Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-12-02
HOW CAN IT BE STOPPED:
THE MoRPHlA HABIT GROWING
AMONG THE PEOPLE.
How tho Drug is Used, and What Druggist
Has to Say About the Vice.

It was in the window of an instru-
ment makers shop handsomely
wrought silver box that, from its shape
and general appearance, might pass as
receptacle for matches or for snuff.
That it was not intended for either pur-
pose was evident from the articles sur.
rounding it. A question addressed to
the man at work behind the counter
brought him to the window, where ad-
iusting his spectacles more firmly on
his nose, he finally succeeded in discoy-
ering the novelty referred to, and drew
it out with hook-rod." This" he said,
ais one of the newest inventions, and
though it be but small thing the
price is big thing, or would be to
some people. Do you know, sir" he
continued, "that this little trinket is
worth S55? And tiny as it is it can do
more damage than its innocent looks
imply. This is morphia case, and
though we do sell a few to doctors, the
great number Of sales are to people who
are addicted to the morphia habit. This
little spring on the bottom Of the box
opens the lid without the slightest noise,
and by pressing it again when CLOSING
it will produce a similar result" Herr
he gave q short exhibition of how
noiselessly the act of opening or closins
it might be done. "Now, you know, Il
doctor would not especially desire such
q case, but with the people who have
| formed this habit it is essential that in
indulging in it they should not be no.
ticed by others. AS it is frequently
necessary for them to apply it when Oh
thestreet, or while travelling in the cars,
we must comply with their wishes am
make these cases and their contents a.
harmless and innocent in appearance
as possible. We have adopted the sill
ver matchbox shape and this noiseless
catch, on this account. "a In this frs.
compartment" the instrument-maker
continued, as he pointed to the first OF
the three parts into which the box was
divided, d the wires for pointing the in
jector are kept, in the second is q small
vial Of morphia, in the third is dainty
little silver injector, which looks more
like pencil case than the harmful
thing tits. Now, sir, you see how easily
aman canput the desired quantity into
the injector at home, and when outside
how easily hec can puncture his skin and
inject the drug" This little lecture
upon the quaint instrument aroused
the curiosity of the reporter and on h
way home, late at night, he stopped IS
well-know drugstore on apromine,
street, to ask somethil lbout the dr.
itself. There he lcarl,, that the usu
amount used by physicians in I'll, :
practice, when necessity for a hypode.-
mic injection of morphia occurred, was
from one-fourth to onc-eighth of Il
grain; that the drug was really the ac-
tive principle Of opium, and that its
indulgence as habit was extremely
dangerous, eventually fatal, and that it
was also a very costly habit. The class
of people" said the experienced clerk,
"who are frequently found, through
sudden deaths or accidents that expose
the truth, to have been addicted to NOR
phia are mostly men who are living ii
high pressure style. The lower clalt
and in fact many Of the upper class
society, and professional people az
forming this habit. l knew promi-
nent druggist in the eastern states w.,)
used it steadily for years, and when lia
died suddenly from its effects his arm
and legs were found to be .literal ?
blackened where the skin had beaa
punctured while using the injector.
Every night some one comes here fot
1t. We sell greater amount to ladica
and mostly young ladies, than to men
Who they are, or to what class they be-
long, cannot tell, as they only 60 q
intervals to one store and in this busi.
ness curiosity would be bad fault
ut is hard to tell just how much or
whoha become habituated to this dru;,
can stand, as it depends mainly upon
the length of time they have been in.
dulging in it. That is true in every
habit, and the longer they use it the NOR
is necessary to affect them. The hall
is evidently growing, and it may SOM
day need legislation to prevent it from
becoming as popular as the use of opium
is in China"
Where Pigs are Game.