The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-08-28
NEGRO OPIUM JOINTS.
The Popularity of the Drug on South
ern Plantations

''The opium habit is undoubtedly ex-
tending. said prominent medical
man of New Haven TO reporter. Cpl
um is used in this locality fai' more
than anyone would suppose. People
of all classes are becoming slaves to
the drag in one form or another. Nor
is the habit confined TO men. Hundreds
of women indulge in the use of the poi
son. You don't hear much about these
cases. but nevertheless they are right
here in New Haven. Most of them are
kept as secret as possible and frequent
ly the doctors themselves are kept in
ignorance of the facts in cases which
they are called upon TO attend. OF
course it doesn't take long TO find out
the trouble but occasionally it proves
embarrassing to q practitioner to find
that patient who is supposed to be
suffering from general debility is
really slave to the opium habit.
Il have learned recently that the use
of opium has become very common
among the colored people of the South.
| can't give you many facts further
than this. but can refer you to a gem
tleman who has lived for some years in
Georgia, and who is cognizant of the
prevalence of the habit among the
blacks. IN that locality
Near my old plantation, said this
returned Georgian to the scribe, ..there
used to live an old darkey who seemed
10 have II great deal of influence over
the field hands OF the neighborhood.
For long time l supposed he was
merely a voodoo man or herb doctor,
but one wet night as | was passing his
cabin curious sounds within caused mo
to enter. Evidently no interruption
was expected for the door opened ca
silly, and came upon strange scene
s'fiye or six negroes lay around the
hut in various degrees of stupefaction.
One or two | recognized rs hands on
my own plantation. A fresh arrival
was just lighting an odd looking pipe,
and this added TO the peculiar odor
which pervaded the room, convinced
me that had struck a regular Joint
Ihe old fellow who ran the establish
ment hobbled up TO me. The light was
rather uncertain and his sight was bad.
and he didn't ct first recognize me.
When he did he seemed a tritle abash-
ed, but evidently was determined to
make the best of the matter and ne of
tered me pipe. | took him by the
collar and hauled him out OF the door.
and then threatened him with beat
ing II he wouldn't explain the fact of
his running such place.
Then he talked freely enough. He
said that he wasn't to blame. If he
didn't furnish opium to the neiohbor-
hood somebody else would. As to Opt
um smoking, it had been more or less
prevalent for years. He raised pop
pies and got good deal of his drug in
that way. Some he had to buy. Nearly
ali the colored men III that part of the
country smoked more or less. Opium
made them forget their troubles, and
then, too, they like it. just after cleo
ton time his trade was at its best; and
SO he went on at great length.
Other things occupied my attention
for some time Then | heard of the
old fellows death; he was stabbed by
customer to whom he refused credit;
aud as | could not find that anyone had
succeeded him in his business / let the
matter drop,
Last year, though, friend OF mino
spoke Of the opium habit among the
blacks in southern Georgia. He said
ne had found ii Very prevalent and had
tried to break it up, at least among his
own hands. Ia this attempt he was
unsuccessful, and he stated it as his
firm belief that the habit was gradually
extending over the whole south
1t affects the negro rather less than
the white man. At least he doesn't die
so soon, or run up his doses SO rapidly.
Difference of organism. / suppose,
makes the distinction. Some of the
negresses smoke the stuff. too, but
they are mostly the old ones. | don't
know how tho thing can be stopped -
--NeU IdreN NeJOS.