The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-10-29

~ siCtuns ure ~ Nli litnco reaUy 10
prescribe and druggists to fill pres
criptions, and then, when a customer
becomes acquainted, il a druggist
declines to sell without prescription
it is easy to purchase a quantity suf-
fcient to make the investment a
Wholesale one. Ladies frequently
call here and pronounce themselves
suffering with a toothachc, aud ask
for vial of laudanum and bit OF
tooth cotton. l accommodate them,
and then, when presumably unob-
served, they drain the vial and toss
the cotton aside. Their alleged
toothache never existed, and Is simp-
ly used, while out shopping or calling,
as device to obtain opium TO
quiet their nerves. Occasionally
women will call and purchase pare
goric in much the same manner. All
fallen women use opium. They Gus
tomarily send servants or messengers
known TO the pharmacist, and have
their orders filed without the annoy
ancc of a prescription. Many of the
up town drug houses do large bust
ness with this class Of people alone
A great number of women combine
the vice of drinking liquors with
that of eating opium, and the rava-
ges Of .thcsc two enemies of health,
beauty and morality are most dis
tressing. The proportion of men
who use opium rs compared to wom-
en-, is rs one to three. Men are more
strongly constituted, and rather pre-
fer to dcbase themselves BY standing
at n fashionable bar and drinking
cocktails, 'sours,' 'straights' and
floats than by repairing to the Sc
crecy of room and eating opium"
Thanking the pharmacist FOR his
startling information. the reporter
sought out several police precincts
and made inquiries as to the proper
ton of opium consumers among the
middle and poorer classes. Haunts
for smoking the drug were found to
be quite common, every Chinese
laundry serving to answer that pur-
pose. But little was known by the
police as to its ravagcs in private
families. The officers could point
out u great many confirmed opium
eaters, but knew practically nothing
as TO how the habit was formed. In
many Of the Bowery dives the male
and female habitues make q nightly
practice Of smoking opium gum, and
in Mulberry and Mott streets, the
Chinese and Italian quarters, there
are number Of opium dens, which
are patronizcd by the lower classes
and social outcasts. These places of
infamy are all alike, and one descrip-
ton will suffice for the multitude.
The room is usually a basement or
first floor, and only the initiated are
able to gain admission. Within, by
the subdued lights, are to be discov-
cred half-dozen or more hunks In
tiers, one above the other, and, if the
hour is late enough, they will all be
occupied Then there are couple
of couches intended for the better
class of smokers.
The opium is taken in it's raw state
rolled upon a wire and heated over
small spirit lamp until it becomes
molten mass. Then the waiter pass
es from bunk to bunk, dropping bit
Of opium from the wire into the addly
constructed pipes, and the smokers
Whit away in dreamy, half-uncons-
cious manner. The cost Of smoking
IL. about seven cents pipe, and mn
average smoker will consume twenty
pipes during an evening with ease.
As the evening progresses the smo-
kers become initiated into all the de-
grees Of opium smoking, ranging
from a quickened pulse and height
ened imagination to . death. like stu
por, and in many instances the effects
are felt for fortnight. The propri-
ctors Of these dens. it Is said, are, as
a rule, wealthy and never smoke"