Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-21
DEVOTEES TO DRUGS.
The Habit of Eating Morphine In st. Paul
by Whom it is INDUCED and to What
Extent.


restaurant of this city, the attention of a
gentleman guest was attracted to the &C.
lions of lady, who vised him from q
| table on the opposite side of the room.
She had apparently ordered her refresh
ments, and while waiting its arrival, rested
her head upon her hand and apparently
dropped off into doze. At first flush the
impression would be that she was suffer
ing from the effects of drunk. But her
manners, quiet and subdued,
and her dress modest and
unpretentious, dissipated any such belief.
When the servant returned with her re-
past, she woke suddenly from the stupor
into which she was rapidly sinking, and
after eating that which was placed before
her, paid the bill and departed. While
evidently under the effects of powerful
anesthetic, she seemed to be conscious of
what was passing about her and made efforts
to hide that which was plainly to be seen
by the gentleman who related the incident
to GLOBE reporter. She was amorphine
eater, he said, and inquiry of chemist
elected the information that the habit was
not limited in st. Paul.
NO one has any idea of the extent of
the vice in this city," he said in reply to a
question with reference to the use of NOR
phine in this city.
SIS it confined to any particular GLASS 81
he was asked.
''Not specially, it's almost as universal as
drinking among men,"
rs the purchase of the anesthetic
then confined entirely to the opposite
sex?"
mo, not entirely, but large proportion
Of those who buy are women"
What classes of society do they repre-
sent?"
'All classes"
rs there no class that prsdominates ?"
"Well can't say there is, nor thsre
isn't. Come to think of it, unfortun to
women believe are more addicted to the
use of morphine than any other. But then
you can't always tell, for they send servants
N many instances and this is calculated to
mislead one, you know"
Don't some of the better class of people
use it for purposes of forgesfuluess?'
Certainly they do. don't wish you to
infer that these unfortunate women are
alone, but the better class of women gen
orally get their supplies from the family
physician"
"Tell me, isn't there law in this city
prohibiting the sale of the drug except on
a physicians order?"
what if there is. l don't know it, if
such is the case. Even if it was, those
who want it wouldn't have any trouble in
obtaining physicians order"
'You speak of the class who indulge the
habit under the protection of a family
physician. Haven't you any of this class
as eustomers?''
Certainly, but then I wouldn't give
| them away. To do so would destroy a
source of profit to me and violate conf
dence couldn't be induced to forget"
Il don't care to publish their names;
all want is some information relative to
the type of those who are welded to the
pernicious practice
Il can't give you any names, but among
my regular customers is lady residing on
Summit avenue''-
''Who is her husband?"
Il didn't say she wac married. SSShe sends
here about once week Oh an average and
has her bottle filed. Then there's young
lady who lives on Jackson street who gets
half drachm every four or five days.
And there are others of the gilt-edged
order who buy of me occasionally. They
no doubt have a regular druggist to sup
ply their wants and only run in here when
they're in hurry"
docs the habit prevail among menu"
Not to any considerable extent.
My idea is that every human be-
ing is so constituted that he or she requires
stimulant as sort of equalizer. 1t is
rarely you meet an organization thorough
ly balanced, and I said stimulant, if not
required, is nevertheless used as sort Of
! compensatory agent to preserve the equi-
hbrium. To some a beautiful melody will
inspire, to another a work of art will have
that effect. Men have recourse to liquor
because its the most accessible, and
women for the same reason use morphine
which realizes a condition of unconscious
ness resulting from liquor, without
entailing its degrading effects. Seer"
Cannot the habit be abandoned?"
Perhaps it can, but in my experience 1
know of but one case where a morphine
eater was cured"
'Who was that?"
1T was young man who still lives here,
and even now, after,an abstemiousness of
three years he tells me that sometimes his
desire for the drug is almost irresistible"
"What was his case, anyhow"
Give years ago he was attacked with
spinal meningitis, and sleep could
only be obtained through NOR
phine. Upon his recovery he found
the habit forced on him. Three years ago
after using every remedial agent he could
hear of, he finally made up his mind it
was a case of life and death, and lie
stopped short Off"
HAS he ever since touched it?"
"Never to my knowledge"
''You say the habit is mostly confined to
women; are the victims old or young"
Generally past middle life, though
some are comparatively young, and one I
occasionally serve is quite pretty. This, a
black-eyed, plump, genteel little
lady, who lives somewhere up
about st. Peter street and College
avenue, and says she gets it for her grand
mother. But her anxiety to conceal her
identity gives the game away"
''Men do not buy it, you say, to any ex-
tent?"
'No. They rarely apply for it, though
once in while 1 have call. Their pur-
chases are of different character"
''What do they generally purchaser"
"Oh, well, you know about what they
want. Bnt I've given you enough for this
time. Come again, and make another
CHAPTER in yOur story stha drupOist's go