It's poison! I tell you, it's poison!

It's a Wonderful Life is a great Christmas movie.  Released in 1947 it was nominated for multiple Academy Awards.  It is must see entertainment for this time of the year. 

Of course this is my favorite scene...

GOWER
What kind of tricks are you playing, anyway? Why didn’t you deliver them right away? Don’t you know that boy’s very sick?

GEORGE (in tears)
You’re hurting my sore ear.

INT. FRONT ROOM DRUGSTORE – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

Mary is still seated at the soda fountain. Each time she hears George being slapped, she winces.

INT. BACK ROOM DRUGSTORE – DAY

CLOSE SHOT – GEORGE AND GOWER

GOWER
You lazy loafer!

GEORGE (sobbing)
Mr. Gower, you don’t know what you’re doing. You put something
wrong in those capsules. I know you’re unhappy. You got that
telegram, and you’re upset. You put something bad in those capsules. It
wasn’t your fault, Mr. Gower . . .

George pulls the little box out of his pocket. Gower savagely
rips it away from him, breathing heavily, staring at the boy
venomously.

GEORGE
Just look and see what you did. Look at the bottle you took the
powder from. It’s poison! I tell you, it’s poison! I know you
feel bad . . . and .. .

George falters off, cupping his aching ear with a hand. Gower looks at the large brown bottle which has not been replaced on the shelf. He tears open the package, shakes the powder out of one of the capsules, cautiously tastes it, then abruptly throws the whole mess to the table and turns to look at George again. The boy is whimpering, hurt, frightened. Gower steps toward him.

GEORGE 
Don’t hurt my sore ear again.

But this time Gower sweeps the boy to him in a hug and, sobbing
hoarsely, crushes the boy in his embrace. George is crying too.

GOWER
No . . . No . . . No. . .

GEORGE
Don’t hurt my ear again!

GOWER (sobbing)
Oh, George, George . . .

GEORGE
Mr. Gower, I won’t ever tell anyone. I know what you’re feeling.
I won’t ever tell a soul. Hope to die, I won’t.

GOWER
Oh, George.

That scenes holds the two most important ingredients for greatness:  a pharmacist and poison.  Certainly, like me, you are thinking; I wonder what the poison was?  Thinking time frame and patient the list is endless.  The time is mid to late 30's. The drug is a powder.  The medication is intended for a child.  Plus it sounds like an emergency.  Was the child feverish, stomach problems, in pain, difficulty waking him up?  What could the poison be?

Mt first though was that the boy ate a barbiturate or an opiate and was sleepy.  Treatment at the time was something to get him up, nicotine, strychnine or cocaine.  All have odd tastes.  Maybe the boy broke his leg and was getting tincture of opium or laudanum.  Opium is very bitter tasting.  It could be that the child was intended to get a liquid and Mr. Gower made capsules.  The easiest answer if that he put too much aspirin in a capsule to treat a fever.  Instead of a child's low dose he made an adult dose. My guess, after much speculation - belladonna.  It would be in a bottle likely marked poison.  It would be used for stomach ailments, even colic in babies.  In a large dose it would be harmful.  Plus it tastes extremely bitter.    

Thankfully George Bailey saved the baby and Mr. Gower the pharmacist. 

Merry Christmas and remember....  "every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings."