The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-06-09
ALCOHOLICS REGAL RIVAL.
Sntnn's Second Choice for the Killing of
NInnlkind---Some Startling Facts.

Sntnn's Second Choice for the Killing of
NInnkind---Some Startling Facts.
Another suicide In this case, as in
many of which no account is taken by
the daily newspapers, says the New York
SIN, the poison employed was morphine
or laudanum. "Died after an overdose
of laudanum is the verdict. That
overdose, however, was only the culmi-
nation of long indulgence, extending
probably over years. The usual quantity
failing to produce the desired effect, it
was largely increased, and the end was
death. Properly speaking, this was not
a case of suicide; it was the result of in
diligence in life destroying vice that
was certain to terminate in death.
Hardly week passes in which a case of
opium poison Is not treated in some one
of our hospitals. A cure is occasionally
effected, but it is only temporary, and
the wretched victim almost invariably
falls back into the old ways, and the end
is at last reached by either suicide or
total prostitution of mind and body.
CT am a strong man" said q physi-
clan, "and have repeated opportunities
to test my resolution under the most try
ing circumstances, yet so insidious and
u,
so demoralizing is its influence on the
power of the will, that 1 would not dare
to trust myself to n continued use of the
drug even for limited time. The
craving it creates directly affects the
mental organization, and eventually
destroys all power of resistance. 1 have
known ladies who in their advanced age
had contracted the habit, and who car
ried the poison about their persons in
the form of salts of opium, using it al
most hourly. Indeed, the vice is more
prevalent among women than among
men.
With regard to the superinducing
causes of the evil distinguished physi-
clan says: They may be divided into
two classes, the physical and the moral
Under the first head should be placed all
persons suffering from neuralgia, rheu-
matism, dysinteric affections, tic-dolou-
reaux, consumption, hysteria, uterine
affections, etc. In such cases opium in
some form is usually first prescribed by
physicians, and continued by the patient
after the habit has been acquired. The
moral causes are often pecuniary embar-
rassments, disagreements, jealousies,
sensualism, etc. Inthese cases the drug
is resorted to to drown thought or pro-
mOCe eXc1CemenC.
There is no doubt that opium is too
miscellaneously prescribed, perhaps to
the extent that if it did not exist the
human race would be better off. It is a
most useful therapeutic agent, but of all
the articles of the naateria naedic0 it re-
quires the most intelligence and care in
its use. Patients suffering with delirium
tremens have been killed by it, and yet
i'll the same disease, with proper caution,
it is n most beneficial remedial agent.
In gunshot wounds, in railroad acci-
dents, and in excessive hemorrhages,
opium, If properly administered, is n
boon to mankind; but if thrown into the
system injudiciouslyit is most disastrous
to human life.
Then the physical prostration produced
by the use of opium renders its victims
liable to contagion, unless they are con-
tinually under the influence of the drug.
The sudden discontinuance of the use
of the drug has n somewhat similar effect
to that produced by discontinuance of
the excessive use of alcoholic stimulants
in the case of confirmed drunkards. 1t
Is followed by sort of mental collapse
or great prostration of the mental ener-
gies. Opium gives and takes away. It
defeats the steady habit of exertion, and
creates spasms of irregular exertion. 1t
ruins the natural power of life; it de-
velops preternatural paroxysms of inter
mitting power; it brings on hypertrophy
or enlargement of the liver, habitual
constipation, bronzed complexion, rigidi-
ty of skin, vacancy of expression, gen
eral hyperesthesia, and insomnia, or
sleeplessness; n morbid condition of the
stomach, rejecting many kinds of food
that are regarded by medical men as SIM
pie and easy of digestion; acute, shoot
ing pains that are confined to no one
part of the body; and unnatural sensi-
tiveness to cold, frequent perspirations
in parts of the body, aud chronic ten
dency to impatience and irritability of
temper, with paroxysms of excitement
wholly foreign to the natural disposition.
In the long run it saps the vitality. 1t
engenders sterility. The offspring, if
there be any, is generally marked by or
ganic cerebral defects-impaired intel
lect and unconstitutional cachexia, or de-
teriorated vitality.
The amount of opium imported into
the United States in 1874 was about two
hundred tons, and it is estimated that
twenty-one hundredths of the opium sold
| by retailers would cover all the prescrip-
tions of physicians proper, and five per
cent. excepted from the entire as an extra
allowance for the various nostrums adoat
| would be liberal and abundant. This is
from n comparison of opinions enter
tanned by many apOthecaries of New
York city, and to these estimates the
| experienced DIR. Carnochan adds the
opinion that while the therapeutic value
| of opium has suffered no abatement in
the estimation of the profession, the
total of prescriptions is proportionately