Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-14
ONE OrgUw-EATER CURED,
BusIt Took serm in Stag Slug and
Endless agony TO DO II.
INnW Nnrk Gun.l

Bus 10 Took Eerm ih Stag Siuk hno
Endless agony TO DO II.
New YORK. SUM-
A confirmed opium.smoker was recently
asked whether be ever knew person who
had been cured Of the habit,
"Only once" ne replied, "and then II
wasn't voluntary cure by any means. lie
was man about ihirty-fye years old, who
bad been slsve 10 The habit for fifteen
wears. lie Was so aiyen up 10 II that his
business went 10 smssh and he used TO re-
sort TO all manner OF means in order to get
money TO purchase "shell." lie used to
crave elg5t SHELLS or y worth OF
opium day, snd have frequent
" met him inc joint that WAS
run by two tough Cinnamon In Marion
street, Offering to roll for smokers IN order
10 share their opium. one day he had been
without smoke for about seven hours and
he became so desperate that he tried 10 rob
the tin IN 4 grocery store. lie was detected
and arrested. lie got word down 10 the
Joint telling Of his misfortune and begging
for Gods sake that somebody would send
him some opium. j bought some dry opium
pills and got them in to him after deal OF
trouble. The next dsy called on him and
n more miserable wretch | never saw. He
was suffering the fortunes OF he'll. He was
doubled up with cramps in his stomach, and
the inevitable pain between the shoulders,
which feels rs though somebody was driving
spikes into his flesh, was Tacking him.
These fortunes were joined TO severe pains
m all the joints, as though the limbs were
decayiug snd would soon drop of. lie had
been without opium so long that he was
fairly furnishing, and the small quantity OF
the drug had been able 10 send was dis
posed OF in short order.
"sThere isn't tasto OF il left he yelled
TO me as | entered his cell IN the Tombs.
Then he rolled bis tongue around ss though
searching for any small particles that might
be hidden away in tooth. | gave him the
pills had brought. He seized them like
starving man would seize a crust OF bread
tie placed two Of them IN his mouth and
rolled them around until they had dissolved,
and then washed them down with a mouth.
full OF water In q few minutes he was lying
on his cot as placid sud happy az healthy
baby, / kept him supplied with opium until
ne was tried and sentenced. l managed to
slip a few OF Them into his hand as he was on
his way 10 Sing Sing. / heard no more OF
MN and forgot all about him until one cay,
on Broadway, several years later, stall
wart, rosy-cheeked fellow slapped me on
the shoulder and heartily shook me by tho
1
he explained that he was The opium tend OF
few years ago. He said that when he got
To Sing sing the habit was on hlm very strong.
The pills bad given bin had crumbled TO
dust IN his pocket and he'd become 80 mixed
I'D With lot OF other stuff that he could
not use them. He was In & raging tor
ment that night, and cried for the
drug. The keepers found him. and the
prison physician. who was called, for
Iunaiely diagnosed the case correctly. 1t
wasn't much credit 10 him, however, for
every feature OF the mans face and every
motion Of his body almost proclaimed HIM
40 opium fiend. He was removed 10 the
hospital, aud the physician WAS kind enough
10 get interested Ia the case. He Draced him
I'D with hopOder'nic injections OF morphine
every time the craving came on, and by
liberal use Of this drug finally wore away
the desire for the other. OF course this
treatment created the morphine habit, but
this was more readily cured, and my friend
soon lost ali desire for drugs OF any kind,
and il Il prosperous. happy man to-day. III
be bad not been arrested he would certainly
have gone the way Of alt the hends and have
ended his life himself or died mIserably in
some hole. lie tried % reason the case with
me ip hopes would surrender the drug and
endure the agOnIes that such priyaton
would produce for the pleasures attending
the feeling that was no longer slave TO II.
| have heard all Of those arguments thou
sand times. and frequently have lain IN
Joint with another smoker, and We have both
sworn of, and the very next day we would
both be IN the same place sgai0. / am get
ting worse every year. The habit Is grow
Ing more expensive, and the longer am at
it the less disposed do feet for work Of any
kind. NV memory Is falling me now, aud
Sun already pretty well along on the down
ward road. IN 10 little further down,
and then good.by to everything"