The Monitor., 1886-12-03
PERvERTED Use or DRUGS.

DR.. Frank Woodbury., OF the Medice-
Chirurgical College, recently read paper
on the unique topic, Physical Tipping
and Medicine Bbbling; A Warning
Against Intemperance in the Use Of
Drugs
''The object Of this paper, said Dr..
W oodbury, is to direct public attention
30 habit which has insiduoasly entered
into our life as a people. and which in my
estimation has assumed sufficient proper
tions to warrant consideration at such a
conference as this.
''Not long ago, while in a Chestnut
street drug store / observed richly dress
ed but poorly nonrished woman step to the
soda fountain and ask for glass vi soda
water containing bromide Of potassium.
She was evidently nervous, but the thought
occurred to my mind that the natural way
to overcome the nervousness (or neryeless-
ness would have been TO alter the habits
Of the life which produced the morbid con-
ditien rather than to overwlielm what lit
nerve sedatives. Inquiring of the drug
clerk | found that it was common habit
for customers te ask for medicinal sub
stances in soda water. Leaving out tie
question Of possible ill-effects of soda it.
self, | found that potassium bromide.
spirits of ammonia, soda-mint, sodium,
biearbonate, acid phosphate, tincturcs, ami
elixirs were in very frequent demand
The doctor spoke of standing preserip-
tion kept in this same drug store for the
preparation of dose of chloral, which it
was very common to furnish customers
who frequently called at the soda fountain
for it,
..We all know, he said, chow the opiuni
habit is formed Few there are who re-
alize what a hold it has taken on the pee
pie The drinking of ether and similar
anodyne mixtures is not uncommon and
too often prepares the way for indulgence
in grosser forms of intemperance.
After allrding to the enormous quantity
OF these drugs that are manufactured and
supplied to the drug trade fer this purpose,
the doctor continued: TRY to form some
idea of the capital invested and the fortunes
made ID the sales of patent medicine Was
any one certain that all this supply is
needed to meet a natural demand: Why is
it, the sanitaran asks, that man, the para
gon of animals, requires so much more
medicine to keep him alive than his more
lose iaafod t.r..f lra,, fVhx, is
that civilized man in the nineteenth cen
tury consumes larger quantities Of narcotic
drugs-morphne, chloral, broinides, ether
and dchloroform-than his forefatherss What
is to be the result upon the population of
the twentieth century? Can we not see
abundant effects of decentralization in the
weakened digestion, and impressionable
nervous system, which have become almost
universally recognized as characteristic of
American life ,
Among the causes for theenormous drug
trade in this country is to be counted, un-
doubtedly, the evercrowdng Of the mcdi-
cal profession. Until within few years
there were practically no restrictions in
this State upon the practice of medicine
The law did not require doctor to be
either a scholar or a gentleman. Thous-
ands of self-educated, or entirely unedu-
Gated men, furnished v ith cheap diplomas.
were set loose to prey upon the community,
and drug stores have sprung up ON every
corner
DR.. Woodbury. described the enormous
growth in the supply and demand for di-
gestise ferments, which constitute large
proportion Of the sales Of city druggists.
as an illustration OF the folly Of the pee-
pie, who are foolish enough to cause them
selves indigestion, and then instead Of
adopting common sense method in their
eating they call in the and ola druggist.