New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-16
THE USE OF NARCOTICS.
THE HART RAPIDLY INCREASING.

THE HABIT RAPlDL1 LNChEASlNu'
INVESTIGATIONS OF A PHYsIcIAN-sTATisTICS OBJ
TANNED FROM DRUGGIsTs-oPIUM DENs IN THIS
CITY-How THE DRUGS ARE USED.
It is probably but little known outside OF medlca
circles that the habit of eating OPIUM is rapidly in
creasing among respectable and educated people
Dr. H. H. Kane, a physician OF this city. for some
time has been investigating the extent of the opium
habit in this country, and especially in New-l ork
CITY and he has gathered many facts which iurnlsh
startling proof of the Roadway this wee Is maNIhg'
DE- Kane i'll reply to some questions iroma Tribune
reporter recently, said
a higher degree of civilization bringing WIN II
increased mental development among jail classes
increased cares, duties and shocks, seems TO nave
causrd the hahitual OF narcotics, once Il CONF
paratively rare vice among Christian nations 10
become alamingy common Increase III m'h-
,aI STRAIN bot-honse development of the pas
sions lcsYened physical labor and Increased mehlli
work have been gradually giving us bodies in
which the nervous element largely FREEDOM mates
Persons who may be classcd under the head ner-
vous tcmpcraments' are daily on the increase
Finding main nervousness, and hysteria constantly
claiming his attention, and that nothing relieves
him so well as opium or morphine, the physician
resorts to their use more and freely, expecting
rs soon az the more distressing symptoms pass
away. to pursue another plan OF treatment Inc
patieut however having once lelt reIel, ihsiS'S
mon the further use of the drug, sometimes feigns
illness in order to procure it, finally obtains some
by purchase and guilty secrecy drifts raPiuS
into the habit. Moreover, nervous affections are
on the increase pain without any apparent cause
nervousness from tho most trivial things. Neuralgia
Is more common Insanity and suicide are. daily
more frequent" A.
How did You proceed in order TO ascertain INC
I,l,t in * elf asked
Il sent a circular to every one Of the 600 drug
stores in this CITY, asking now many from I36
druggists from all parts OF the city larte nun
Der had three four customers ana soHe rs ll,E
rs si> teen or eighteen habitual users Oh son n1
onuIn prcparatiOn Altogether they gave 100
uscrs of the drug As there are about HoV uruS
stores in this city, there would he, CALCULATING Oh
this basis about 1900 hahltual users ol OPIUM III
this cit- exclusive of the smokers. .,..,.
%" DO Won think that this indicates that the num-
bcr Of opium takers Is on the inIi,ano do,ccrors
IL most a~,urcdly does. Inc most p!hIrl"uHii
rrrD9ration moruhIa has, on account OF ~ IaPu
and decided action. the most popularity. NORMA
is nsrd either by the mouth or suh.cuiaHeousiJ'
(Which Is the more dangerous . ..
"Whcn hvpodermicaliy Injected, after n time NOR
nina exercises a directly ParalNIng anu ahient'll'
influence upon the mucous membrane oil thr alicu-
tarv canal and gives Use 10 other serious dcidhte-
mcnts. When taken hI the llou HpU' UNA a." a."
has a similar effect but not so Gifr''l' I's"1' NV
suh-cutaucOus habit Is more uIu'"i 10 JUN ~
and rcap.es are more likely To occur after cure y
supposed To have been ELECTED. The largest amount
ot iuorpbla ever taken hypudcrmgalIy inside OF
twenty -four hours Is 100 grams. lhere are TWO
recorded cases of this amount having ne'h l.N'iI
There are ten or twelve cases irt' rom 7lAlN ~
eighty grains were used daily. me average 'a",'E
varirs from two and half 10 twenty grams dalIN'
Many OF the users of mOTphia hNp'urIInh'lil nv
physicians in good standing ACTOR. "u'' -,
literary men. aud c~Vcca'iy Hh It"iHc ,N"'N'H-
with their brain exclusively are apt 10 dIlI MOI
Iaudauum was De Quincy iaNofir' lie sII'''
that he has taken ~ much aS 5000 drops III the
finn \