Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US drugs) cocaine; orig. a proprietary mix of snuff and cocaine, designed as a catarrh medicine and inhaled through a glass and rubber tube.

1933		C.W. Willemse Cop Remembers 125: ‘Burny’ was a mixture of snuff and cocaine and the addict carried a piece of rubber hose through which he sniffed the stuff by placing one end in his nose and the other in his mouth, blowing the dope as far as possible up the nose.
1934		Charleston (WV) Daily Mail 31 July 6/8: ‘Burny’ is powdered cocaine which is inhaled by the addict who wants to go on a ‘sleigh ride’.