Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-10-21
VICTIMS OF MORPHINE.
The Effects of the Drug Explained ~
New York Pharmacist

There entered an uptown drug store
the other night tall, slim young man,
with clothing hanging in rags all over
his body, who ambled up TO the counter
and asked in low tone for some drug,
which was hastily put up by the drug
gist and eargerly snatched and paid Tor
by the customer, who quickly with
drew. As the druggist returned to my
side he said:
"There is one or those poor, unfor-
tunate young men who started IN 10
play with morphine, to find in the end
that morphine was playing with him.
He has reached that condition now when
to be without the drug means hours OF
the most intense agony. ! have deal
ings with many morphine fiends, and
| knowing as do the power Of the drug
when once it gets the upper hand, l
pity the victim. Why do sell the drug
to the fiend? Well, do not know, I'M
less it is pity that prompts me. have
been in his condition myself, and l
know what the intense longing for the
drug is, and probably on that account
more than any other furnish 1t when
others would probably refuse it. A man
who is the victim of the fatal drug soon
reaches condition where he must have
it Then he will stoop to any crime or
subterfuge to obtain it. / have had
them come in here with forged Or
ders, apparently signed by reputable
physicians, which they have written
and signed themselves
81 have tried adulteration but it does
no good. If the victim finds that the
morphine is adulterated he simply takes
more of it. They know just as we'll as
we do the strength of the drug, and a
druggist who thinks to reclaim them by
giving an adulterated article will not
succeed.
my experience with morphine eaters
extends back for period Of fifteen
years, during which time have come
in contact with almost every variety of
this class of peculiar beings. have
found that morphine eaters will lie,
steal, break up families, their own as
well as any other, and do and cause all
the mischief possible. They are appar-
Ohoiy oOfOiu VI oil bu6 DntT .-SllHRS VI
humanity and have lost all self-respect
Morphine is "a stimulant and narcotic.
Taken in small doses it increases the
fitness and frequency of the pulse. in
vigorates the muscular system, quickens
the sense, animates the spirits and gives
greatly increased intellectual powers.
Its operation, while extending to all
parts of the system, acts principally on
the brain forces, the functions of which
it excites to intoxication and delirium.
In few minutes this exhilaration sub
sides and the mind becomes delightfully."-
calm and placid and the individual be-
comes insensible to all painful impress
sions, and forgetting all care and annoy
ance submits himself to current of
underlined, unconnected, but pleasing
fancies, and is conscious of no other
feeling than quiet and vague enjoy
ment. At the end of short period all
consciousness is lost in sleep.
II have many customers who buy
their morphine here and most of them
come supplied with the necessary pre-
scription from reputable physician.
Many physicians when they find that
tie victim is past redemption give the
prescription, knowing that the victim
will procure the drug anyway. The
talk OF profit leading the druggist to
sell the drug without a prescription is
not true, for the profit in morphine is
very small-too small to cause him to
take chances-but pity for the victim
will often lead a drupx;o+ 20 aa1l ~ .