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

The little nerves Of feelluS Whlch run
through all pats 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 ID
wearicd 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-
moved 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 60 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
vs the whole body, aud especial rest of the
ovcrworked part. Anything that tends to
eaualize the circulation of the blood, or to
make all parts of the body comfortably
warm, anG no warmer, helps to set the
nerves at rest, or to stop pain and disease.
Not long ago saw a 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 70
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 Drihking.-But set out to
speak of habit which prevails to an alarm
ing extent among women-the use of NOR
phinc, t0quict pain cf one kind or another.
can easily imagine that the habit may
grow from ignorance of danger. A fearful
pain is lulled by seemingly simple means
all opate in the shape of morphine. Tho
suffering one rests easy, and plying friends
may believe that morphine was just the
thing needed. But has the opiate cured
the disease which caused the pain? Not
bit of it. 1t has only beaten down and
silcuced the faithful monitor, tho 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, t4t 20. I'd
by simple food, easy OF digestion, the iux Is
supplied with pure air, and cleanliness and
quiet all about tho patient. But when you
give or take the dose of morphine, you
make deadly attack upon the nervous sys-
TEN, and leave the evil condition of things
in the body to go on. The dose must s, on
be repeated, and as the habit of resorting
to an anodyno strengthens, the dose must
gradually increase, in order to produce the
desired effect. Such a course finally breaks
down the nervous system, and leaves the
one who resorts to it a hopeless wreck-the
worst kind of a drunkard
Mothers, it is believed that those who
are most likely to become the victims of
| morphine arc women who, rs children, were
lulled with soothing-syrup (and let it always
be remembered that this syrup derives its
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 sclf-indulgence, and if hard work and
sickness ovcrtakcs them, they fall al easy
prey to morphine. DO you know that a
person who becomes addicted to morphine
cannot be decent xihakard I can an i is -sai|
7 fVsted to tell the tsuth :sItaaseneVer be
laSt 30 1nbearable in disposition, when not
Under the influence of her medicine, that
her friends make every effort to crafty her
morbid appetite. All this that have said
applies equally to the use of opium, NOR.
phine being but another form of opium
Neither should be used, except in some
emergency, when given by skillful physi
clan.
HOME DECoRATION.--Just as quick
farmer Jones painted his barbed wire fence
blue plain blue, farmer Smiths wife swore
she wasn't going tc be outdonc, and the
| fence around the Smith farm soon bios.