Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-03-22
A VICTIM OF COCAINE -
ofves His Experience with the FsscInat-
ing Drug-Nursed Back to Health.


efvcs His Experience with the FaseInat-
ing Drug-Nursed Back to Health.
DR.. Charles ID. Bradley's name first
eame into undesirable prominence in No.
vember, 1885, when he was arrested
charged with being insane through Excess
siye indulgence in morphine and cocaine.
the latter a powerful narcotic of which
up TO that tine little had been heard. He
vas taken before Judge Prendergast, was
declared to re insane, and given a sem
tence of three months in the Washing
tonian hom,. After a fortnight's stay at
the home DR.. Bradley went to Canada,
his old home, where he gave himself up
entirely to the demands of the drug, the
fascinatioas of which completely en-
thraled him. Practice and home were
gone, ard he gave free rein TO his vice.
He retu med TO Chicago and was sent to
the ms ne asylum, where acomplete cure
was Effected, and he resumed his practice,
only 70 find himself deserted by his
clients and his reputation impaired.
Consolation for the reverses came with
cocaine, 10 which he again became a
victim, and there were months when he
absolutely lived in the state Of mind il
produced. securing it by hook or crook
until his last possession was gone and his
family beggared.
The physician went TO the gutter, ami
a year ago was begging for cocaine Ut
drug stores or securing it by fictitious
orders on druggists. Then he disap-
peared. lie was occasionally heard from
in Canada and the east until last fall,
when the papers recorded his arrest in
New York city for e~ndeavoring 10 obtain
a supply Of cocaine by representing him
self as a messenger sent from one ply
sician to another. In the police court
the gaunt, emaciated, ragged mar told
his story Of want and woe. and the
causes which brought them about. At
that time he was using sixty grains Of
cocaine a day. He was sent to Bellevue
hospital to die. There he was found by
the manager Of tie Christian home.
where lac was nursed back to mental and
physical vigor.
DR.. Bradley was reluctant to dwell on
the episodes thus briefly given, but con-
versed freely on other circumstances Of
his life.
Until 1885 there was nothing 10 dim
my prospects,, said DR.. Bradley. 1T
was in that year that cocaine was first
brought TO notice through a German
physician, but it was only known as T.
practical angsthetic in operation by
oculsts. There was no method known
for using it for other purposes. l was
the first man 10 discover that it could be
otherwise used-in fact, TO take the place
of ether or ch~lorosorm. That discovery,
so important to the world. was most
fortunate for me. When ! announced
my discovery physicians laughed and de-
clared / was crazy. l wrote a letter to
Mayor Harrison asking him to appoint a
medical commission to inquire into the
value OF my discovery. which was the
administration Of cocaine hypodermic-
ally. | first utilized my discovery by
testing il on a cat. / dissected a leg Of
cat, exposing tissues and muscles. and
kept the animal on my desk for hours
watching the circulation. There was n,
pain, the drug exercising a soothing
effect.
''Next ] began experimenting on my
self. / found that the anasthetic inllu-
ence OF cocaine is limited. / expert
mented on myself again and again TO see
just how FAR this limit extended. and
learned Just where. when and how to
give injections. Physicians then be-
lieved that the effects of the drug were
similar 70 those Of morphine. To dis
prove this ! tried actual cautery by ap-
plying to my body red hot irons. but I
felt no pam, and there was not the
slightest sensation as tho flesh withered
under the heated irons. For three
months every day for a half hour | ex-
p~erimented with the drug. and often
passed several hours Of the night in its
study before a mirror, watching its ef.
feet on myself. But ] never realized
that il was obtaining n mastery over me.
Its fascinating powers were unknown tc
the profession. was thunderstruck when
I found that the drug was absolutely
necessary TO my mind and body. / be
lieve could have conquered the habit
then were IL not for a misunderstanding
with the man from whom ] rented my
home. He wanted his house, and when
! refused to vacate IL my weakness was
made a point by which ] was dragged
into an insane court. Persecution and
publicity drove me 10 desperate extremes.
At the Washingtonian home no one
knew how 20 treat my disease. Every
body knows the rest-how | went 20 the
gutter and lost everything"
''With all your experience with co
caine. how do you now regard itin asked
the reporter.
IL think it Is n grand drug. with re.
markable properties, and destined 10 take
the place Of ether and ohloroform. Il can
be used without danger Of death. II
produces M nausea or prostration. It il