The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-02
THE oPICM EA TIERS SLAVERY.
...,. About the Terrible Habit that Holds
~. Victims In Iron bonds.

.uon,ion was recently callod to an article pub
,,sbod in The Sun last October. on the alarming
increase in the use Of opium in this country.
mink the subject deserves further considcra-
zion. The evil Is rapidly spreading among the |
,oune Of both sexes. and IL so little understood |
Inv the people that 1t is not uncommon to find |
desporato cases Of opium eating in which the |
bahit became fixed before the victim suspected |
dnncer. II should be Il matter Of no little sur
prise that in the great number OF popular
,rorks upon medical subjects. no space hns
leen rivon to explanation Of the nature Of the !
oniuin habit the manner in which N Is formed |
and the formidable difficulties attending its
eradication. Nine men out VI ton class opium
eating with lntompcrancc and imagine that the
"habi," as they term II. may be dropped by an
elor Of the will. II would he difficult to CON
vince them that 1t il q disease which grnsps
evcry nervc and organ Of the body with the
power Of an iron yisc Nothing but actual OK
pcriencc can reveal the appalling character Of
thia disease. Could those who dnbble with nnr
cotics know what lios before them. there would
be few opium eaters. The extension OF popu
lar knowledge upon this subject cannot be with
out good results.
propose. therefore to SGT forth in as plain
and exact terms a. possible, the history ~ an
average ease Of opium eating. so Tar as have
been able TO gather fact- from opium patients
whom have treated. ! am lod to this BY the
nopo ''''' s"." ,'i,i,is.ad passiJ
'"i'- y. A., -. IL, -, -, ,,oo,
~ -. -, o.,.,,, ,1 -,
Ivy, wv. .nie,.''. -, o.. ,rsa1,r,
WIN ~ " $50, - t. ,,i,
the habit may he formed. In very many. per-
haps in most, Of the cascs believe II Is the In
direc, result Of n physicians prescription. or OF
the thoughtless use Of various popular RENE
ules c"h,"In'hH we VI u~' 'I'"'' y" w
NENe" III krea N"ii'p " '''V'N's "''''
disorders, besides nclhg common h"uSeh"l"
remedy and forming large part OF the sooth-
lux " ,,,., -
experience among ihose auuicteu 10 Tvs VIZ"
have never met but enc person who was fully
- a.. ia. ,,o1t,,i .,,.,sor ., ,ha d,ryors
warned hy his medical adviser oil the dangers
attending its continuous use
The first dose Of opium upon healthy organ
tn, ia ro,. a,1 ,r,riorfri rcvelotlon
is.'"" 10 III" VA" "'""'''"'
When taken In proper quantity It's primary
fcet uuon the nervous systam Is not to uro.
ducc sln.n Tho fret sensation IA n cordial
u"V' S'''p' in' ''9' e'"'"''O.' 10 ''i"i''
radiation from the eplsastrlum Of an indescrip-
able warmth. or glow accompanied bv IA change
An ,he mental ,o,di,io, az ,,rrlax IA. IN totally
defy description. Opium stimulates all the
iacu'.',s VI W. mint IuI lv,e,., Wv,
I've ana iiae'lia'Ve Is peyuil"',y p'e'"l ~.
most singular effects Is Tint Of confoundiug the
"',' '', - t. -
using the drug accepts tho structures Of the
imagination rs present realities Opium il the
mt con,,,lcy suls,nn,, knoyvn tn the pharma.
HiN9' ''"f' mic ~ ~ '
copnla' ana It's ELECTS upon the human System
are correspondingly diverse Ii not only soothes
s,ri,s,ian and 49,, h,,, !, n,r.r,s
- - '''' ~" 80, -.
sense oi peace Guinness under dlincuty' anu
self reliance in danger which is only equallad
bv tho sensation which II hnstovs Of n prlmeval
IN -, -, 49,, ,i., a.. =, -, !, -
heal'h oil oouy ana elastri'y OF splrlts' IL sings
In the ear Of the wretched victim song so Sc
duetivelv sveet that thare is no waking tn "A
sense Of danger until Too late. The fact that il
Is IN. most powerful nnodyne known to medi.
rne accounts Tor Inc d.cen,ivs samsa,ions of
health and strength it imparts 10 the user. at
ins same time that II is Ling out funetionai
AMI strnctiiral Changes OF The most startline
charaier
Tho rlsasurahle effects Of n ainele dose gem
orally continue from four To eight hours when
III. reaction from the stimulus Of The drug re-
suits in "A stupid sleep often thronged with
dreams viii, with some mental ORGANIZATIONS
consist in a succession Of studendous scenes
AMI situations. Upon awakening the body Is
bathed with perspirntion the mind II confused,
sdrep sense OF d,jection and fatigue, with con-
siderable disturbance Of all the secretory or
eaus rusurs which mny not fully disappear
Tor many hours. but which may be temporarily
cUn,caled by a second dose.
opium If TO lock up the great excretory organs
o. the body and throw the whole task 81 elm
mating eiIete matter from the system upon the
skin. Thus the bowels Of the opium eater are
constantly constructed. the kidneys fail to So
crete tho proper proportion OF fluid. the liver il
inactive and All The poisonous matter winch 1t
should nier from the blood and which IL the
bowels proper purgntive must be gotten rid Of
by way HE uores Of the skin. No anodyne
les powerful than opium could successfully
conceal such dire disturbances Of those most
essential functions.
ally diminished is the heavy drafts made upon
them. the pleasurabe srnsaiions derived from
opium may continue. But the time soon comes
when the opium ratnr finds that his system
ialls % respond to the exciting power. and in