The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-08-12

Asthe use OF tbs irug IS irarlully on the in
crease among us, ospccially-a we are cred
IDLY iniormcd-among the female portion Of
our population, Il lcw remarks on the sub.
Jcct at this time, may be the means Of pre-
venting some mistaken beings from becoming
slaves to such an injurious vice.
We suppose that great number Of those
who have become habtual users Of opium,
have first taken it either for the purpose OF
Iu.Ilng pain or producing sleep, but perhaps
the great majority OF those who partakc Oft
regularly, have become SO from some crav-
ing desire, Ike that which leads to hab!tual
tobacco chewing and smoking. IS mcdi.
cine It isa blessing, in its proper place, and
the great John Hunter NJ. D.. thanked God
for permitting such an antidotc to the suf-
icrings OF mankind But when used for no
nccessitous purpose, and taken habitually,
it prostratcs the finest faculties Of mind and
body, and instead Of producing the pleas
urablc sensations attendant on its earliest
use, it acts as horrible demon distortiug
the Imagination and bringing down the
strong and powerful to the most mbccile
conditions Oi.lic. Mr.. Madden, in his travels
IN Turkey, speaks Of the practice as cX-
tremcly injurious TO the eaters. They lose
their appetites, become feeble aad trcmu.
louS, and perfectly miserable unless when
indulging in the vice. Dr. Oppcnhcim. Of
Germany, says oithc opium eater, 'hc is in
Stantly recognized by his appearance, such
g. a total attenuation Of body, Il WitAcrud
yellow couu'unancc, u lame gait, bending
Of the spine, and g!as y dccp--unkcn eyes
The eminent poet Cocrilgc, who formed the
habit OF induIging in this drug in liquid
state, Was perhaps the worst opium drink
cr that ever lived, and much Jill he suffer in
consequence. For ten years, he says, my
anguish has been indcscribablc Conceive a
has been atiemPuusS|ss-h" Ga" n!,any D..ars
-, - --e,, e. .he same vice that Ie-
produces it, In short conceive what is most
wretchcd, helpless, and hopeless, you viii
form a tocrajlc notion Of my state This IS
the confession ofa man possessing one ol the
finest minds that ever was cgCaSud in an
earthly tabernacle lie WAS s-duccd into
the habit through ignorance, hy employing
it externally and internally, 10 allay pain
from a swelling Of the knees. and so strongly
did the demon coil itself round lis nature,
that he som times drank two qumtS oI iaU-
danum in a week. and wished himself, in
one Of his sober moments, in mad house,
where he could not procure it.
There are, no doubt, many cases on re-
cord in which the effect Of the hatitual use
of opium does uotappgar 10 have cXgrtcd a
dclcterious influence on health and longevity,
but the question ariSc', would these per
sons not have enjoyed better health and
lived through more years II they never had
/ INDUCED in such habit: AS a general rule
| experience would return an affirmative an
| swer DR.. Christsson mentions the case OF
/ an old woman who died ut the age Of eighty
years, and who had taken half an ounce y!
! laudanum every day forty years, and enjoy
ed tolerably good health all the time but
for one case like this, an hundred could be
produced whose experience might be writ
ten down in three words, aHJaiSh and pre-
| mature death.
Every person should be fcarfully watchfu
Of forming any pernicious habit. Man il
fcariully and wonderfully made, and in nC
respect does ho SO much demonizc his man
hood and bru,ify his mind, as in the habit
ual indulgence Of such a drug as the on,
which forms the subject ofthesc remarks
As il is very seductive in its influence, LET
no one who reads these lines tmper Will
sucha hurtrul and doiusiUc agent, in tht
hope OF being able, after indulging in it.
use for some time, to stop, at any moment
The habit once formed, becomes strong az
triplc bars of steel, and it icttcrs the .juds
mCnt, the reason and the health to the iloo
of darlsomc channr.-hOuSc. iti
Il lMCrtCUR.