Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-19
TAKING ANESTHETICS.
TERRIBLE HOLD OF THE HABIT
ON NERVOUS AMERICANS.

TERRIBLE HOLD OF THE HABIT
ON NERVOUS AMERICANS.
What Chicago Physicians Have Observed
in the Course of Their Praotiee-Pecu-
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 half years, but in that time
have, l think, seen sufficient Of the use Of
anasthetics to enable me to speak intelli-
gently. l have practiced extensively in
Russia and France and in the latter country
society women, as a class, are somewhat de-
voted to the morphine and chloral habit
But SO far as have been able to observe,
there is more resorting to anBsthetics in this
country than in any country have resided
in. 1t 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
l have observed nowhere else, and this crav.
ing for relief from pain and sleeplessness,
which in its turn produces the desire for an
anaesthetic, is the direct outcome of this ner-
vousness of temperament.
my observations teach me that morphine
is the drug most commonly used by these
AL
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 70 be a slave of enasthetics, and that
show her she is breaking DOWN.
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
slant 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 anasthetic, the
drug at length acts as stimulant. know
people now who have gone so far that they
are unable to accomplish any ordinary task
read, write, or work-without their injection
| of L tl,a ,f tba,r tn
tellect; they would be wrecks except under
the influence of a stimulant.
"a young physician whom 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
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 a doomed
man
1T is well known fact that English
women, particularly in London, during the
fashionable season there, are great consumer:
of ether. They simply drink it, as you would
a cocktail II creates in them a kind Of
stimulation, bringing a flush of red to the
cheeks and a sparkle to the eyes-whict
alone is sufficient to make a woman use it.
have not observed any indication of ethel
consumption in Americans; it seems to be
long exclusively to English society women
''Dr. ]. Adams Aliens remarks, divested o.
terms and phrases peculiar to the medica
profession, may be epitomized as follows
THE rage just now among the women o.
Paris is for anti-pyrin and anti-febrin, tive
preparations that are analogous and manu-
factured from various chemicals. They ar
= claimed to be the best known cure for head
ache, and are used in large quantities b,
women in society. The latest production
which is used here, and which will therefor
interest you more, is 'sulphonal,' a new
agent, claimed to be perfect substitute fo
\ morphine and also claimed to be absolutel,
without injury to the system. Sulphonal
according to my observation, is used yer,
generally. People carry antl-pyrin and sui
phonal around with them now as they di,
ether when it was first introduced. 1t is
peculiar fact that whenever anything ney
) in the way of an anasthetic is introduced, th
claim is advanced for it that it is entirel
harmless 1t was this way with chloroforn
cocaine, chloral, etc, and now it is true Q
anti pyrin and 'snlphonal'
"Old, conservative doctors who hav
= watched the introduction and use of thes
agents say Wait and Sec Time is sure
prove the accuracy of their judgment Ever
\ agent that is capable of producing a power
full effect on the system Is capable of doin
injury If improperly administered. tn
chemists are now making host Of con
pounds, N behalf of which the no DANCE
claim is advanced. These compounds al
dangerous in just the proportion that the
, contain these powerful ingredients Ths
} they are sold to and consumed by somebod
in Chicago stands to reason, or city chemist
would not produce them. There are doze
substitutes for chloroform and ether that s
;, by different names. A young friend of min
q doctor, and an excellent fellow, killed hin
self with Whit of chloroform. He was
the habit of coming home tired out, ar
treating himself in this way to produce slee
| He took too powerful g dose one day and
was sent for But it was too late then; !
was dying.
sin a woman, the habitual use Of anasthe
les makes itself manifest in interferen
with the subjects digestion, neuralgia pair
irritability, and so on. The continuous u
of chloral in order to procure sleep, neces
- tates a continued increase in the dimensio
. of the dose in order to procure the desir
!, effect. Continued adherence to the practi
produces gradual paralysis of the heal
Some women grow fat, and others emaciate
on anasthetics. Women who take morphi
and chloral DO it to obtain sleep When th
wish to arouse dropping spirits and energi
in order to fortify themselves for possih
nrduous engagement, they take bromide.
. have met women repeatedly in the course
my practice, who are in the habit Of drink
cologne, but who would think it a disgra
to have bottle of ordinary spirits in
9 house There are many chemical substant
re that produce substance like ehlorofor
O. and there are many perfumes that, if tax
'ee in sufficient quantities, Will act as anmsth
ed ics. But many ladies who are unsuspect
NJ, of the morphine habit are drinkers of nj
ni- sau de cologne. Chicago Inter Ocean.
~ ~ In what months do people marry? A co,
a, try minister in New England has married
couples. OF these II were married in Dece