Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-17
THE OPIUM HABIT.
Many People the Slaves of the Drug
and the Number Increas sing.

Sew people have any idea of the extent OF
the opium habit, said q physician to STAR
reporter the other day, land the worst of the
matter is that it seems to be on the increase. "
"Are the victims mostly men or women?''
asked the reporter.
'The habit IL not confined to either sex.
1en and women both become slaves of the
drug in one form or another. Some eat the
pure gum opium, and know men who carry
lump in their pocket and at regular intervals
during the day eat a small piece, Disgusting the
taste in piece of bread or fruit, for 1t is very
bitter. One Of the saddest instances OF this
habit that has come under my personal obser-
vation was the case of man who had been q
gallant officer of volunteers during the war
and who subsequently secured good position
In the War department. He was a fine looking
fellow, bright and intelligent. and was favor
ite with ali who knew him. He commenced by
taking tiny bits of opium to deaden neuralgia
pains, and became acomplete slave to the habit
which finally killed him."
s.Couldn't he break off the habit?'
'No, indeed. He tried again and again, but
he hadn't the will to get over the first week OF
abstinence from the drug, He would go back
to it on the second or third day. Well, as
was saying. beside the opium eater there are
those who drink laudanum and paregoric. ]
know women who will drink laudanum like so
much wine, increasing the quantity until they
will drink at a single dose enough to kill a
dozen men. There are scores OF people who
carry with them a small bottle of paregoric,
which is slipped and drunk at regular intervals.
know one man whose habit is intermittent.
Several years ago he was very hard whisky
drinker. He lost good deal of m oney on ac-
count OF his fondness for the bottle, and after
he came here he lost two good government
positions and became reduced almost to want.
Finally some friends took hold Of him,
Strengthened him up and got him to
Join one Of the temperance organizations.
got fairly on his feet. He has never relapsed
into his old habit of drinking as formerly,
though he has had some sprees which have
been kept very quiet. Now in these latter
sprees when he gets full of liquor he will COM
mence the use of laudanum and keep up that
for several days. I've told him that there was
more hope of permanent reformation if he
would stick to whisky, but he insists that he
has sufficient will power to let up on his lauda-
mum when his spree is over. He is deceiying
himself, however, for the opium habit will kill
him eventually"
MORPHINE TAKERS.
Chow about those who use morphine?"
swell, the regular morphine taker buys his
sulphate of morphine, and, measuring his dose
carefully either eats it dry or dissolved in
something. But there are many who indulge
III tue luxury VI uyPoucrHic INFECTIOUS VI
morphine. / call it q luxury, for the hypo-
dermic syringe is expensive. In many cases
the habit is formed from the employment by a
physician Of this method of alternating pain or
to induce sleep. The patient feels the effects
of the drug, becomes fascinated with it, buys a
syringe and injects the solution himself"
do they ever break off the habit entirely?'
Sometimes. though very rarely. The power
of the drug is very strong when one once comes
under its influence. The thirst for whisky by
the confirmed inebriate is nothing in COMPARE
son with the craving and anguish of an opium
eater when his supply is cut off. Very few can
stand the delirium which follows. Still fewer
are cured by the gradual process-that is, re-
ducing the dose gradually until it is omitted
entirely. It's fearful habit, and yet. as / said
ut the outset, few people would believe how
many are addicted to the use Of opium in some
form or other. People in all grades of society
are its victims, and though they are mostly of
middle age, know some young men, yes, and
young women, too, who are yet in their twen-
ties who are already under bondage to this
drug"