The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-05-28
. Died From an Overdose of Iauda-
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@@s'" tVth Vf'tAOrN VI
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Another suicide. In this case, as IN
many OF which no account l. taken by the
daily newspapers, the poison employed
was morphine or laudanum. "Died after
an overdose Of laudanum" Il the verdict.
lhat Overdose, however, was only the
elimination Of a long indulgence. extend
ing probably over years. The usual
quantity falling TO produce the desired ef-
iecf. u was largely increased, and the end
was death. Properly speaking. this was
not acase Of suicide; il was the result of
indulgence in a Understanding vice that
was certain to terminate In death. Hardly
week passes Ia which case of opium
poisoning Is NOT treated in some one Of
our hospitals a cure Is occasionally ef-
iected, but il i only temporary. and the
wretched victim almost invariably falls in
TO the old ways. and the end + az last
reached by either suicide or total pros
traiion OF mind and body.
- am strong man." sal a physician,
" and have repeated opportunities 70 test
my resolution under the most trying cir
cumsiances, yet so insidiOus and
treacherous Is this vice. once contracted.
80 demoralizing j. It's influence on the
power OF the will. that | would not dare
10 trust myself TO a continued use of the
drug even for limited time. The crav-
ing II creates directly affects the mental
organization. and eventually DESTROYS all
power Of resistance. Ihave known ladies'
who In their advanced age had contracted
the habit, and who carried the poison
about their person in the form OF salts of
opium using il almost hourly. Indeed,
the vice Is more preyelant among women
than among men,"
With regard TO che superinducing causes
Of the evil a distinguished physician says:
They may be divided into two classes. the
physical and the moral. Under fhe first
head should be placed all persons suffer-
ing from neuralgia, rheumatism. dysin-
teric affections. tic doloureux. cOnsuRp-
ton, hysteria. uterine affections. &c. In
such cases opium in some form j. usually
prescribed by physicians. ana continued
by the patient after the habit has been ac-
quircd. The moral causes are often pecu-
mary embarras smcnis, disagreements.
jeal0usles. sensualism, &c. In these cases
the drug is resOried 10 10 drown thought
or promote excitement.
There H. no doubt that opium j. too mis-
cellaneously prescribed, perhaps 10 the
extent that If il did rot exist the human
race would be better OFF Ii is q most use
full therapeutic agent. but OF all the arti-
c.es Of the matcria fnsGied il requires the
most intelligence and care in is use. Pa
tients suffering with delirium tremens
have been killed by il, aud vet in the same
disease. with proper caution. IL j. most
beneficial remedial agent. In gunshot
wounds. in railroad accidents. and in ex-
cessiye hemOrrhagcs. opium. II properly
administered, j. "A boon 10 mankind: but
if thrown into tho system injudiciously il
Is most disastrous TO human life. Then
the physical prostrsiion produced by the
Use Of opium renders its victims liable 10
contagion. unless they are continually UNI
der the influence of the drug. The sud-
den discOntmuance Of the Use Of the drug
has somewhat similar effect TO that pro-
5uced by discOntinuance Of the exces-
sive use of alcoholic stimulants in the case
of confirmed inebriates. IL j. followed by
"A sort OF menia, collapse or great prostra-
ton Of tht mental energies. Opium gives
and takes away. IL defeats the steady
habit OF exeriion. and creates spasms of
ire gular exeriion. IL ruins the natural
power of life; il develops preternatura.par-
oxysms of intermitting power; il brings
on hypertrophy or enlargement of the liy-
cr. habirual constipation, bronzed COM
plexion. rigidity of skin. vacancy Of ex-
preston. general hyperasth.sia. and in
somnia, or sleep!essneSs q morbid condi-
tion Of the stomach. rejecting many kinds
OF food that are regarded by medical men
as simple and easy Of digestion acute.
shooting pains that are confined TO no one
part Of the body; and Unnatural sensitive
ness TO cold. frequent cold preparations
in parts of the body. and a chronic tenden-
cy 10 impotence and irritability of temper,
with paroxysms of excitement wholly for
eign 10 the natural disposition. In the
long run II saps the vitality. Ii engenders
sterlity. The offspring. If there be any,
are generally marked by organic cerebral
intellect and constitu-
tional cachexia. or deteriorated vitality.
The amount OF opium imported into the
United States in 1874 was a out two hun
dred tons. and IL l. estimated that twenty
one hundredths of the opium sold by re
tailers would cover all the prescriptions Of
physicians proper. and five per cent. ex-
cepted as an extra allowance for the vari-
Gus nostrums afioat would be liberal and
abundant. This Is from a comparison Of
opinions entertained by many apotheca-
ries OF New York city. and to these esti-
mates the experienced DIR. Carn0chan
adds the opinion that while the tnerapeu-
tic value Of opium has suffered no abate-
mentin the estimation Of the profession. the
total of prescriptions Is proportionately
less than il was twenty years ago.-N y.