Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-07
THE EFFECTS OF COCAINE.
WHAT SAVANNAH PHYSICIANS
SAY OF THE NEW DRUG.

History OF its Discovery and the success
That Attended the First Exporim ents
With it-sOme Cases of the Cocaine
Habit-NO Danger in it's Proper Use
by Physicians.
A well-known physician was asked yes
terday II the doctors Of Savannah admin
lister cocaine in many cases.
"To be sure" was his reply. "To say
that we do not use it would be saying that
we are behind the times and not progress
sive. II has been only year or so since
the announcement was made that young
student in Vienna had discovered new
and powerful anasthetic. That young
man is now known as DR.. Roller. He
sent vial of his newly discovered eX-
tract TO the Opthalmalogical Congress at
Heidelberg where it was experimental
with and proved a wonderful success.
Its use ever since has been necessarily
experimental. have not used much eX-
cept IN slight solutions locally applied to
temporarily deaden the nerves, | have
not used 1t internally or ypOdermically.
sometimes when l have to perform an
operation on a hand or limb l use a weak
solution and the knife is not felt so much.
The effect is over in fifteen minutes.
Il have not heard of a case Of the
formation OF the cocaine habit de nOUo.
DR.. Shaw, of st. Louis, reported ore ofthe
nrst cases of the habit but the
patient had merely substituted cocaine
for opium. There is a somewhat similar
case under treatment in this city, and it
IS being watched with much interest by
the profession. DR.. Bradley, of Chicago,
concerning whom so much has been said
WITHIN the last few days, was an opium
habitue for years. Opium was his hobby,
II not really his mania. 1t took the form
OF series of experiments upon himself
and family. and the experiments now
seem to have been maniacal His mania
taking the direction it did gave addi-
tional weight to the idea that cocaine is a
dangerous drug. Opium was undOu btedly
the cause of DR.. Bradley's insanity; the
cocaine experiments were simply the
direction IL took.
''There is q case reported of cocaine
habit formed by a confirmed inebriate
but that only bears out what l say, that
II Is doubtful If there is any such thing as
the cocaine habit as we understand it of
opium. Cocaine NAV be a dangerous
drug, but any drug used in excess is dam
gerous. The value Of cocaine is in its use
as local agent as an anesthetic CO.
ca1ne belongs to the tea and coffee family,
and It's effects in more marked degree
are the same as those OF theme and
caffeine the active principles of tea and
coffee. The immoderae use Of tea has
caused delirlum tremens, but that ia no
valid reason against the use of tea. Co
caine does not belong to the family of
powerful drugs in which we find opium
hasbeesh and chloral.
''The drug acquired considerable notO-
riety, and came into prominence through
its successful pse in the treatment of Gen.
Grant. For awhile the demand for the
drug was enormous, because the people
got the idea that it was a cure-all. The
price was so high, however, that none but
the rich could afford it. Recently the
price has been very much reduced. and
It's use is said to be quite extensive"
Another physician remarked: "Of
course 1t destroys the moral sense if It's
proper use is perverted. So does rum
and whisky ana opium. 1t does not fill a
man with murderous impulses, and l
suspect that mOrphia had as much to do
with that Chicago mans craze as CO.
caine. Certainly If confirmed opium
eaters or inebriates can give up those
| habits for cocaine, then cocaine is a
blessing rather than a curse. The
continued use OF opium, hasheesh, chloral,
ETC., creates craving which nothing
will satisfy but further resort 10 the
drug. With cocaine, there is absolutely
no reaction, no unpleasant feeling the
the next day, no craving for the drug. as
is the case with the other drugs. Instead
OF craving 1t, the patients are apt to find
cocaine repugnant, and will only use il
because compelled to get relief. In the
hands Of physician, cocaine Is absolute
ly safe.