Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-02-14
peoElvlNo DOCTORS.
The Mendnoity OF opium Slaves and the
HypocriEy OF Topers.

/
rhe Mendnolty of opium Slaves and the
HypocriHy OF Topers.
The habit of taking opium or its prep
arations is very widely diffused. One
effect of the opium (or morphine) habit
IS TO extingnish any regard for truth
the victim may have previously pos
,cssed. 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, the mental and physical pains
which arise in the absence OF tho drug
call imperativoly for opium, which
alone can relieve the terrible craving.
The opium victim soon learns that this
drug is the great antidote to pain, and
y that most cough syrups contain 1t.
Hence the deception of the physician
4 when he is called 10 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 a sevdrcicough or an atrocious pain
along the course of some nerve, or some
deep seated paiCs that gives no evidence
of its presence except the suffering 1t
inhicts 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, "
because these are expected to contain
, opium in some form.
Q The alcohol habit is the foundation
{ Of numberless deceptions. Attempts
are made to'deceiye the physician long
= after such tricks have been detected BY
l the family and friends. Thedeception
y sometimes extends still further, for the
patient himself sometimes deceives him.
self. Some time since the writer met Q
I. uaan who showed all thesigns Of long
T This man stated 'ivT MA typical case
r perate, never entered saloon rim
!. bbed any intoxicant Ho admitted
@ that he could not eat breakfast or othel
1t meal without dose of IS stomach
n bitters," and that he had cord of th'
/ empty bottles in his cellar. In hos
: pitals there is n constant petition from
II some of the inmates for "bitters" O
: some kind, as these preparations mostl
contain alcohol. The alcohol is frC
e quently added to preserve the vegetabl
10 extracts from fermentation, but in tn
= so-called temperance drinks" the es
scntial constituent is alcohol, while tn
70 vegetable bitter is added in order
deceive.
ir The doctor is seldom tho victim {
e. deception like this, but in cases {
S. ladies who are the subjects Of dlcoho
ism it is not always easy to learn tn
n means adopted to secure the necessar
intoxicants. The concealed source {
intoxication is occasionally found to /
the cologne water bottle or other prepi
m ration of diluted alcohol scented wit
eSSonIlul OILS. AZ Oblci tiuiOS ~ 10
nF confidential servant, who brings in tl
daily supply of the ordinary intoxicar
It, for consideration. Such cases of d'
ception are often very difficult to detec
D. The dread of having to give up hab
H. which has become part and parcel {
o. the individual is n strong motive fC
or such concealmcnt. In the case
''e young men, whose positionsin busine'
depend upon sobriety, along with oth'
substantial qualities, there are Il
strongest possible motives for concea
of ing the cause of headache, nervousness
disturbance of the stomach, ETC., fo
he lowing the excessive use of alcoho
ng OF course, it is foolishness itself to a
iic tempt to deceive the physician who
Ill asked for relief of these symptoms, sti
he the attempt is often made, with IL
'er hope that the doctor can cure the aftt
m effects without knowing the cause. A
W. matter of fact, such plan never su
ky ceeds, unless it is fedgling from OF
ia of the numerous diploma mills to
1ic found in every city. In other word
up the competent physician is always alb
OF to recognize such cases, whatever d
ice vices may be adopted to conceal the tr'
or state of affairs. st Louis Globe Dem
raj crdt.