Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-10-02
THE OPIUM HABIT.
A Tendency to Sufcide Among Its
Victims.

Tendency to Suicide Among Its
Victims.
In addition to what has already been
reported in these columns concerning the
opium habit, a physician who makes the
treatment of this disease speciality,
says:
see in the columns Of the Globe the
opinion expressed by some physicians
that the opium habit is not growing in
this country. Now, not only my own
experience, but glance at statistics,
will show that such is not the case. In
1870, 253,609 pounds ofopium and 8, lis
ounces Of morphia were imported, while
in 1880 the importation had increased to
533, 451 pounds of opium and 8, s22
ounces of morphia-a doubling and more
in both cases, you see, the population
having rising only fourth. Of this
quantity only about twenty five per cent.
is prescribed by physicians, five per cent.
is mixed into quack nostrums, to be di-
gested by an ever-ready public, while
the remainder goes for the use of opium
habitues. Perhaps it will interest you TO
know that Chicago leads the list Of cities
in the consumption of this drug, Albany
and St. Louis following.
''By far the larger proportion of opium
takers are found in the best society, pro-
fessional men and fashionable women
being especially addicted to the vice.
They seem to need some stimulant and
find that the effects Of opium are far
more pleasant, and under its influence
they can do more work than if they re
sorted to alcoholic stimuli. Beside, opium
can be taken with comparative safety
from detection, while the use of liquors
is at once apparent to all +"
"Doctor, you have no doubt had many
interesting cases Of this habit under your
care, suggested the reporter.
Eyes, and there are many sad histories
as well as amusing incidents connected
with its abuse. One lady who came
undermy care was taking twenty grains
of morphia day, having been left in
the habit BY physicians. After repeated
efforts to free herself from the drug, and
no longer being able to endure the agony
of mind, she resolved to commit suicide.
So one day-she was living in the coun-
try-she started for a high cliff in the
vicinity, bent upon death. Her little
girl followed her, unobserved, and as
she was about TO make the fatal plunge,
clung to her skirts, crying, 'Oh, mamma,
mamma, don'tl' and thus she was saved.
"a gentleman, a slave to the habit,
told me that he had attempted suicide
three times, and that his wife had left
him in consequence of his condition.
One day he was travelling in the cars,
and though he had resolved not to take a
dose, had brought his solution and
syringe with him. The people in the car
saw him clutch his hands together and
writhe-they thought him mad Fin
ally, unable to longer withhold himself,
he suddenly barred his arm, and with
trembling hand thrust the needle Of the
syringe into his arm beneath the flesh.
But the needle punctured an artery and
a stream of blood spurted over the seat
Women screamed and tainted, thinking
it suicide, and men rushed to stay his
hand; but the deed was accomplished,
and he continued his journey in calmer
state, though an object of strong sus-
picion to his fellow-passengers.
eMany people thiak the only way to
control the habit is to stop at once, but
this is a dangerous experiment. The
system, suddenly deprived Of its accus-
toned food, quickly sinks from exhaus-
ton, and the patient will, in all hkeli-
hood, soon die. One man, in relating to
me his experience, said that he was placed
in strong room and his drug taken
away. In three days he became perfect
madman, and during his delirium tore
the iron bars from his window and
escaped.
mo, sir, the opium habit is wide
spread and needs the greatest amount Of
care and science to combat it success
fulIy.-BostOa Globe.