Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-17
TAKING AESTHETICS.
TERRIBLE HOLD OF THE HABIT
 ON NERVOUS AMERICANS.

liar Temperament of the American
 People-Appalling State of Things.
 Dr. B. S. Arnulphy, the heart and lung specialist, was the first physician appealed to for information on the subject. He said: My practice in America only extends back two and a half years, but i'll that time have, I think, seen sufficient of the use of anasthetics to enable me to speak intelli- gently. I have practiced extensively in Russia and France, and in the latter country society women, as class, are somewhat de voted to the morphine and chloral habit. But so far as I have been able to observe, there is more resorting to anaesthet1cS in this country than in any country have resided in. It may be due to the peculiar sensitive ness and excitability of people inhabiting this part of the world. The people here are more susceptible to emotions of pain and pleasure than those of other lands. The sys- tenn of the average educated American is wrought up to pitch of nervousness which have observed nowhere else, and this cray ing for relief from pain and sleeplessness, which in its turn produces the desire for an ansesthettc, is the direct outcome of this ner vousness of temperament.
 My observations teach me that morphine is the drug most commonly used by these nervous men and women, and the extent to which it is used is enormous. There are, however, some new agents that have lately come into practice which are claimed to pro duce the effects of morphine and partake of none of its dangers
 And what are the symptoms that show woman to be slave of anesthetics, and that show her she is breaking downW
 ''There are hardly any symptoms at first. Perhaps there may be a little heaviness of the head, bitter taste in the mouth and an ab- sence of appetite. Later on, of course, the nervous system gets more eXcitable, as larger doses are required. Those who have been in the habit of using injections for any length of time soon grow habitually restless and un- easy, and only able to find relief good while after taking the injection. During what physicians call the first period" of morphine taking the injection will be followed by in- stant relief from pain or sleeplessness; but before long the relief Is not to be had except by increasing the dose considerably, and after having acted as an an9sthetic, the drug at length acts as a stimulant. l know people now who have gone so far that they arc unable to accomplish any ordinary task read, write, or work-without their injection of morphine. It raises tho tone of their in- tellect; they would be wrecks except under the influence of stimulant.
 "A young physician whom I met not long ago had attained stage when he could hardly be aroused from sound sleep except by an injection of morphine Having thereby achieved the fullness of his faculties, he could 1 drive out and see his patients. But he would come home tired, worn out, and straightway fell into a sound sleep, from which he could, of course, only be aroused by repetition of the injection. He, of course, is q doomed man.
 Ut is we'll known fact that English women, particularly in London, during the fashionable season there, are great consumers of ether. They simply drink it, as you would 6 cocktail. It creates in them a kind of stimulation, bringing a flush of red to the cheeks and & sparkle to the eyes-which alone is sufficient to make woman use it. I have not observed any indication of ether consumption In Americans; 1t seems to be- long exclusively to English society women. )
 'Dr. J. Adams Aliens remarks, divested of terms and phrases peculiar to the medical profession, may be epitomized as follows: 'The rage just now among the women of Paris is for anti-pyrin and anti-febr1n, two | preparations that are analogous and manu- factured from various chemicals. They are claimed to be the best known cure for head ache and are used in large quantities by women in society. The latest production, which is used here, and which will therefore interest you more, is 'sulphonal,' a new agent, claimed to be perfect substitute for morphine and also claimed to be absolutely without injury to the system. Sulphonal, according to my observation, is used very generally. People carry anti-pyrin and sul- phonal around with them now as they did ether when it was first introduced. It is a peculiar fact that whenever anything new in the way of an anaesthetic is introduced, the claim is advanced for it that it is entirely harmless. It was this way with chloroform, cocaine, chloral, etc, and now it is true of anti. pyrin and 'sulphonal.
 | "Old, conservative doctors who have watched the introduction and use of these agents say Wait and see' Time is sure tC prove the accuracy of their judgment. Every agent that is capable of producing a power full effect on the system is capable of doing injury If improperly administered. The l chemists are now making host of com. pounds, in behalf of which the no danger claim is advanced. These compounds are dangerous in just the proportion that they contain these powerful ingredients. That they are sold to and consumed by somebody in Chicago stands to reason, or city chemists would not produce them. There are doZe1 substitutes for chloroform and ether that gc by different names. A young friend of mine 8 doctor, and an excellent fellow, killed him self with whiff of chloroform. He was 1T the habit of coming home tired out, anc treating himself in this way to produce sleep He took too powerful dose one day and was sent for. But it was too late then; hs was dying.
 'In a woman, the habitual use of anRsthet ics makes itself manifest in interference with the subjects digestion, neuralgia pains trritab bilty, and 50 on The continuous us' of chloTa1 in order to procure sleep, necessi tates continued increase in the dimension of the dose in order to procure the desiree effect Continued adherence to the practio produces gradual paralysis of the heart Some women grow fat, and others emaciated on aneSthetics. Women who take morphin and chloral do it to obtain sleep. When the, wish to arouse dropping spirits and energie in order to fortify themselves for 8 Possibl, arduous engagement, they take bromide.
 have aet women repeatedly in the course o , my .ractice, who are in the habit of drtnkini I co ogne, but who would think it a disgrac ! to have a bottle of ordinary spirits in tn I house. There are many chemical substance that produce substance like ch1oroform and there are many perfumes that, If takel