, 1877-11-02
The Fashion of Swallowing Drug
Stimulants.

SulHuldntS.
1t is held by physicians, says the New
York Mercury, that the excessive use of
bromide of potassium caused variety of
idiocy,which has been styled "Bromism." ;"
There is gentleman in this city who
is pointed out as an example and victim
f"brPmism." He originally used the
bromide of potassium to produce sleep !;
then he used it to quiet his nerves; finally
he used it daily and constantly for its pc
culiar stimulating, soothing effects. The
employment OF the drug became the habit
of his life, and gradually his intellect
weakened, and now he is regarded as
semi-imbecile. He has suffered no posi-
tive pains, has been the prey of no ner-
vous horrors, but his existence has be-
come all dullness; his life is a blank
and sleep. A once brilliant woman is,
and has been for some years passed, the
victim of "bromism." She lives in state
of lethargy, and has lost the power Of
continuous thought. For anything but
the most ordinary duties of life she is
wholly incapacitated. She is mental
wreck.
Similar instances could numerously be
cited, and the general use of this bromide
of potassium is causing more of these la
mentable cases than any but the initia-
ted have any idea of. One drug store in
this city has on its list of customers eight
ladies who are regular buyers of bromide
of potassium, although they are free from
any special disorder necessitating its en-
ployment. The excessive and continued
use Of this drug has been known to pro-
duce not only mental imbecility, but
physical insensibility.
In a recent instance the bromide.taker
lay in somewhat comatose condition.
She did not feel the prick of needle; a
friend ticked her feet, but though un-
usually sensible here in her normal state
the lady did not experience, or evidence
the slightest sensation. She did not hear,
or at least pay any attention to the words
addressed to her, nor did she seem to be
sensible to any impression of light.
Another drug becoming quite in de-
mand as medicine and as a stimulant is
codine. AS an excitant and stimulant it
has remarkable properties. Taken in
six-grain doses, it will completely revo-
lutionize the nervous system. This fact
has already created quite call for it in
the drug stores. This demand is princi-
pally among the rich and the fashionable,
for the high price of codine prevents its
ever becoming popular with the masses.
1t is an aristocratic stimulant. A gen.
tleman who is familiar with its workings
thus describes the effect of codine upon
himself: "My pulse was accelerated and
my face flushed. | became literally in a
fever of excitement. This excitement
was of the most agreeable kind. l had
pleasant day-dreams. l seemed inspired
with a celestial vigor. l felt equal for
any undertaking. At the same time l
had no ambition to undertake anything
whatever. l was content to be happy
thus forever. l saw bright objects all
around me, vague, impalpable, but very
brilliant. Suddenly | experienced an in
tense itching of the skin; at first rather
pleasant feeling, but soon merging into
almost insupportable agony. scratched
and scratched, l almost tore my skin, but
in vain. The itching continued and in
creased, and soon drove all the memories
of my previous ecstacy out Of my head.
The itching must have lasted about an
hour Gt seemed century, and then be-
gan to feel weary, very weary, not exactly
sleepy, but indescribably tired. Then a
period of depression set in, and two or
three times really contemplated suicide
rather than endure longer the abomina-
BILE melancholy. Finally felt sick at the
stomach, and commenced to vomit. This
relieved me, and in little while l was
restored to my normal condition. But l
would not go through what | then went
through again for worlds