, 1877-03-25
THE OPIUM HABIT
Something About the Charlatans
Who Claim to Cure 1t.
How the Victims to Poppy
Juice Are B1ed by the
QuackS.
Attenuated Opium the Only Remedy
for the Disease.

for the Disease.
| The chief benefit of 0pf1m -eatng nowadays
ecems to be that it furnishes rcmunerative employ
mcnt to lot of upprlncipled quacks who pro1es
to cure the habit. The number of people who are
constantly being taken In and swindled By these
men is only to be determined BY the number o.
opium eaters in the country, and their name II
legion. It is safe TO say that every man and
| woman who has become ensnared by the fatal pas
sion for the poppy-j Juice at one time or another
makes an effort tu be free. No one can endure the
| paugs that follow an unrestrained indulgence IN
this habit without resolving to abjnrc 1t forever
more, and an hour afterwards the VOW Is brokcsl
One Of the most brilliant Ut New York Journalists,
who subsequently pcr;shcd mseraby from the CT
feet of his excuses, wrote few years ago an arti-
Gle in Narper's Monthly describing from personal
| experience the life Of the opum-earer. In It he
| stated that the confirmed opium cater might be
cured, but the PROCESS was like being dragged out
| Of hell over burning Goals his hands uuu kneea.
rhr comparison, though strong, was quite truth
full
1t may be inferred from the testimony Of this and
other users OF the drug that the haot may be cured.
But how to it-that Is the question. There IS
class Ut Especial" physicians In this and other
large cities. all Of whom, cam to possess the magic
healing power which shall destroy all taste for
opium. no matter how firmly seated or how long
continued That they Quacks, that they are
not recognized by the regular medical profession,
that in many instances they do not even have per-
manent offices or !iscovcsab'e places Of abode,
does not hinder the public from b-stowing upon
them large patronage. Occasionally some person
more prudent than the generality will cnaeavor to
nscerta;n the standing and character OF such SELF
styled physicians, ~ and ii inquiry be made in
the proper direction 1t is than likely that tho
opium-doctor fails to obtain that particular pa-
ticnt.
to this Office, and in the interest OF tho opinm-eat
ing public, TRIBUNE reporter started out yesteT-
day to visit .; the doctors who advertise so
for ouinr,. Tce rst enc On ite list was certain
person calling himself n. P. Phelou. II. D.. and
S9 atvcs'ises i'is1e:f to BE- found @ at No. Is Ea.s
street is stairway in tue rear Of tho hEildhs at
the northwest corner Of State AMI Madison streets.
Every step on that stairway is adorned with doc
p:otradc from the ontside, all indicating ply
sicians' ol.ccs upstairs. Truly it was foru:,da-
to b: class'caiy complete needed only the inscrp-
ton oscr the gate OF Daate'a 1Efcrno. SlnyvlarIy
enough, the card OF r:lc!oa II. D.. did not appear
anon. the others. nor were there any traces Of
that celebrated D:scoycrer Of the Age anywhere,
The reporter climbed stas after stair and cr;ti-
ca!ly examined the doess each f;oor to lind the
object OK his search. There were plenty of doctors
and plenty OF patients, too, II the crowds in the
ante rooms were Ill Indication. But of these the
1cpOtl nv hoLt, OElu5 EaSeI greatly 1c-
sirons Of beao1ding the mo toubt) stately form OF
Phe1on. One floor above the otier WAS trayer:cd,
and cach in turn investigated with the usual re-
suit. While to!liny up the steep staircase and |
threading labyriEthinc halls the rcportes solaced
himself with slnory cjac:;lations, n which the |
name Of the offensive doctor figured, and with |
ridiculous remarks about his not having any |
P!,c1on, that icpoucnt wuud like to make him /
rhelon we'll. etc: !sus at length the top noo.,
door in the middle o< the corridor was inscribed the
long -.ooEet-for name. Just US the reporter Was
e ar do15 I'm af1 f and ma
without allowing tinic to bc bumped in return the
execrablc person apoio:ixcd.
IT WAS PHELoN. II. D.
He was incased In long l,arti-coo-ed dressing /
gown and slippers. aul his long hair fell back from
a low brow. susmoantinya pair Of cunning bac!s
OF his face. fenced III on three sides by q hedey |
beard. With excessive politencss and num5crlcss
2p9ogl;ss be ta shsred tn: .fto[ into h's office
apartment was not sufficient in size for an ordinary
DOCTOR to examine bilious tongue. being narrow,
ran several low partitions. behind enc Of which
girl sat Ut q table busi1y engaged In wrapping up
TOR h the mails vast number ot laif-shest papers,
Little dark hole the Doctor led his prey the unsus-
lounge. while be himself Appropriated IN oo5,lete
ragged arm chair, and proceeded to deyour the
victim at his leisure.
Iu few words the visitor made known his err
Fand. stating that he Ind female relative who
afflicted with the terrible hanit OF opium -catiny
md md having heard ot the wondsous skill Of tie
preliminary to placing her under treatment.
The Doctor Sls ut first extremely guarded. He |
occupation, and residence, all Of which was ex-
tfene1y irrelevant. and had nothing to 10 with |
curing habit Of ouium. eating in his female rcla-
i've. But, satisfied these points (they may have
oecn correctly given, and thcy may mott, he 1mme-
1iateIy grew confidential and intimate.
''Cure It, sai1 he: ''of course can T have |
:nred every case that I have had
erms, II possible.''
,een taxing day II what shape has she nse sn1
''Morphine, think"
Yes; that is very common, and it is aleo difi-
can guarantee cure.''
- Have you amy rcferences!"
peEty o. !, Them ;,,. ion can read some OF my
Here the Doctor stepped into the adjoining room,
nd brought e back copy of his paper. It & called
urner e., OF ~ Il Madison strect iasta Z yhe e. stt
age was oiled with selected miscellany. The See
nd contained some editorial paragraphs Of IN nd
cruising nature, and jewe1ry column where yarl-
" articles Of ornament and were offered at an
low price, gold watch chain. for
lie Doctor interest. The first lew lines tnfotmeG
ls Eeaaer that tue great dscovery Of the age was
- cure OF the opium and liquor habits. Then }
'l!owcd testimonials from various people Who L
ai!H ~ Hasc becA cdrcd, among them being Mrs
nth Conaughey. of ut. Roy, Kan, Bertha Nc II
lIn,nis OF Rockford, ILL.,, and II. A. Hinsey, Of =
Ny treatment is strictly confidential. n sa;d
ac!on, Except In cases where the patients pre- a
: to 1 Gsar testimony There are good many peo- q
G ~ Cncaso who have been cured, and can re- W
l,he visitor manifested desire for references. u
~ the Doctor wrote down the names OF Mrs b.
Apthorp. OF No. S92 Carroil ayeunc, and Mn =,
lroline black, OF No. 180 Throop street. a, 4,
" How long does it take to effect comn1ete = )
re.:' -"n'p'ete r.
There is great difference in time. aenend,no -
on the force OF the habit in different peopIe ~
~ But what Is the average timer ~
- We'll, s. ould say about six months. Perhans .
an cure your friend sooner, Does she ,s;at :" ra
mmence right away:'' "A'0 ~
- Yes"
:. Here is list of questions for her tn anawar til
q the Doctor, handing the visitor printed BLINK hi
GUAR; u Is not necessary for her to call here. .