The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-07-12
THE NEW DRUG.
Late Experiments with HydrcehIo.
rate OF Cocaine.

Late Experiments win HydrcehIc.
rate OF Cocaine.
lst. Louis Globc-Democrat.l
The discovery Of the beneAoent possibi1i.
Ties in the hydfochlorate Of cocaine has in.
duced numerous experiments among physi-
clans and specialists TO find its real limita.
tons. These experiments have widened "a
wonderful extent the field In which the
drug can be used, and have demonstrated
where It's use should he abandoned. One
of the most untiring Of the expefimentslists
in this limo has been DR.. Jerome X. Bauduy,
who, in January, 1884, began using the
drug in cases Of alcoholism with good effect
The first Of the present year he began an
entirely new line Of experiments on the
patients In ST. vinoent's insane asylum,
and during the Ave or six months has ex-
pended possibly $4,000 in purchasing the
drug The results of these investig atoms
have been embodied by him in paper "a
be read before the Neurological Society
which meets In New York June ~. Several
attempts have been made to obtain by In
terviews some idea of the scope and value
Of his study, but these have been met with
persistent denial, as, according TO the ethics
Of the society, the paper and It's contents he
long TO that body, and not TO the public.
But one who has been intimately associated
with the experiments at 81. Vipcent's, and
10 not bound by oaths or otherwise, furnished
the information from notes Of the several
| cases.
The prime use Of the drug seems TO be In
melarcholia, which in It's suicidal forms
has been reduced with remarkable ease and
rapidity. One Of the most marked cases
noted at the asylum was that of an Army
officer, whose melancholy was 80 pronounced
that his constant desire was for self destruc.
ton. To avoid such catastrophe he was
strapped TO his bed aud guarded. Previous
| to the use Of cocaine he had not taken food
| for sixty hours, and IL was feared he would
die Of inanition. Ono grain of the drug was
injected hypodermically. The effect, as IL
usual, was ins, antaneous. Shortly after
ward he asked for food, and in three quarters
of an hour had SO improved that he dressed
himself and walked out Of the ward. The
melancholia was for the time entirely gone,
but reappeared In about twelve hours. An
other injection reduced the attack, and there
were recurring periods Of depression about
every twelve hours, each Of less force than
the preceding one, until the minimum was
reached aud the patient cured. However
like fairy tale this may seem, IL is not the
least. wonderful, for there are instances of
marvellous cures Of alcoholism, which Justify
an expressed opinion that when the use Of
the drug shalt have become well understood
insbriste asylums will be thing of tho past
A case Is cited of man whose debauches
had brought him into the paroxysms Of de
lirium tr.mens. The magic injection allnyei
the excitement, and In several hours he was
relieved of Authorizations and was ready for
business.
Experiments so far have scarcely removed
the dug from the realm Of the empiric
Certain results are known TO follow given
doses, but the philosophy Of its action is al.
most a blank page in the experimental note
book. ga grain injected in the arm of a
man who ia a coward, i" said physician,
twill make him brave. know one who
had been grievously outraged by business
associate. He told the doctor, Il know
am coward or would smash that fellow
| wish had some courage Il will give
you courage the doctor said, and gave him
grain of cocaine. The injured man imme-
diately became lion in daring and brow
beat his aggressor into making an apology"
There sixteen cases of melaucholia now
under cocaine treatment at st. Vincent's,
which are being watched with the greatest
care as to the effect of the drug upon the
temperature, upon the action of the heart,
etc. The experience has been that not a
single case has refused TO yield to the treat
ment. The most prominent of the special
effects is nausea, invariably caused by the
injections. The nausea is violent when the
habit Of taking the drug is fixed, but only
transitory to the beginner. To escape this
effect in violent form the Injection is given
several hours before eating. Numerous
cases of alcoholism have been treated at st.
vincent's with the success indicated. vic
tim who coDfesses to have been slave to
that disease fortwenty years, and for sew
eral years bad been consigned to the asylum
at regular intervals, has been in all proba-
bility permanently cured. His own state
ment is that he began the treatment three
weeks prior to June 10, the day the statement
was made. The first injection and several
made subsequently seemed to have no effect.
After three or four days he observed poem
liar sensation, not to be described, after each
injection. This sensation did not affect the
brain, aud passed away in half an hour.
The old craving passed away entirely, and
he considered himself cured.
Hysteria is disease that has been found
in these investigation TO give way before the
drug, and numerous pronounced cases are to
he quoted; but the most interesting line OF
the inquiry is the effect upon slaves Of the
morphia or opium habit. 1t has been CON
clusively shown that cocaine is the antidote
Of opium. and it is held, with slighter ground
for the belief, that each is a counteractipg
agent on the other. Many cases of opium
habit have been treated, all yielding readily.
The number Of doses that are needed TO cause
thorough distaste for opium is not high.
But in the cure by this means there has
been developed cocaine habit more violent
and distressing than the ma1ady displaced.
This has followed incautious use Of the drug
in the cure of alcoholism also. II is a favor
lite expression Of DR.. Bauduy that the opium
habit ia to the cocaine habit what the acorn
is to the oak, and, too, the drug is the most
terrible IL has been the misfortune of man to
abuse. His associate told of case which
has as yet yielded TO no treatment. A man
with some slight knowledge OF medicine had
become subject TO the opium habit, and
learning that cocaine had been found to be. a
specific for the malady he began hypoder-
mic injections of one grain each day. The
stronger drug supplanted the opium in a
very short time, and, not realizing or not
dreadiDg the danger, lie Increased aud con-
tiuued his doses beyond any reasonable
limit. He was advised TO use morphia freely,
but could not he brought to 1t, the cocaine
having induced repugnance to its use that
could not he overcome. He persists in the
use Of cocaine, and q cure seems doubtful.
His case is considered valuable to the stu
dents in this field, whose experiences have
not been Of much importance in connection
with other cases.
While person IN normal health Is exhil
arated by the use Of the drug to such an ex-
tent that natural cOwardice is supplsnted
by the greatest daring. the slave TO the drug,
though previous TO his enthralment the
bravest OF men, becomes the most arrant
coward. lie will not sleep, except at long
intervals, but never loses his appetite, eat
ing heartily as soon as the nausea induced
by the injection passes of. No mental
faculties are olouded or dullsd, but owing
TO extreme constipation the victinsis a prey
TO lsthargy, and will not undertake great
labor or enterprise; becomes untidy in per
son, unclean in thought, and morally de-
PRAYED. Some victims have continued their
employments, but, on account Of their aver
sion to action, with great dminution Of sue
cess. Opium, other narcotics and intoxi-
cants used to excess, cause persons to be-.
come absolutely indifferent to all relations,
duties, and obligations; they even become
bruta al m M .,o arlv al Ham a