River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-10-02
POPULAR STIMULANTS.
Many Persons Are Addicted to the Nor
milne. Onium and AhsInthe Hahlfs

Many Persons Are Addicted to the Mar-
phine, Opium and Absinthe Habits.
81 don't think / can recall a case
where grown person used paregoric
for a stimulant," said a prominent
physician
lit is stimulant, nevertheless, as
nearly every mother knows Where is
the mother who. at some point of her
child's babyhood, did not administer
dose of paregoric, or soothing strip. So
called, which is, in reality, nothing but
paregoric? Paregoric is simply a mild
form of opium. The only stimulating
effects it has is from the opium it con-
tains- 1t is. of course, mixed with other
drugs, al the whole compound is called
paregoric. 1t is looked upon as harm
less baby's medicine that comes into
play very readily when baby is squalling
and the head of the house demands
peace at any price. Then it is that the
paregoric bottle is seized and the irate
youngster given small dose. The
child sinks into slumber and ceases to
cry.
This well-known family decoction is
not dangerous unless an overdose is
taken. and then, as with opium. death
is likely to ensue. Occasionally ply
stefan makes a mistake in writing a
prescription for paregoric that is likely
to cause the death of his patient Two
prescriptions may read much alike, and
yet have far different meaning. Like
this: 'Tinct opir and 'Tinct Opil
Camph.' The former means tincture of
opium and the latter paregoric. You
30 readily hot fl.of
obtained and used where paregoric was
intended that the result would be fatal,
and such mistakes have been made.
While in itself not dangerous. unless
an extra large dose is taken. paregoric,
as l before said, has the properties of
opium, and its effects are the same,
only in milder form.
People who are determined IN nss
some form OF stlmulant can very readily
find poisons enough that will do the
work quickly and give better satisfac-
ton than paregoric. The two stimulants
most popular in Chicago are morphine
and opium They are. perhaps, used
more extensively than is generally
thought Neither is very costly, and
easily obtained. There are other stim-
ulants, such as cocaine and absinthe.
Cocaine is used considerably, but not to
any alarming extent as yet, and only
recall one case where death resulted
from its use. Absinthe IS a distinctly
foreign stimulant and unless some of
our newly-arrived foreigners drink it l
do not think it is used in Chicago. This
vile. greenish-looking liquor leads the
drinker to a more horrible death
-
1t leads its victims along in per-
feet security; for once the habit
is formed it is hard thing to quit.
Many foreigners drink a small quantity
regularly before dinner each day. They
argue that it is good appetizer and
aids digestion They were never more
badly fooled. The drug has most per
nicious effect on the system. and strikes
at the very core of life. The evils of
the use of alcohol are mild and few com
pared with those of absinthe. Fortu-
nately its use is an old-count-y habit
"But morphine and Opium art used
very freely in Chicago. In my daily
rounds my business brings me face to
face with many of these cases. Nor
phine is, perhaps, taken more than
OPAuhi. ms AAA"bPg SNoNN u
is brought about by different causes.
Some take these deadly stimulants as
form of dissipation, and these have ac-
CURED the habit through evil associa-
tions, many others have been led into it
almost unconsciously. BY this [ mean
that there are many persons who at
some time in their life suffered from
some acute inflammatory disease from
which relief at any cost seemed well
come To them opium and morphine
were not hideous drugs to be Stunned,
but blessed relief from their suffer
ings. They took the drug and were re-
lieved. Their sickness over, the habit
remained, and unconsc!ously they fell
victims to the very drug originally used
as panacea for their ailments Chi
caro- News