The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-11-24
An Opium-Eater Reformed.

Itis matter for rejoicing when one
has been found so strong as to overcome
the influence of habit which was de-
stroying his moral and physical life
slowly, but surely. OF all habits which
one may contract, none is so severe and
imperious in its eXactions upon the
strength and time of the victim as the
use of opium, and eXtrication from its
tolls seems next to the miraculous.
Some persons have been known to re-
cover their manhood after years of sub
lection to the opium tyrant, but their
numberis so painfully small, when a case
of recovery" is reported we think that
the good have reason to feel deep graft
fication. If the results of Messrs.
Moody and Sankey's public meetings
include the reform of few men and
women heretofore bound by habits of
intemperance, or of drug-eating, and the
following case indicates some efficiency
in this way, we put in a most cordial
vote for the continuance of such redeem
ing work. The utility of it is beyond
question. The Church Union is author
ity for what is hereafter related.
''Mr. Peter Banta, ship-joiner, fifty
one years of age, living at No. 100 Ninth
street, Brooklyn, E. D., received a COM
pound fracture of the left leg July Sd,
1860. The leg is an inch and quarter
short. The day of the injury, he took
one ounce of Munn's elixir of opium to
stop the intense pain. He gradually in
creased the dose until he took three Oun-
ces a day. After the leg. was well he
continued it for about three years and
half, when he commenced taking sui
phate of morphine, twenty-siX grains a
day, one hundred and eighty grains
week, or six hundred grains a month.
Has taken twenty grains at dose, and
frequently thirty grains a day. Eight
years ago he attempted to reform, and
stopped its use, which made him so de-
lirious that his physicians and friends
feared he would die if he continued to
do without it. He then renewed the
habit, with occasional seasons of partial
reformation, which were uniformly fol-
lowed by great distress, delirium, and
such dangerous indications that he soon
relapsed into his old habit. When the
special religious services were held at
the HippodrOme last March, he at
| tended, and went into the inquiry
room, were he was urged to discontinue
the habit and become a Christian; was
made the subject of prayer, and great
| solicitude was manifested in his behalf
| by Mr.. Moody and others. On the 18th
of March he took the last dose, and was
taken to place in New York City,
away from his family, where he could
be properly cared for, and seen by those
WHO had become so deeply interested in
his welfare. From Monday, the 18th,
till Wednesday, he was comfortable;
the following three days he was deliri-
Gus, more or less, and felt faint at times,
then chilly, and had other symptoms in
dicating nervous prostration. After
that he improved, and went home in
three weeks. Since then he has gained
in flesh and strength, and has improved
in every respect. During sixteen years
he has spent 81, 500 for opium. He has
now lived without it nearly six months,
and has no desire to take it again, and
wishes it to be known that he believes
he has been saved through the agency of
divine grace"