Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-25
The OPIUM HABIT.
How WOmeR by Stimalants Ruin Happy
Homes and Wreck the Lives OF
Thousands.
The Manner In Which They Contract the
Passion for Drink and Morphine
The Terrible Results.

Much has been published of late concern
ing the Chinese opium dens in Mott street, |
says the New York World, but little is known
of the prevalence Of the opium habit in all
Its forms and of intemperauce among women
of wealth and fashion. Ii is the popular
opinion that the chief victims among women
of these habits are actresses, opera singers
and other public characters, out that ia not
30. The spread of these two great evils, in
temperance and the opium habit, among the
women OF the better classes, women who are
the wives OF merchants, politicians aud lit
erary meo, women of education, refinement
and even Of religious training, is something
alarming, and this statement also any prom
inent physician will confirm.
Several well-known ladies of this city, in
GLIDING Mrs. William E. Dodge, Mrs. Morris
Z. Jessup and others, have lately interested
themselves in the matter of the reformation
and cure of the unfortunate victims of theee
h.hits. A number Of reformstnrissA ~a hAAa
established for n-r, and there are several
CHARITABLE Institutions for women, but these
ladies believed that there was s demand for
an establishment for women belonging to
wealthy families. and whose friends would
never send them to a charitable institution,
or, indeed, to any place where they would be
supposed to be under treatment for these
habits. With the aid of the late William E.
DOQ9e. therefore, lU6b1 ldClte 6etdDlI5ucO, NJ
No. 440 East Fifty seventh street, a home for
women Of this class. That there is a neces-
city for such institutions as this is proven by
the fact that ii is filed with patients, most Of
whom are supposed by the society which they
lave left to be away either for treatment for
some nervous disc sse or else sojourniDg in 3
foreign land.
IN THE PRIVATE HOSPITAL.
A reporter OF the World called yesterday
on DIR. A. p. Meylert, the physician in charge
Of the home, and made inquiries as TO the
| cause of the prevalence Of these habils
| among women, and as to the methods en-
| pleyed to effect a cure.
II would rather attend twenty men than
one woman in this class of cases." said the
doctor, ''as nearly all women who are sfflIcted
with these habits are hystericsl, hard to con.
troll and are almost always troubled with
some other disease, which must be cured be-
fore she can be reformed.
"There are Two classes of women who be-
come habituated 10 the use OF liquor or mar
cotics. First, there Ia the poor under-class.
who are driven to lntemperauce by poverty,
sorrow or abuse. Then there is the class OF
women who belong 10 what is called the best
society. They are surrounded by all the
~luxuries which wealth can buy and all the
safeguards which polite society can throw
| dIOuDO tncm. 1ncy COutIdCN q pd5eiOu iOi
drink generally in social frivolities.
HOW THEY BEGIN.
"They begin with driuking beer and end
in drinking enormous quantities of all kinds
Of alcoholic beverages. l have had one pa.
tient who contra &C; ed the habit at a boarding.
school where a number of the young ladies
out OF mischief used TO surreptitiously snu .
gle in beer. Many OF my patients claim ths
they were at first prescribed the liquor by
their physiciau. This Is undoubtedly true
in many instances, but the statements of til,
victims of these habits cannot always be re
lied upon. Most OF those who contract tn
opium habit claim that they fret learned tn,
properties of the drug from having had i
prescribed by their physicians."
"Wou!d you, then, advise physicians tC
abandon the use OF narcotlcsY"
i by no means. Opium is one Of God
greatest gifts to man. 1 would, however, ad
wise physician s 10 use more care in prescrib
ing"
ALMOST every physician has msny case
OF intemperance among his female patients
Some OF the cases in NV private practic
were peculiarly pitiful. Their ~recitsl in al
their particulars would be horrible. IL wa
only a few weeks ago that two ladies walk
ing along an avenue in this city picked up
young woman, richly dressed and of refine,
I IohOCs ohO o. = Atb
! her address, they conveyed her to her home
! She belonged to a wealthy family in thi
city. She has since been reclaimed.
:. HOW OPIUM Is FIRST TAKEN.
) an opium cases the drug is generally q
/ fret taken to relieve pain and then as 500
az its properties are learned The habit ger
orally fastens it's hold upon the woman. Ther
are three forms of the opium habit. 1t ma
be smoked or taken through the mouth G
hypodermically introduced. The latter
the most common form. The woman, pal
haps, sees her doctor first use the syringe
then che gets one herself and begins its us
She coon discovers, however, that the dose
one eighth to one quarter OF a grain admir-
3 istered by the physician no longer satisfi
= her. and che increases the quantity. This
:, gradual, of course, but soon the amount take
daily would be sufficient to kill a stron,
. healthy man. From five TO eight grains
morphine is a fatal dose for one uusccu
toned to its USE.
n THE SLAVERY OF THE HABIT
n "Tbe habit must be continued with the u
most regularity. Some take it but once
day, others several times a day ;.but Il
habit must be continued, as it has begu
d The patient after taking the drug has 8
hour or 30 Of stupor and the rest of the d,
is misery. II the customary dose is omi
y ted the victim cutters terribly"
?. "Can the habit be cured and how?" ask
= the reporter.
d Its cure is possible. The patient mt
express a desire for a cure and then
,e placed under restraint and under social i
g, auences favorable to reformstion. In u
ts case of inlemperance 1 shut down immediat
ly on the use OF stimulants. l endeavor,
d the use of touics and medicine, TO supp
he their place and build up the system till
lie Last the craving for drink no longer exis
q Then / hope to send them away with ment
to stamina sufficient to keep them from aga
lie INDUCING in the u-e of stimulants.
ss "In the case Of the opium habit, l som
lie times continue to give them the drug aft
re taking the patients in. But I daily decrea
~ the doses. till gradual ally L suspend them alt
N gether. Then l supply the place of t
he opium with other drugs OF like nature, So,
q. as fCannabis indics,' coca leaves aud som
A. times strychuine. Alter a while / suspel
he these also, and then by restoring her gener
OF health the patient gradually loses her dssi
n. for the drug"
ne A well-known physician, with a largeWs
IN Side practice, said that tn. list of his pstier
y. includes many a well-known actress and t
wives OF many prominent citizens. The VI
of a popular clergyman is known to ha
been under his treatment TO effect a cure
IA Il DtI dDDCt1tC U 1ith Att OhA QAAS
tor this physician consented TO give the D,
~ticulars of a recent case which has terminal
fatally.
N FATAL CAsE.
IL 'She was the wife of a wealthy Englis
IN man who died several years ago. Several
e. her children are grown up and settled
ed life in prosperous circumstances Abo
r. sixteen years ago her physician administer
ne chloridine, which he Introduced into
er system by hypodermic injections. Expe
or eucipg the relief from pain and the pleasul
. BILE sensations which followed its use, s
tn asked the physician what he was giving b
,g and unfortunately he told her.
lg when she came to me, or rattle v
in brought BY her children, she was a meni
< and physical wreck. She could not artic
IN late a coherent; sentence. She had Il
er nearly all M and over herself. She look
er and acted like and 10 all intents and pr
u, poses vas an idiot.
n, "She grew better and in the course Of 81
be eral weeks became rational and the image
as her former self.
nj "AfLer she had been in my house neal
d, three months, and her mind and health b
a. regained much of lis former strength, sol
one in the house, or perhaps 3 visit
al showed her q bottle OF cologne and temp
10 her to drink it. She did 30. 1t made
be furious. In her frenzy she attacked q .
ng want and wrought herself up into a terril
ID. passion. Some one, / should like to les
ny who the fend wac, then put som morphi
m within her reach. This put her into q slup
e.. out of which she did not rally. She Wal
woman of many accomplishments and b
er clearly been accustomed to the best societ,
A Dude Equal TO The Occasion.