Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-03-05
Horrors of Opium Eating.

We have already published despatch
announcing the suicide of the Rev. q. w.
Brush, of Delaware, Ohio, a highly res
pected minister of that place. In the last
number of the Delaware Gazette we find a
long communication from his physician,
DR.. l.. Barnes, of Delaware, giving a full
and detailed statement OF the cause Of Nr.
Brush's insanity. The deceased went TO
DR.. Barnes in November, 1866, stating that
he was in The habit Of taking morphine,
desired 10 leave it OFF, and wished profes
sional assistance against the effects which
would follow. He had undertaken this
before and became so prostrated by an un-
controllable disrrbca that it was thought
best to desist. He considered the habit SO
degrading, however, that he could not, and
must not, continue 10 indulge il. 1t had
been fixed upon him, he said by the ad
ministratien of physicians who had pro-
scribed the drug for his tendency TO diar
rhea, and for a latent cancer Of the tongue,
until lie found himself wlthir the terrible
grip ef lis habitual use. He was deter
mined cow to- diminish the quantity, rapidly.
and soon dispense with it altogether. He
proceeded thus few days, when some un
expected business required his attention,
act in the shattered state to which his at
tempt had reduced him. He therefore
gave it up for that time.
| He referred To the same matter frequent
| ly during the year 1867 and finally, on the
Barnes, who gives the following detailed
account of the interview, and or what
followed:
He finally came to my office, on the first
day IF the present month (January, 1868,
saying that his people had kindly released
him from labor for tive or three weeks,
and asking il still felt friendly toward
him, as when once before had consented
to take care of him at my house, while he
should break mp that dreadful habit.
told him would do SO, if he wished to
come but it would be necessary for the
people to know why be was there, other
wise, the fact of his being at my house
sick, while his own family were living in
in the same town, would give occasion TO
Injurious repor S, which could not well be
met. He then said the arrangementwould
not answer without the disclosure referred
to, which he felt SO delicate about making
that he would make an effort at his own
house. Thcreupon, he gave me some pa
pers Of morphine. which he had caused TO
be weighed in gradually diminishing doses
beginning with less than half his usual
quantity. f.i
He reserved couple, one for each day
of visit he was about TO make To some
! friends In Columbus requesting me to call
at his house on the following Saturday
evening when l should find him returned
and sick on account of his diininution ol
the morphine; and that he would ther
take no mere except as should think best
to give it. vert on the appointed Satur-
day evening; found him weak. trembling
sweating and aching, especially in the
knees. But he rallied somewhat, and
conversed well for an hour on variety ol
subjects. But he had slept none and eaten
nothing, as he said, since entering upon his
trial. The next day, instead OF taking the
designated dose which would have beer
five grains he voluntarily proposed to take
not more than three, ard the day after
still less.
continued to spend the evening with
him for about ten days, gradually dimin-
ishing his dose, until it was reduced to
about one grain a day. The diarrhea he
so much dreaded was controlled without
serious difficulty, and his nervous system
kept reasonably steady. He was generally
hopeful and appeared much comfsrted by
my assurance that he was succeeding In
the great work. One evening, however
found his condition little different from
what had expected, and he Immediately
said frankly that he had broken over bis
rule and taken three grains OF morphine
his diarrhea had returned. the medicine
for checking it was gore and he hated to
send for me, and so had done II. He was
very much depressed, said It was wrong
and If should now abandon him to his
fate, he would not blame me. ] replied
that I was not disposed to give him up,
should stick to him as long as he would
let me. and that be must not surrender In
the midst OF the conflict. He expressed
himself very grateful. and said he would
not again do any thing Of the sort.
At the end Of about two weeks he had
recovered his appetite, began to sleep
pretty well at night, came to visit me ct the
Office and resumed his work He was iu
fine spirits, appearing to be elated with the
Iideatbat he was delivered from habit
which had ensIaved him. He expressed
his thanks to me In the most fervid and
glowing terms. His last visit to nv Office
was on Friday. January 18th; he asked FOL
the remedy against diarrhes enough to las
until the next Tuesday when he would
come and report again. went to heal
y him preach on Sunday evening. II wa,