Arizona weekly enterprise., 1888-05-12
ARIZONA WEEKLY ENTERPRISE.
A WcTIr OF COCAINE


Gives His Experience with the Fasc;nat. ]
 ing Drug-Nursed Back to Health.
 Dr. Charles D. Bradley's name first 1 came into undesirable prominence in Nc vember, 1885, when he was arrested charged with being insane through exces- sive indulgence in morphine and cocaine. the latter a powerful narcotic of which up to that time little had been heard. He was taken before Judge Prendergast, was declared to be insane, and given sen- tence pf three months in the Washing toniat home. After fortnight's 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 Vaccinations of which completely en- thralled him. Practice and home were gone, and he gave free rein to his vice. He returned to Chicago and was sent to the insane asylum, where a complete cure was effected, and he resumed his practice, only to find himself deserted by his clients and his reputation impaired Consolation for the reverses came with cocaine, to which he again became Q victim, and there were months when he absolutely lived in the state of mind it produced. securing it by hook or crook until his last possession was gone and his family beggared.
 The physician went to the gutter, and year ago was begging for cocaine at drug stores or securing it by fictitious orders on druggists Then he disap- pearcd He was occasionally heard from in Canada and the east until last fall, when the papers recorded his arrest in New York city for endeavoring to obtain a supply of cocaine by representing him. self as a messenger sent from one phy- sician to another. In the police court the gaunt, emaciated, ragged man told bis story of want and woe. and the causes which brought them about. At that timo he was using sixty grains of cocaine day. He was sent to Bellevue hospital to die. There be was found by the manager of the Christian home,
 where he 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 to dim
 my prospects," said Dr. Bradley. Ut was in that year that cocaine was first
 brought to notice through a German
 physician, but it was only known as |,
 practical anesthetic in operation by ocullsts. There was no method known ( for using it for other purposes. was the first man to discover that it could be ( otherwise used-in fact, to take the place of ether or chloroform. That discovery, 5 so important to the world. was most un. | ,fa I of ! my discovery physicians laughed and de
 clared was crazy. l wrote a letter tC
 Mayor Harrison asking him to appoint . medical commission to inquire into tht
 value of my discovery, which was tho
 administration of cocaine hypodermic
 ally. 1 first utilized my discovery by
 testing it on a cat. 1 dissected leg O :, a cat, exposing tissues and muscles, anC
 kept the animal on my desk for hour
 watching the circulation. There was 2 pain, the drug exercising a soothin: d effect.
 '' Next began experimenting on my I self found that the anaesthetic in1u { ence of cocaine is limited. 1 experi 5, mented on myself again and again to SC just how far this limit extended, an, ]. learned just where, when and how t s. give injections. Physicians then be = lieved that the effects of the drug wer
 similar 10 those of morphine. To dis n. prove this I tried actual cautery by ar \ plying to my body red hot irons, but a felt no pam, and there was not tn t slightest sensation as the flesh withere $ under the heated irons. For thre K months every day for half hour I ex k perimented with the drug, and ofte Fl passed several hours of the night in ii A study before a mirror, watching its ei
 feet on myself But I never realize that it was obtaining a mastery over me
 Its fascinating powers were unknown the profession. I was thunderstrucl1 whe a I found that the drug was absolutel 9 necessary to my mind and body. l b, r. lieve I could have conquered the hat q then were it not for a misunderstanCin Il with the man from whom I rented ID
 home. He wanted his house, and whe
 I refused to vacate 1t my weakness w;
 made point by which was dragge
 into an insane court. Persecution an sa publicity drove me 10 desperate extreme
 At the Washingtonian home no or 'e' knew how to treat my disease. Ever. h body knows the rest-how 1 went to Il
 gutter and lost everything.'
 of With all your experience with c
 caine, how do you now regard it9" aslle
 the reporter.
 - II think it is grand drug, with I TT nlarlable properties, and destined to tai the place of ether and chloroform. It G
 be used without danger of death.
 produces no nausea or prostration. It re- great specific for nervous diseases, ies certain diseases of the spine for paralysi ca for tetanus, hydrophobia and other co ,aa vulsive diseases. It will unite with oth ,I anti-spasmodics and intensity their a led ton. think know more about cocai oa than most men, but have no compl Vn- hensive idea of its possibilities. St
 entists are only in the experimental sta . with it.''
 ''What are the effects of the drug2''
 ''To begin with, it like the effects
 any stimulant at cert,-n stages, but it ge, not stupefying, as is jun. The pers' taking it has feelin. that everything 'us' lovely and serene, .I perfect contei Ior. ment and universal satisfaction. I l,I,,,