Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-02-01
The USE OF NARCOTICS.
The Terrible Fnte Of These who Use Deadly
Drugs-AFamiIy Wrecked by Opium.


A Areporter Of the Louisville (Ky.)
Coauier-JoztTnGl held conversation
with a Appointment physician and drug
gist in that city in regard to the i'm
moderate use Of deadly drugs.
"The use of narcotics, Z he said, Il is
common among business and profes-
sional men of high social standing.
Some viii admit that without the use
Of these drugs they can do nothing ; it
is their staff of life, their encourage
mentrin business, and the proinulgator
Of their best energies. There are many
different kinds Of narcotics, which
bring about results that are injurious
to the whole nervous system"
"Bromidium potassium continued
the druggist, sis very much used. 1t
produces sleep and is used by 'profes-
sional men and students who study
late at night and bring on nervousness.
1t will cause tranquility of the ner-
vous system. But it has its evils as
have all other stimulants. Partial
paralysis Of the spinal column, and
softening or induration Of the brain
are the fruits of the use of the
bromide
"How about choral r.
"Hydrate of choral is used a great
deal by men who have acquired habits
Of intoxication and who desire to
practice total abstinence. 1t Is also
used by the same class that uses
bromide"
"How does chloral affect a person"
" A small dose will bring on intoxi-
cation similar to that produced by
drink, but an accidental overdose, as is
frequently the case, will produce al
most instant death by paralyzing the
action of the heart. There is no doubt
but that many people are credited
with suiciding with chloral when the
overdose was taken as a mere acci-
dent
"What do the women most fire.
quently use?'
"Belladonna and arsenic are used
as general thing by ladies in high
positions, where a great deal Of enter
tainment is necessary. The belladonna
brightens the eye and gives a decided
ly vivacious expression to the counte-
nance. Now the drug is deadly
poison, and should be used only in
a case of urgency, backed by a pre-
scription from regular physician. 1t
viii eventually cause death if used 9th
erwise."
is the taking of arsenic a rather
dangerous experiment? ~
at is. When it is first begun only
such quantity as will adhere to the
point Of a damp cambria needle is
taken, yet its use makes the habit in
all cases, and when begun, whether it
is continued or not, the patient will
finally die"
"What drug is most in use?"
"Opium, L suppose, is used more
than any other narcotic. The habit
grows greater every year. The in
ebriate uses it to drive away the taste
for alcohol; the writer, for freer us
of language and a better arrangement
Of ideas; the society people, for an in
crease Of conversational ability; the
invalid, to relieve pain. and everybody
else for his or her own little hobby.
Among the preparations Of opium are
McMun's elixer, Fowler's solution
of sulphate of morphia, and
the camphorated tincture of opil,
which is sometimes called pare
goric.' This last is the weakest
and Fowler's solution the strongest.
All are taken by the mouth but Fow-
ler's. which is administered hypoder-
mically. In the powdered or solid
form there is sulphate of morphia and
clear gum opium. BY the way,
knew a lady in little country town
not thousand miles from here who
cultivated the opium habit after her
husbands death. She used the gum
opium. l have seen her in her Wild
owed garments fit lightly along the
streets, looking most beautiful, but
totally obliyious to her surroundings.
She moved from town to town, how
ever, and I never knew to what ex-
treme, if any, the habit carried her"
"Is this habit ever inherited ?"
cit surely must be, for / have seen
whole families addicted to it. In the
town of N lived family who were at |
one time well-to-do. The children grew
up to bestrong, healthy and apparently
bright. The Oldest boy began to use
opiates; he married, was divorced, and
is now in the lunatic asylum. The sec
ond son was the brightest Of the lot, |
and is a pharmacist. He used it, until
to-day heis wreck, a wanderer and a
vagabond. The third and last son is
yet young. but his record is already
made in the police court for drunken
ness. The mother of the children is
now widow and broken-hearted. Her
greatest sorrows were caused by opium.
So it is all over the country. It is not
confined to one locality, but is a general
evil without single remedy