The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-19
A BLESSING AND A CURSE
Anodynes a Measureless Boon to Mankind.
But Often Leading to Physical Decay
and Moral Degeneration.
From the New York Sun. !

new means for the relief of pain,
whether it be from purely physical pro-
cesses going on in the sensory nerves,
or the more exquisite torture which has
its seat and origin in disordered intel
lectual and emotional life. .--
Not content with the mere assuape-
ment of bodily suffering and the paliia-
ton of spiritual Affections, the modern
world demands also pleasurable stimu-
lation of the senses and exaltation of
the agreeable emotions. We do not
nowadays follow the slave of Epaphro-
ditrs, who taught men to accept stoi-
cally, by the exercise of the highest
mental faculty, tie will, whatever
wounds Of body or pangs of soul the
tates might bring to try them. It is
not enough to have found a balm for
lacerated nerves, or to have discovered
means Of alleviating sore distress Of the
heart and bringing order into intel
lectual chaos; but the healthy and
strong man would fain escape the
trivial aches and anxieties Of the day.
The petty cares, the little worries, the
tedium of existence, the -
"Blsnk misgivings of creature
Moving about in worlds not realized"
these, too, must be drowned and anuul-
led. The dreams ofhasheesh, the forget
fulness of chlcral, and the nepenthe of
opium or morphia are courted, and at
what cost! Too often such pleasurable
Indulgence leads the victim down the
path of physical decay and mental and
moral degeneration.
Anodynes, and especially opium and
its alkaboids, have been a measureless
boon To mankind; but how easily do
they become scourge. Intended only
to aliay suffering, to combat wretched-
ness, to mitigate anguish which some
times threatens to overwhelm the brain,
it is becoming far too common to en-
ploy them as exhilarants against the
lesser Ills OF existence.
It is not only the worn-out slaves of
labor, the victims Of disease sad Sssa
spair, and the fatuous frequenters of
opium joints who resort to the use Of
such drugs; but instances are not want
ing of men Of supreme intelligence who
have allowed themselves to sink into
the lowest depths of narcotic inebriety.
When De Quincy portrayed with
magic pen his own terrible experience
with opium, he had as comrades the
first Lord Erskine, the Dean of Carlisle,
William Wilberforee, and Samuel Tay-
lor Coleridge!
De Quincy looked with horror upon
the spreading of this pernicious habit
in England, but that was more than
half century ago, before the advent of
the hypodermic syringe, and before
morphia had become similar as the
active principle of opium. Then the
narcotic was far from obtaining the
appalling circulation that it has to-day.
Even in China, the land Of the opium
habit, the increase in this form Of
lnebriety has been enormous, due to
the removal of local tax upon the
drug; and it has been recently stated
by an English author that the number
of opium consumers in the United
States, as compared with England, is
as thirty to one; but this is an unveri-
| fed assumption.
Medical men have much to answer
for in connection with the continual
spread of narcotic habits. They have
made the world too familiar with drugs
| which should be used sparingly and
rarely; and too many chloral and NOR
phine inebriates have to thank their
physicians, or rather curse them, for
the bitter knowledge that came Of their
first acquaintance with anodynes.
1t is only short time since we re-
! corded the death Of young school
girl from an overdose of morphine, pre-
scribed for her by medical student
named Harris; and for what purpose?
Headache and sleeplessness These
are conditions for which, except under
the most remarkable circumstances, no
experienced physician would ever order
this drug. There are other and better,
less dangerous, less seductive, remedies
at the command of the intelligent prac-
titioner for the alleviation of symptoms
of this character; and We mention the
act of this student only as an indication
of the general laxity and reckless indif-
ference with which many professional
men are wont to prescribe medica-
ment which, administered with judg-
ment, is one of the greatest of bl essings
but given carelessly or injudi cionsly,
may result in irreparable ruin. The
student merely reflects the thoughtless
ness of his seniors. Beware, then, of
the physician who uses morphine
lightly. Armed with loaded, revol-
yer, be would be safer visitant to the
sick room than with loaded hypoder
mic syringe.
It is interesting to know that De
Quincy made his first acquaintance
with opium through the friendly ad
vice of student to take it for headache
An Undertaking Man.
Collector Can you let me have the
amount of this little bill to-day, Mr..