Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-10-13
The Black DrauSht,

Outside of the opium smoking establish
ment-and there are quite a numbe
here-the consumption Of that drug i
increasing daily. Within the last few
years the amount of laudanum, morphin,
aud crude opium used outside of prescrIp,
tions has been largely augmented, unit
now it has become a matter Of much com.
ment amongst the physicians A leading
druggist in New Orleans, recently said, you
would be surprised if you knew the mum.
Der Of well-to-do persons who are slaves tc
the habit here in this City. OF course, il
has always been known that there wer,
many opiHm-eaters in our city, but, 50 ia,
as can judge, they have increased 30 per
cent. during the last two years. Although
there are more men than women who drink
laudanum, the women-or as they would
prefer to be called-ladies- far out
number the men in the use of the more
powerful morphine.
81 have three who take their six graini
a day-at least they think they do. When
it gets so bad as that, as q precaution /
have to adulterate ii, for do not know
what Jay they might be found dead in
their beds. They often complain of the
weakness of my morphine, but l have
to keep on the safe side. They resort to
all sorts of lodges to get it. Getting the
number of some physicians prescription
and asking to have prescription No.
filed for lady, and little note requests
haste as the party is suffering from neu-
ralgia. Another is to ask for the syrup of
morphine, which, according to the phar-
macopis, is one grain of morphine to
one ounce of syrup. By sending to sew
eral stores they can get enough for their
daily spree, as the notes always
state that the sick Q) person is used to
taking the syrup"
Last WINTER said another, ''quite a
prominent actor came into the store and
represented himself as druggist at Shreye-
port and wanted to know how much lauda-
mum was by the pound. When told he
grumbled at the price, but paid it and car
ried off a large bottle. As he remained
here some time l discovered who my bogus
druggist from Shreveport was, and noticed
his drowsy appearance.
They are sly folks, these opium eaters,
and it requires all the ingenuity of drug
gist to detect them sometimes. They feel
ashamed of the habit. and very seldom
come out boldly as do those who are ad-
dicted to alcohol. Why there is a physi-
clan here who is under the influence of
opium large portion of his time, and yet
his family don't know it. 1t is only where
the habit is beyond all aid that the effects
are visible to those unacquainted with the
dreadful results that its use brings with it.
They 90 on from small doses, if you
can call them doses, and then go on gradu-
aly increasing until they can take surpris-
ing quantities. saw one man take of, as
Il it was 50 much water, six ounces of
audanum. We sell great deal of opium
10 the Chinese, but they only use it for
and don't think / can recall a
Chinaman who drinks any preparation of
{. They are not responsible for the intro
tuction of the opium habit here, though.
remember an English gentleman who
lsed to live ON Race street, thirty years
,ge, when l was drug clerk in that
who took his lsudanum
,egularly, and who died eventually from
is effects. HIS wife, who caught the de-
IRE from him, only survived him year.
But then 1t was a remarkable thing to hear
IF what is called an opium eater-they do
lot eat it, but drink a preparation of it or
'ome of its salts Now there is no telling
low many there are in the city