The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-09-08
Fl OPIUM HABIT.

THE OPIUM HABIT.
sor OF Physiology OF the University OF
Louisville.
The paper Of Professor Palmer, on a
q possible antidote to the opium habit,
which is published herewith from the
Medical MeOs, is interesting, and the
discovery therein contained, If it proves
to be a discovery, is all important.
1t is not my purpose to enter into a
lengthy dissertation upon this social
evil" yet such a dissertation would be
by no means inappropriate, seeing how
great is the evilof the opium habit, and
how poor and insufficient the literature
bearing on its treatment and cure. No
people so we'll know the uniform evil
effects of opium. eating as the medical
fraternity. DeQuincy and others have
founded the pernicious notion among
the laity that there is a something far
more ex%hilarating, far more divine in
the intoxication produced by opium,
than in the commoner i~ntoxicaticn OF
alcohol.
Few people, comparatively speaking,
need look beyond personal experience
to knew that the poet has not been mig
gard of his coloring when singing the
pr.!ises of the rosy juice. The majority
of mankind has TOO wildly imprinted
in memory the clouded intellect, head
ache and nausea following b%ibulation,
to bow unqualified assent to the poets
ecstatic verses %recountfng the virtues
of the generous wine" On the CON
trary, happily, so far as we Americans
are concerned, what the vast majority
of US know of the opium habit is gained
from hearsay, and is, rs is well known
bv the doctor, unreal in the extreme. 1t
has been my lot, like that of most prac-
titioners, to come in contact with opium
eaters, and | will positively affirm that
I have vet to see one who even approx
mated in his nature the "happy-go
lucky" character of the drunkard.
Opium-eating is a curse without any
qualifying dispensation black
cloud in q sunless life. 1t cannot be said
that its constant use improves the vital
powers of the enfeebled. No debates as
to it's food properties have ever been
held. It is simply a powerful drug,
useful in time of great physical distress,
and pernicious beyond the power OF pen
to portray when nee it fastens itself
upon the mortal frame as q daily neces-
sity. .
10 be able to cure the opium habit
has been the laudable ambition Of many
q worthy doctor and the Wanted claim
of many q blatant quack. / believe that
so far as the literature of medicine goes
to-day we have no remedy with any
claims whatsoever as a curative Of this
habit. Those doctors who have sue
ceeded in reforming any OF its victims
have, I believe I am safe in saying, done
so by aiding the weak resolves of their
patients with their own strong will and
influence. If any medical man has yet
discovered a cure Tor opium-eating, I am
sure the medical world is not aware of
it.
Recent experience has led me, in view
of the facts just stated, to hope that l
have discovered>a cure. What it is,
and how I came to use it, may be
briefly told rs follows: In looking yer
the different remedies which various
drug-houses have kindly donated to the
University %dispensary, I read upon the
back of a bottle of fluid ext. of coca,
that this drug produces a gently
excellent effect; is asserted to support
the strength for a considerable time
without food in large doses, produces a
general excitation Of the circulatory
and nervous system, imparting in
creased vigor to the muscles as well rs
the intellect, with IN indescribable
feeling of satisfaction amounting alto
eether sometimes to a species of de-
lirium, not followed by feelings OF Ian
guor or depression" etc. At this time
I was treating in private practice an
obstinate case OF cardiac lrregularlty,
due to a somewhat dissolute life, and
not amenable TO either belladonna,
digitalis or tonics. I started the pa
tient on coca. From dropping one beat
in every four, his heart went With in
creased doses of the drug, to n in
seven, ore in twenty-one, n in thirty
eight, and finally a cure, The
absolute relief and cheer that q
good, big dose . of coca impaired
to this patient were" wonderful
to observe. I had hardly begun with
the case before a similar but worse
case of cardiac exhaustion, with irregu-
lar action, was offered at the University
chest clinic for treatment. To be brief,
he got coca, and got well. In both
cases hypochondriasis was a marked
symptom, and was speedily cured.
In March last I was sent for in great
haste by the proprietor of a ncighbor.
ing saloon. and on my arrival was told
that q "chap" had just gone to his room
in a fearful fix. He looks" said the
publican, rs if he had been on o terri
BILE spree, and needs a doctor mighty
bad" I was shown to the gentleman's
room, and was struck at once by his
peculiar appearance. He told me
frankly that he was IN opium-eatcr;
that he had not taken a drink for
months; but that this morning. feeling
so badly from morphine, ne had gone
to the saloon and taken a brandy cock
tail, which, however, did not stick. He
protested that he was dying, and alto
gether was in q sorry plight. l subse-
quently learned his dose was three
grains of morphine several times a day.
I tried various remedies for a day or
TWO, and by moral suasion got him to
reduce the dose very materially, but
much to his discomfort. About the
third day of my attention I bethought
myself OF the coca and ordered it tor
him. Imagine my surprise upon meet
ing him the next day with fine spirits
and a record of only o%ne-fourth Ola
grain of morphine taken since my last
call. This was the end OF the case. He
took the coca tor some days and en-
tirely broke off from opium: His state
ment was that whenever he felt de-
pressed or bad he took q good, big dose
of the medicine, and in q few moments
was alright.
My second case was so striking in its
results, and is so recent that | hardly
feel justified in reporting it. 1t is as
follows: Upon the 18th of the present
month a gentleman sent for me. l
found him in bed, looking like a con-
sumptlve. He at once told me that ne
was an opium. eater, and that he had
reached q point where thirty grains of
morthine daily were necessary to sup
ply the cravings of his perverted nature.
He said that he was now trying to
break off, and wanted me to help him.
I told him of what the coca had done,
and with q few cheerful words pre-
scribed it for him. The next day l
found him still taking mOrDllne, al