amount: 10x doses
Duration: 4 hours qqqqqqqqqq

Morphine is a narcotic analgesic derived from opium. It is used to control

severe pain, such as surgery. It may be injected or taken orally.
Overdoses are dangerous, and morphine is addictive if taken for long periods.
 Phenobarbitol
Onset: 30-60 min. orally, presumably faster if injected.
Amount: 10x doses.
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Duration: 24-48 hours

Phenobarbitol is a barbiturate, and therefore has a marked sedative

effect, but it's principal use is in controlling epileptic seizures (5 doses),
as it suppresses electrical activity in the brain. It may be injected or
taken orally. It is dangerous in high doses.

Procaine
Onset: 10-15 minutes Amount: 20x doses
Duration 40-60 minutes qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq

Procaine is better known by it's brand name, Novocaine. It is used as a local

anaesthetic during surgery or dental procedures. It is injected, often in
combination with epinephrine to prolong it's effect. If you've ever had a tooth
drilled, this is probably what the dentist injected you with beforehand.

Quinine
Onset: 1-2 days Amount: 10x doses
Duration: 7 days qqqqqqqqq

Quinine is the only antimalarial drug available in the 1920s, and is therefore
an essential part of an investigators kit if one is traveling in malaria-infested
territory. It may be taken orally or injected, and is taken as a preventative
against malarial infection (2x doses). At the high doses (5 doses) used to treat
malaria, quinine causes ringing ears, headaches, nausea, and blurred vision. It
commonly takes effect against the malaria in 1-2 days.
Arsphenamine
Preparation: 15 minutes Amount: 5x doses
Duration: See text qqqqq

A modern cure for syphilis. Also called by the trade name ‘Salvarsan’ and sometimes
‘606’ (because it was the sixth in the sixth group of compounds synthesized for
testing). First used in 1910, it is distributed as a yellow, crystalline powder that is
highly unstable in air. It is complicated to administer and as such is still not in
widespread use. The drug must be dissolved in several hundred milliliters of
distilled, sterile water with minimal exposure to air to produce a solution suitable for
injection. Preparation will take 15 minutes. The doctor rolls their medicine skill
(HARD) to prepare the Arsphenamine successfully. To determine if the treatment is
successful, a further medicine skill roll is made to which is added the patient’s CON
(EXTREME). Failure will mean another treatment in a week. HARD failure will
result in a side effect of rashes (-2D10 APP for 1d10 days); while an EXTREME
failure may cause liver damage (2d6) and hospitalisation, and further EXTREME
failure will occasion a loss of limb through blood poisoning. A third EXTREME
failure will result in death. A more soluble (but slightly less effective) arsenical
compound, Neosalvarsan (neoarsphenamine), is easier to prepare and has less
severe side-effects (Failure results in vomiting and diarrhoea -1D10 CON). Both
Salvarsan and Neosalvarsan have to be stored in sealed vials inside another jar
filled with nitrogen to prevent oxidation. These arsenical compounds are supplanted
as treatments for syphilis in the 1940s by penicillin.

Tryarylmethane
Application: Topical Amount: 20x doses
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Dosage: Daily qqqqqqqqqq

Also known as Crystal or Gentian Violet, it has antibacterial, antifungal,

antitumor and anthelmintic (anti-parasitic) properties and is a topical
antiseptic. It is also used for the treatment of burns. It has similar uses in
the veterinary sciences, especially skin and eye infections. Assume one dose
per wound inflicted. The non-use of this or any other antibacterial agent in
any wound may lead to infection and sepsis (blood poisoning, gangrene). A
CON check per wound should be made per separate wound if this
treatment is NOT made. More difficult rolls can be instituted depending on
circumstance. Failure will result in an additional HP damage per wound
per day until loss of half HP after which fever claims the victim till a
successful MEDICINE roll (HARD). Failure of this roll may result in the
need for amputation if wound is on a limb (Keeper’s choice – MEDICINE
roll [HARD]). If this roll is failed one more roll may be made (MEDICINE
roll [EXTREME]). Failure results in death.
Gauze & Bandages:
Enough for 20 hp.
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Cotton:
Enough for 20 hp.
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Surgical Needle & Thread:

Enough for 20 hp. qqqqqqqqqq
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Sphygmomanometer:
Used for taking blood pressure.
Stethoscope:
Device for listening to the internal
sounds of a human or animal body.

Clinical thermometer:
Used for measuring internal
Temperature of a human or
Animal body.

Auriscope:
A tool for looking into the human
or animal ear.

Opthalmoscope:
A device for looking into the structure of
a human or animal eye during a medical check.

Tongue depressor:
Used to depress the tongue to allow for
examination of the mouth and throat.
.
Examination flashlight:
Small, portable light used to illuminate the
Eyes, ears, nose, mouth etc for examination.

Plessor:
Used for chest percussion and to test deep tendon
reflexes. Reflexes testing is an important part of
the neurological physical examination of the central
or peripheral nervous system.

Syringe Set:
Syringe and needles kept in a
Leather, spirit-proof case.

Ethyl Chloride spray:

Used for local anaesthesia.

Fine Medical Tool set:

Scalpels, tweezers, probes, and
fine needle forceps in a sturdy
wooden case.
Catheters:
Devices that can be inserted in the body
to treat diseases or perform a surgical
procedure. Catheters can be used for
cardiovascular, urological,
gastrointestinal, neurovascular, and
ophthalmic applications.

Stoppered Test-tubes:
4x cork-stoppered glass test tubes
For storing specimens and blood.

Obstetrical forceps:
Essential for use in the delivery of
babies.
Chloroform dropper bottle:
One of the most popular forms of.
general anaesthetic available.
Amount: 20x doses.
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Soap:
A fresh cake of any of the numerous
Commercial brands of soap.

Safety pins:
Used for securing bandages, pinning back.
Clothes or, in extremis, as jury-rigged
Stitches.