The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-08-09
THE ABUSE OF PAIN.

THE ABUSE OF PAIN.
The little nerves Of feeling which run
through all paIts of the human body carry
to the brain intelligence Of disaster and Of
pleasure. The evil messages they bring arc
called pains. A pain admonishes us that
some injury is done to part of the body
"a finger jammed, toe cut, an arm burned
or that some part is overworked or is
wearied out, and must have rest. The
nerves but do their duty, when they report
faithfully these things, and our duty is to
do the best we can to repair the mischief
which caused the nerves to report in the
way of pain. But many persons are an
noyed by these evil messages, and only seek
to silence the messenger. The immediate
call is for something to "still the pain
Fortunately, the means employed are some
times such as correct the evil at once, and
So put an end to the trouble reported by
the nerves. Especially is this the case
when cool water is applied to cuts and burns
the relief and the cure begin and go on
simultaneously. The same result is usually
attained when hot water applications Cor
fomentations) are made to bruises and
sharp pains of various kinds Pain, which
results from OVERRIDING of any kind, is most
reasonably "stilled" by rest-general rest
of the whole body, and especial rest of the
overworked part Anything that tends to
equalize the circulation of the blood, or to
make all parts of the body comfortably
warm, anc no warmer, helps to set the
nerves at rest, or to stop pain and disease.
Not long ago saw man who was suffer-
ing with violent headache Ga neuralgia
general toothache) furiously Kicking, first
with one foot, and then with the other,
working to get the blood from his head %
his heels, because he had found that the
most effectual way to cure his headache
Cool applications to the head, and hot ones
about the feet and legs might serve the
same purpose.
Morphine Drtnking.-But 1 set out to
speak Of a habit which prevails to an alarm
ing extent among women-the use of NOR
phinc, tSquiet pain cf one kind or another
l can easily imagine that the habit may
grow. from ignorance of danger. A fearful
pain is lulled by seemingly simple means
all opiate in the shape of morphine. The
suffering ono rests easy, and plying friends
may believe that morphine was just the
thing needed. But has the opiate cured
| the disease which caused the paiu2 Not a
bit of it. 1t has only beaten down and
silcuced the faithful monitor, the nerves,
which, in the shape of pain, told of injury
and begged that help be given to the in.
jured part. 1t is true that Nature, and not
medicine, performs the cure, and that the
blessed work of restoration to health usually
goes on best during sleep, but it should be
natural sleep. This will usually come OF
itself if you put the body into suitable
condition--the pores of the skin open, by
bathing or rubbing judiciously, the. bowels
properly relieved, .t4s.e.z isSssSs. "a
by simple food, easy Of digestion, the ius
supplied with pure air, and cleanliness and
quiet all about the patient. But when YOU
give or take the dose of morphine, you
make deadly attack upon the nervous sys
tenn, and leave the evil condition of things
in the body to go on. The dose must 81 on
be repeated, and as the habit of resortins
to an anodyne strengthens, the dose must
gradually increase, in order to produce the
desired effect. Such course finally breaks
down the nervous system, and leaves the
one who resorts to it hopeless wreck-the
worst kind Of drunkard.
Mothers, it is believed that those who
are most likely to become the victims Of
morphins arc women who, as children, were
lulled with soothing-syrup (and let il always
be remembered that this syrup derives it,
soothing" power from the morphine it con.
tains,) or dosed with paregoric or the more
potent laudanum. They never learn to
bear pain heroically. They grow up inclined
to selfindulgence, and if hard work and
sickness overtakes them, they fall an easy
prey to morphine. Do you know that q
person who becomes addicted to morphine
cannot be decent .xilhard can J. is sal;
listed e :sI isS l 4.a s gsso%s, ss ss
Ias go unbearable in disposition, when not
~ zer the influence of her medicine, that