The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-07-31
The 0uinine Habit.

c&lu u ulStlL8tuoH6Q Iu6uIGdl JrHC-
titioner, who has grown gray in his
profession, speaking of the report that
the use of quinine as stimulant is be-
coming very common habit among
men of business and ladies in society:
Eyes, it is unquestionably true that
the great increase in the sales of quinine
during the last five years by retail
druggists is very largely referable to
what may be styled the quinine habit;
and it is fully as frequent among women
in society as it is with men whose nerves
are overtaxed by hard work. And
may say to you, though many will dis
pute it, that of the two the quinine
habit is more rapid in its ravages when
once thoroughly established, more diff
cult to break, and more dangerous in
every respect than the habitual use of
opium or its preparations. Few save
practieing physicians are aware OF the
tremendous potency of this drug in its
effects upon the nervous system. AS
you know, depending upon the quantity
taken, quinine possesses four very dis
tinct properties-being, in very small
doses, tonic and nervine; in moderate
doses, directly stimulant; in large
doses, sedatiEe and soporific; and
in very large doses, intoxicating-p
ducing peculiar species of drunken
ness similar in its features to masked
epilepsy. in which, while performing Gus
tomary actions and talking with the CO.
herence of person in full possession of
his senses, the victim is really perfectly
unconscious of what he is doing and
totally irresponsible. THERE'S no ques-
ton that the regular use of the drug as
stimulant is rapidly increasing among
the higher classes, ahd the fact is one
of the most lamentable that has come
under my notice for years. The way a
man gets into it in the first place is
very Simple. He feels little unstrung
and out of tune, perhaps, and so con-
suits the family physician, who sug-
gests few doses of quinine. In day
or two he feels singularly improved;
his brain is clever and bright; his phys
ical energies seem to have renewed
their youth. Elated with the result,
whenever he feels down spirited or out
of sorts, he resorts, of course, to the
remedy that has once served his pur-
pose so well; and very soon has &C.
quired the habit of using the drug in
regular daily doses. In three months,
so insidious are its effects, the qilinine
habit is fully established, and the prob
! ability is that the man Cor woman, as
the case may be) has not five years tc
live. Worse still, so peculiar
are the effects of the salt on the
nervous system, there is strong
| probability that the victim viii die o
suicide; for it is singular fact that nc
| toxic in the materia medica acts SO di
rectly and rapidly to produce suicida
predisposition and impulse. Morphi;
has no such effect, deplorable as it
ravages are. The morphia habit gen
orally transforms the most truthful
man or woman into the most inyeterat
liar in the course of two or three year
"a romancer of the widest type. Oh
the other hand, while quinine produce
no perceptible effect on the veracity,
leads to a nervous irritability thatis in
tolerable alike to its victim and his as
sociates, and frequently ends in th
sudden development of suicidal manis
Again, a patient may be reduced to tn
verge of the grave by morphia, and sti
TSCON0E TCILHftub VI puyol al
nervous energy when the drug has bee
eliminated from the system; but whe
once the system gives way under tn
cumulative influence of quinine tn
breakdown is irrevocable. In the cours
of an experience embracing thilty-fiy
cases of the auinine habit in its latte
stages. during the last two years. hay
never seen a case in which the YictiI
was good for anything after the hab
was broken, and, MS rule, the patieI
collapses and dies if the withdrawal (
the stimulantis is perseyered in. KNOWN
these facts, cannot tell you how
dread toprescribe quinine to men littl
tagged out with overwork, and / thin
!, it is time that medical practi tionel
began to be as cautions with it as the
are with morphia. IN 7. Commercial
| AdUerttser.