The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-10-21
THE DEVILS OWN DRUG.
A Medicine That Can Change Saint Into
Scoundrel.
Some of the Secrets OF the Horrible Work
Done by the AIkaloid Cocaine.
Est. Louis Republican


this fuid,' said he, land with an hypoder-
mic syringe it would hardly be too much to
sav that could change St. Francis of Assisse
into Charles Guiteau. could take the
purest and best man or woman in the city of
st. Louis, and, after a course of treatment
reaching not over two weeks, change him or
her into a beast, unworthy, base and
wretched. 1t is the DEVILS own drug"
What is it2' asked the reporter.
at is cocaine, the new medicine, OF which
the papers have had so much to say lately.
1t is a good thlng'in its way, but it is such
an awfully bad thing at the same time that
il were better it had never been discovered.
This drug sent one of the very best physi-
clans in the city of st. Louis into an insane
asylum, and it was with difficulty that he
was snatched back from utter madness and
restored TO his family and to his usefulness
Fortunately that restoration was complete,
although the gentleman passed through an
experience which he will never forget, and
which makes him shudder now when he
speaks or writes about it."
Il thought cocaine was an anasthetic.'
''Iti is. Here, let me put drop OF it on
the end of your tongue. 1t won't hurt you.
1t takes continued treatment to bring out
the psychologist phenomena" The Doctor
put little of the cocaine on the reporters
tongue. 1t had peculiar odor, and a taste
entirely unlike anything which the same
tongue had previously experienced, while a
sensation of numbnesS came over the part of
the organ touched. Then with a needle the
tongue was pricked. The steel could be fell
entering, but there was no pain. After a
time the sensation passed away altogether.
'"That is its use" continued the doctor; cit
is local an9sthetic, and in operations on
the eve, or other places where the mucous
membrane is exposed And so far as that goes
the alkaloid was great discovery. But il
has not stopped there. 1t exerts
MOST vILLAINoUs EFFECT
on the mind, especially lowering the moral
tone, and making anyone who acquires the
cocaine habit simply scoundrel i can't
sneak too bitterly of it, because ! am fresh
from case where its evil effects have been
manifested at their worst"
and was cocaine alone to blame%'
cit was. The case l mean to bring before
the medica. society very shortly, as soon as
it is possible 10 make q complete report. a
young lady of eighteen, VINO has lately COM
pleted school, some time ago through trouble
which il is not necessary to 90 into, but
which should not have had any effect upon
her general health, became exceedingly de-
pressed in her spirits. There was no mental
alienatiOn-nO inSanity-yOu understand.
That was clear. After time finding that
matters were getting worse and that there
was danger of mental disease, | began using
cocaine in the case. | administered il hypo-
dermically, and the effect was magical. All
the clouds cleared away and the girl was as
bright and happy as she had ever been. In
nj oil ct
times After a time this wore off and the old
melancholy returned. / again gave cocaine
with good results, and this treatment con-
tinued for some time. i was very cautious,
and as | was exceedingly interested in the
case i watched it closely. Soon / had reason
for the gravest apprehension. / gave up the
cocaine altogether. The girl became morose
and intensely selfish. At times her language
was simply frightful. Her habits became
bad and the closest watch became necessary
to prevent some scandalOus escapade which
she daily threatened. | called in another
doctor, and guided by his experience we
made most thorough search of the girls
room. Concealed in one of the mattresses of
the bed was
ALARGE VIAL or COCAINE
and the implements for taking it hypoderm-
ically. She had acquired the habit insensi-
bly,, and had secured large amount of the
drug, which she administered herself. 1t is
difficult to make you understand the change
from the bright, affectionate, generous girl
she had been TO the moral wreck she had be-
come. Without evil associates with no OPP
portunity to go wrong, she had become,
through cocaine alone a castaway."
"And the result?"
II hope for the best. She has been entire
ly secluded. She can get no more of the
drug, although she Graves it as bitterly as
an Opium-eater demands his poison"
might this not be an isolated caSp9p
mo. The experience of every doctor who
has given cocaine comes to the same end
that the drug surely and quickly saps the
moral nature of the patient. have read all
that i could get about it, and j have ques-
toned all who knew anything about it you
know it is new alkaloid with very little
literature, and believe that cocaine attacks
that part of the brain where the conscience
and the moral sense reside. That is a rough
and unscientiic way of putting it. but it will
convey my meaning. When cocaine has
been given for any length of time the char
acter breaks down. That is inevitably the
result. The drug seems to be
DIRECT CoNNECTING-LrNK
between mind and matter. can't put it to
you any more strongly than ! have DONE
that with bottle of cocaine and an hypo-
dermic syringe you could change the very
best man you know into creature tit only
for the gutter
81 thought that DR.. Bauduy had discovered
the drug had wonderful effects in cases of
insanity"
1t has, Cocaine is valuable. But if You
will read what DIR. Bauduy writes IN the last
number of the st. Louis Medical Record you
will discover that there is nothing too strong
for him to say in depreciation of the abuse of
this drug. He describes its effect as a base
enslavement of the mind. He describes the
phenomena as tending to selfishness and
morbid criminality. Indeed, he advises that
in cases where it is necessary to administer
cocaine the patient should never be permit
ted to find out what has been given, for he
describes the cocaine habit as one easy to
form, awful in effect, and difficult to cure"
'What is the cocaine made FROM
at is the alkaloid of the coca leaves,
which are found in South America. / be-
lieve the botanic name of the plant is Fry
throXylOn Coca. The best leaves are found
in Peru and Bolivia, growing on the slopes
of the Andes. Its effects have long been
known 10 the Indians and the travellers of
the Andes. Chewing handful of the leaves
entirely takes AWAY all feeling of hunger