Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-03-05
THE OPIUM HABIT.
SOME EXTRAORDINARY STORIES OF THE EXTRAy
AG4ANT USE OF THE DRUG IN VIRGINIA.
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Enquirer
STAUNToN, VA, Feb. 81, 1878.
The opium eating in this vicinity still goes
on; and as some cities and some sections have
a reputation for the number of drunkards they
generate, SO Staunton has the name of being the
great opium city of this part Of the country
And it is deplOrable to observe how the evil has
increased. AT a conference Of druggists, held
day before yesterday, it was reported that the
increase in 1877 over 1876 was 95 per cent; that
1876 over the preceding year was III per cent? and
that 1875 over the preceding year was Oh per CT.
The evil is like an endemic. 1t is in the atmos-
phere SEXES person. never 1 to let d loose nd
before he is aware oft, he is eating opium HIM
self. When l telegraphed three weeks ago,
about the sensation that was created here by
certain developments, not half had been told
1t is true that there have been no deaths equal
to that of the lady who dropped dead from dis
appointment because she could not get her
opium; but the young man who swallowed 10
grains ofmorphinc at a drugstore counter three
or four weeks ago, and lived, took 20 grains at
one pop since and died. He was young Jew,
and had only been victim to the vice few
years. AS 1 intimated before, the Asylums
here--the lunatic, inebriate, and others-con-
sumo a great deal OF morphine in Q legitimate
way, but what they use is only a drop IN the
bucket.
Nearly 100 pounds of opium a week! That is
what the druggists reported, which is pretty
heavy for city of s. 900 or 10000. A large guam
tity Of the truck sold in Staunton is bought by
the valley is strong if not stronger, than it is
in the city. Your correspondent has just visit
e al Of the here and the tales
lde r ef fhe Eag lazy % she snee
beet
a servant for quarter-grain doses; now she uses
four-grain doses" Have you many such Gus
toners she is ~ asked the writer. 'Oh, yes
Let me see, Mr.. Allen counting on his fingers,
we have Is regular lady customers that think
of at this moment, who take over two grains of
morphine at a time, and II men who take be-
| tween two and six grain doses at a time" "YOu
think the evil here is on the increase?" my
goSdHss.s fas Your correspondent s 20 found
sweet vdss en !" they e LETT 6ede g
Tg5se said hsrs they gD they bose psty
things?'' "Why, yes; they commenced to use
the dangerous stuff only few months ago; now
they each spend $6 a week for it. 1t is sad' he
! continued, 'but there is no stopping them after
they Gnce begin it, At Mr.. John Benner's l
was informed that tyo ofthe eight leading min
took it in the shape of laudRnlin. But the most
startling statement made by any of the apothe-
ton his name) who looked at his.prescription
list of last year and found that he mad sold 70,
593 doses of morphine during the year.
Mr.. Formap said to the writer "You have no
idea what means many ladies use to get opium
without their families knowing it." Are most
| Of your opium customers ladies?" 1 asked
or m haze a ensso % ad Ssqe sg 3a2
women come to the door and send servant in
with the money; they wouldn't come in them
selves for fear they would meet some one who
would tell. Sometimes they buy enough at once
| to last two or three months. l found one lady
buying much opium that [ thought it would
! be an act of charity to tell her husband. did
4 tell nia, end he said, II know she uses it, but
let her have al shl EanrtS ,; cant stop her ;,
SIPS ola prominent citizen o few days ago. IT
was for opium gold to his wife, who died month
or two ago. was afraid he would refuse to pay
| it, but ne didn't say word. He settled without
grumbing." The prescription clerk at Wayt
| 4 Brothers said that Of their customers was
| young LAWYER who drank a quart OF laudanum
| a week.
| Another was a book-keeper who drank gall
lon O. landanpM in three weeks. called upon
dr. &c et M 9s He is man r. Of ~
me that he had been trying to get some 1egfsla-
ton passed on opium for over year. The
pare bill for the House of Delegates, levying a
| heavy tax on opium, but he had not yet present.
| ed it. DIR. Reese thought the druggists were
bed II except IN very exceptionable cases. DIR.
Murphy thought thp hell-ppnch used in bar
rooms. which ieyiesa tag eqHps q ttrinli.
Dilkes attributes the spread of the opium evil
| to the fact that all OF the pulmonic. remedies
contain large share of opium.
/ DF. Taylor agreed with the druggists that the
| evil was on the increase not only in Staunton,
but all along the VALLEY. He thoEght the preach
ers ought to preach against Y. but then" be
| opium to excess" All the junk dealers and
| pawnbrokers have much to tell. II believe she
would sell the last rag Off her back" said old
Lloyd, "but what she would have opium.' This
remark was addressed to q small ragged child
who had just brought the junk-dealer a nice
| shawl. 1t seems that the girl was frequent
visitor at Lloyds, and came to sell things for a
| lady who was once wealthy, but who had been
reduced TO penpry by her extravagant craving
for OPIUM. The Junk -dfal6r said thai sho used
to send Silk dresses to the pawnbrokeTs, butlioW
| she had come down to selling things the pawn
brokers would not take. Isaac Harris. a pawn
broker, told the writer that most OF his watches
and rings had been left by young gentlemen
| who were well-SnOwn opium eaters.
something rnEst pc done,n said Mr.. Mark
land, an elder Of the church. '.Fhe evil is one 81
| the saddest ever behold. The church doesn't
seem to be any safeguard, for Ibeleve that hall
| of the church members in town are addicted to
the deplorable habit in question" At the meet
ing of citizens held some days ago a resolution
was passed requiring druggists not to sell opium
unless on doctors prescription, but the drug
gists said they would hays % sell It unless there
was some law passed against it. ~. .''
| Harrisonburg is q small city down the valley
The evil is as great in proportion to the size OF
the place as it is here. Mr.. Baker one of the
druggists OF the town, was in Staunton day OF
two ago. and in conversation with the writer
remarked. II dent believe there are 20 people
in Harrisonburg who are free troIp the'uss q
opium. Harrisonburg used to be a great place
for bar-rooms but now believe the apotheca-