Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-04-25
The Opium Habit,

Opium demands emphatic recognition. II
is made, as you know, from the white poppy.
1t is not a new discovery. We read of 1t
three hundred years before Christ but II
was not until the seventeenth century that
IL began its death march, passing out from
the medicinal and the curative, and by
smoking and mastication becoming the
scourge of nations. In the year 1851 there
were imported into this country 10Y 900
pounds of opium, but last year $4,000
pounds of opium. 1t is estimated that in the
year 1876 there were in this country 225 600
opium-consumers but saw statistics yes
terday that said there are probably now in
the United States at least 100000 opium.
consumers. The fact is appalling. Do not
think that they are merely barbaric Asiatics
who go down under that stroke. Read the
great De Quincey's Confessions of an Opium
Eater" He says for the first ten years it
gave him the keys of paradise; but it takes
his own powerful pen to describe the hor-
rors consequent. Samuel Taylor Coleridge,
after conquering the world with his pen, was
conquered by opium. The most magnetic
and brilliant lawyer of this century fell
victim to its stroke, and there are thousands
of men and women-but more women than
men-who are being bound, body, mind and
soul, to this terrific habit. There is great
mystery about some families. You do not
know why they do not get on. The opium
habit is so stealthy, so deceitful and so
beautiful. You can cure hundred drunk
ards easier than you can cure one opium
eater. have heard of cases of reformation,
but never saw any. hope there are cases
of genuine reformation. have seen men
who for forty years have been the victims of
strong drink thoroughly reformed; but the
opium-eaters that have seen 60 on and
down. Their cry in the last hour of life is
not Of God, nor for prayer, nor for the Bible,
but for opium. Perhaps there are only two
persons outside the household who know
what is the matter-the physician and the
pastor; the physician called in for physical
relief, the pastor called in for spiritual re-
lief; but they both fail. The physician &C.
knowledges his defeat. The minister of re-
ligion acknowledges his defeat, for it seems
as if the Lord does not answer prayer
for opium-eaters. oh, man oh, woman
are you tampering with this habit have
you just begun are you, for the assuage-
ment Of physical distresses or mental trouble
making this regular resource2 beg you
stop. The ecstasies at the start will not pay
for the horrors at the last The paradise is
followed too soon by the pandemonium.
Morphia is blessing from God for the relief
of sudden pang or acute dementia, but was
never intended for prolonged use. And
what is the peculiar sadness OF it is, it comes
TO people in their weak moments. De Quin-
cey says, 81 took it for rheumatism."
Coleridge says, &" took it for insomnia or
sleeeplessness." What do you take it for
What is remarkable they are going down
from the highest and the wealthiest classes,
and from the most fashionable circles of
New York and Brooklyn-going down by
hundreds and by thousands. Over 10000
opium-eaters in Chicago. Over 90 900
opium-esters in st. Louis. In the same pro-
portion, that would make over 10000 in
New York and Brooklyn. The clerk of the
drug store says, " can tell them when they
come in. There is something peculiar
about their complexion, something peculiar
about their nervousness, something peculiar
about the look Of their eyes that immedi-
ately reveals them" In some families
choral is taking the place of opium. Ply
sicians first prescribe it for sleeplessness
Then the patient keeps on because he likes
the effect Whole tons of chloral are manu-
featured in Germany. Baron Liebig says
that he knows one chemist in Germany who
manufactures a half.ton of chlorsl every
week. There are multitudes being taken
down by this habit. Look out for hydrate
Of chloral But am under this head writ
ing chiefly of opium. 1t seems to me there
ought to be ten thousand pulpits turned into
quaking, flaming, laundering Sinais Of
warning against this narcotic plague. The
devil Of morphis in this country will be
mightier than the devil of alcohol. But
nepenthe and hasheesh and opium and
chloral shall not have all the field to them.
selyes.-Sunddy Maqazine.