Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-05-31
Morphine and Ether In the Partisan
Glub-RoOm.
From lie Progress Medical.

From lie Progress Medical
Would you believe that some persons
take pleasure in poisoning themselves
simply because their neighbors do it?
This is, however, a fact recently af-
frmed and proved by DR.. Regnard
at the SorbOnne. The large audi
ence Of the Association Scientifique
seemed to be completely dismayed
at his revelations. Upon a large
table in the amphitheatre were
disposed a series OF the most brilliant
looking caskets, plated with gold and
silver, or perhaps Of bronze, or inlaid
with pearl. You would think, to see
them, that you had a grand display of
jewelry laid out before you. Such is
not, however, the case. What you see
is only an admirable collection Of
sJriDges. Some of them are enclosed
in elegant cigarette-cases, others are
contained in charming little reticules or
in smelling-salts TASKS. The cases serve
to mask the instrument and the little
vial which goes with it.
And wherefore these instruments I?
NJ. Regnard tells us that these luxuri-
Gus implements are designed for the
pleasure-loving people of Paris, who
can no longer find in the theatre or in
gambling, horse-racing, and other dis
sipations, the emotional excitements
which they seek for so eagerly. These
are the persons who purchase these
marvellous caskets, which will at least
lend them a temporary elasticity, al
though they can hardly rejuve-
nate the used-up brain. The walls
contain solution Of morphine,
and the syringes are used to in
iect il beneath the skin. Do you
wish to know how person becomes a
morphiomaniac in the world Of fashion?
He tells his friend that he has tired Of
his habitual pleasures that the great
est Of them have lost their power to
please. That friend replies that he had
been in a similar condition. He had
found consolation, however, in NOR
phine; the drug had restored his tone
and brilliancy. No more than this is
necessary to make morphiomaniac out
Of blase man or a nervous woman.
But as it is necessary to dissimulate
and preserve a sentiment of careless
ease in the pursuance of the dread
habit, one of the luxurious caskets
with its golden syringe is purchased.
While, therefore, the ordinary syringe
used for the purpose may be had for
sl.25, the fashionable syringes will
sometimes fetch as high as go. They
are often given as New-Year's presents.
II is with these instruments, which they
always carry with them, that gentlemen
at their club, or ladies in their opera
boxes, revive the almost-extinguished
sensations and sentiments Of the past.
Instead Of morphine injections some
persons inhale ether. People become
etheromaniacs for the same reasons that
they become morphiomaniacs. 1t is a
vogue. fantasy, which proyokes the
abominable intoxications. There are
also morphiomaniacs who habituate
themselves by degrees to the poison to
diminish the violent pains Of gastralgia
or facial neuralgia; and we have a
whole category Of persons who
poison themselves simply as a
matter Of caprice. DR.. Regnard
divides morphiomaniacs into two
eroups--those who poison themselves
honestly and those whs do SO because
it is the fashion. The deplorable IA
cility with which it is possible to pro-
cure solutions Of morphine favors the
development Of this new malady among