The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-01-26
DECElvING DOCTORS.
The Mendacity of Opium Slaves and the
Hypocrisy OF Topers.

| The Mendscity of Opium Slaves and the
Hypocrisy OF Topers.
The habit OF taking opium or its prep
arations is very widely diffused. One
effect of The opium Tor morphine) habit
is to extinguish any regard for truth
the victim may have previously pos
sessed. 1t is rule, with only the
rarest exceptions. that every opium
eater will stop at no falsehood in order
to secure the potent drug. 1t often
happens that an attempt is made to re-
form. AT first the desire to discontinue
the habit is usually genuine. Soon.
however. tho mental and physical pains
which arise in the absence of the drug
call imperatively for opium, which
alone can relieve the terrible craving.
The opium victim soon learns that this
drug Is the great antidots to pain. and
that most cough syrups contain it
Hence the deception of the physician
when he is called to case of this sort
one who is pretending to reform. but
who wants some sanction for his break
ing his pledge. He will therefore simu-
late severe cough or an atrocious pain
along the course of some nerve. or some
deep-seated pain that gives no evidence
Of its presence except the suffering it
infiicts upon the patient. When the
symptoms are purely subjective" Chat
is, giving no evidence of their presence
except the statement of the patienD the
chances of the deception succeeding are
very numerous. A knowledge of the
habits Of the patient is essential if this
source of mistakes is to be avoided. In
hospitals and dispensaries there is a
constant demand for cough mixtures, D."
because these are expected to contain
opium in some form.
The alcohol habit is the foundation
Of numberless receptions. Attempts
are made to deceive the physician long
after such tricks have been detected by
the family and friends The deception
sometimes extends still further, for the
patient himself sometimes deceives him.
self Some time since the writer met a
man who showed all the signs of long
continued alcoholism-a typical case.
This man stated he was strictly tenn
perate, never entered saloon or inn
bibed any intOXicant. He admitted
that he could not eat breakfast or other
meal without dose of IS stomach
bitterS," and that he had cord of the
empty bottles in his cellar. In hos
pitfalls there is r constant petition from
some of the inmates for '.bitters' of
some kind. as these preparations mostly
contain alcohol. The alcohol is fire.
quently added to preserve the vegetable
extracts from fermentation, but in the
so-callcd temperance drinks tho es-
sential constituent is alcohol, while tbs.
vegetable bitter is added in order to
deceive.
The doctor IS seldom the victim OF
deception like this. but in cases of
ladies who ere the subjects of alcohol
ism it is not always easy to learn the
means adopted to secure the necessary
intoxicants. The concealed source of
intoxication is occasionally found to be
the cologne water bottle or other prepa-
ration of diluted alcohol scented with
essential oils. At other times it is
confidential servant, who brings in the
daily supply of the ordinary intoxicant
for consideration. Such cases of de-
ception are often very difficult TO detect.
The dread of having to give up habit
which has become part and parcel of
the individual is a strong motive for
such concealment- In the case Of
young men, whose positionsin business
depend upon sObriety, along with other
substantial qualities, there are the
strongest possible motives for conceal |
ing the cause of headache, nervousness.
disturbance of the stomach, etc, fol- |
lowing the excessive use of alcohol. |
Of course. it is foolishness itself to at
tempt to deceive the physician who is |
asked for relief of these symptoms, still |
the attempt is often made, with the |
hope that the doctor can cure the after |
effects without knowing the cause. As
q matter of fact, such plan never sue
ceeds, unless it is 1edglins from one
of the numerous diploma mills to be
found in every city. In other words.
the competent physician is always able
to recognize such cases, whatever de-
rices may be adopted to conceal the true
state of affairs.-S! Louis Globe Deno-
rat
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