The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-30
A TERRIBLE HABIT.
The Confession Of a Drinker OF
Hydrats of Choral.
An InsiduOus Drug More Fearful and More
Injurious In Its Effects THAI
Opium-The Horrors of
ChlOI III Mania.

After an apparent forgetfulness of the
once famous ana:sthetic hydrate OF
choral, recent fatal cases seem tc
have awakened public interest in this
elective drug. l heed not describe the
dangerous drug further than to say it is
a salt of burning pungent taste, having
great affinity for water; its basis is
chloroform, into which it is supposed
to be changed into the blood. In small
doses it is stimulant and antispasmodic,
in larger narcotic, while an overdose
produces death as instantaneously as a
flash Of lightning. Like opium. the
dose must be constantly increased to
keep up the same effects. The stimula-
ton, however, is not like that caused by
opium or alcohol; it is not exhilarating,
and does not incite to action either
mentally or bodily. But the subject of
the influence rises for time above all
his cares or sorrows or fatigue, and
seems to look on life through the me-
dunn of rose-tinted glass. But while
care and sorrow are forgotten and
strange, dreamy sense of perfect ease,
comfort and happiness takes their
place, all affection and love are likewise
banishcd. He is apathetic and cares
for nothing save his own sense of COM
fort. In this state the confirmed choral
taker would stand by the death-bed OF
his nearest and dearest passive spec
tator, if not actually smiling. and for
the same reason he would stand quietly
Oh the scatfold until executed. Ii the
same dose is repeated without the chlor-
alist lying down speech becomes indis-
tinct, the eyelids drop, and the gait in
walking is affected just as in drunken
ness from alcohol The chloralist
drunk in the first degree, is by no
means an unpleasant companion. A
stranger could mark nothing unusual
about him; he is genial, and although
rather languid and by no means
bright in conversation, he is
at all events a good listener, and is cas-
lily pleased, although his smiles often
partake of the hysterical order, and,
too. he is at times easily aroused into
all outbreak of furious passion, which
dies away just as suddenly as it came,
leaving no trace behind. But, of
course. every one will not be affected
precisely alike, as much depends on
the idiOsyncraSy or innate peculiarities
OF the chlOralist. In my own early
stage of choral taking used to take a
small pick-me-np dose when starting on
journey by rail. The effect was rath-
er remarkable. ALI sense of bodily ia
tigue and even of unpleasant motion
was banished. seemed lifted out of
myself--a spirit travelling by rail-and
the ever-varying scenery went gliding
past me like an enchanted diorama.
The difference in the effects of choral
and opium under the same circum-
stances would be this: Opium is mora,
and imaginative, and paints things as
they really do not exist-throws an
artificial halo around them, as it were;
chloral merely increases the power of
enjoying the real. The picture on the
brain OF the chlOralist is, so to speak.
Photographic compared to that on the
BRAIN OF the Opium-eater, which might
be called phantasmagorical. Il know
from experience" said neighbor to
me the other evening, ''the work that
Choral does. For many months, every
night on my return from business, I
found my poor wife drunk and nv
dear children, who used to be so merry.
silent and unhappy. But there was no
smell OF Intoxicating liquor in the room.
or even about her breath, and all nv
efforts to unravel the dreadful mystery
We're unavailing. But one evening
after tea she dropped from her chair
while trying to speak to me-dropped
like log on the floor. and l
carried her to bed. Her face was
red and swollen, her lips blue: her
arms and legs were marble cold, even
hard; she had no pulse at the wrist,
but breathcd as quietly as an infant.
/ sat beside her all that long night.
Towards morning the sleep was broken
by means and deep catching signs, and
when she at length awoke it was dr. cad
full even to look upon her sufferings and
agony. From the doctors lips / first
heard the name of choral. She is now
o nervous imbec.le, d must, 1 fear.
SOON succumb to her infirmities. ~
Yes, choral is set moving in society.
and thousands annually fall beneath its
wheels. Let any reader of the Eaole
ask any wholesale chemist. and he Will
be told that tons on tons of this danger.
Gus drug are annually imported (from
Germany and other parts) which are
not prescribed by medical men, but
taken as stimulants by the people them
seves. Hydrate of choral in every
shape unless administered by the
hand of skilful practitioners an
insidious and fatal poison. 1t is more
tempting than alcohol, more insinuat-
ing than opium. and more terrible in
its effects than either. An opium.
eater, baneful though the practice is,
has been known to live to goodly old
age; no chloralist ever lasted over three
years.
A friend of mine-an intelligent
young man-and myself both COM
menced the practice of chloral-eating
at the same time. We became choral
lists in December. 1873. My friend sue