The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-19
a WOMAN's NIORPuIA DEN.

Luxurious Apartments Where Ladies' May
Indulge Themselves in the Soothing Drug.
Troy Times
A correspondent thus describes visit to an
establishment where women 90 for morphla in
lecuons. Passing the attendant the visitor finds
herself in the presence of a middle aged, well
preserved German lady of marked dignity of
manner, and well dressed in silk. 1t will then
be observed that heavy, rich. dark maroon vel
vet curtain, tastefully embroidered with gold
lace, separates the apartment from the rear
about midway.
The lady has been seated at small table,
which contains a memorandum book, and greets
the visitor cordially, receiving in a perfunctory
way bank bill or bills from her, the other pass
ing through to the rear parlor The visitor
finds the rear apartment furnished the same as
that just left only the spacious bay window is
filled with tinted glass and the colored light or
hue Illuminating the room adds something of
the mysterious to the scene Perhaps the
apartment may be unoecupied: perhaps ladies
may be lolling in the easy chairs or
reclining on the sofas. No one seems
to be conscious of the other. Some
seem to be dreaming the hours away, others
seew to be in mental anguish but still with q
certain dazed expression in the eye indicative of
tranquilized spirit Any bOisterousness CT un-
ruly demonstration, and the pleasant hammered
German lady who so graciously receives her Wis
itors becomes Giantess in strength, and firmly
removes the offender from the apartment and
never thereafter is she permitted in the room,
but Is consigned to a private room up stairs
where the prices are high The charge for the
room described is So; the upstairs rooms
on the first floor bring So, on the
ground 3d. 1t is seldom, however,
that any of the visitors or subjects are thus
affected as it is generally those who are pleas
antly affected by the drug who seek its influence.
The hostess generally follows the visitor into the
rear room, and the lady having selected a seat
or sofa and removed her wraps and bonnet, the
other having previously taken a hYpodermic
syringe from lot in a handsome rosewood cabi-
net approaches the subject and administers the
injection on the calf of the leg. The German
lady is carefully educated physician, un-
derstands her business thoroughly studies
the constitution and temperament of her sub
jects or visitors, and consequently administers
the proper dose If the subject is in one of the
private rooms she attends them there, the pro
cess being the same. In the private rooms some
of the ladies make themselves more comfor-
table by disrobing, and often in the lower rooms
they remove their outer garments
The effect of the drug varies; some of the
patients go to sleep at once, while in others
/ the nerve tension is almost painful to behold,
however evidently pleasant to the subject.
The ultimate effect of the drug on the constitu
ton is disastrous as opium smoking or
arsenic eating, and will in time undermine the
nerve energy and vital force of any organization.
The proprietress of the establishment is the
wife of one of the most profound German
scholars in the country, who somehow has never
been able to living. Several years ago
his wife bethought herself of this institution,
and has not only coined handsome living but
accumulated money as we'll