Mickey Finn

 

                                                                             Poisons

                                                                      Mickey Finn

                                                                        Mickey Finn

A Mickey Finn refers to a surreptitiously drugged alcoholic beverage administered to someone without their knowledge. The term, synonymous with “slipping a mickey,” originated from the actions of Michael “Mickey” Finn, a late 19th-century Chicago bartender and pickpocket.

Herbert Asbury provided the initial widely recognized account of Mickey Finn in his 1940 publication, “Gem of the Prairie: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld.” Asbury drew upon Chicago newspapers and the 1903 court testimony of “Gold Tooth” Mary Thornton, a Lone Star prostitute, as his references. Mickey Finn, before becoming a saloon owner, gained notoriety as a pickpocket and thief, frequently targeting inebriated patrons at bars.

Chloral hydrate, a sedative-hypnotic drug, was Finn’s weapon of choice, rendering victims unresponsive and with no memory of the events. Although the restaurant closed in 1903, over a decade later, more than 100 waiters were arrested for distributing “Mickey Finn powder,” a concoction of antimony and potassium tartrate. He even promoted a mysterious “Mickey Finn special” without disclosing its contents.

The term and its association with drink tampering endured, finding mentions in various cultural contexts, including literature, music, and slang. 

Today, a “Mickey Finn” remains synonymous with drugging someone’s drink for malicious purposes, often leading to robbery or sexual assault.

While chloral hydrate is still used medically, its reputation as a date-rape drug persists. Additionally, newer psychoactive substances, typically depressants, have emerged for illicit use, causing sedation and, when combined with alcohol, heightened risk.

Notable among these substances are flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), colloquially known as “roofies,” with a quick onset, prolonged effects, and challenges in detection. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), another tasteless and odorless depressant, can be easily added to drinks, affecting inhibition, senses, and potentially facilitating sexual assault. Ketamine, used medically as a sedative, can induce dissociation and impair muscle function.

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