The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-10-17
A VICTIM OF COCAINE
Gives His Experience with the Fasclnat-
ing Drug-Nursed Back to Health.


charged with being insane through exces
slye indulgence in morphine and cocaine,
the latter a powerful narcotic of which
up to that time little had been heard. He
was taken before Judge Prendergast was
declared to be insane, and given a SEN
tence of three months in the Washing
tonlan home. After fortnights STAY at
the home Dr. Bradley went to Canada.
his old home, where he gave himself up
entirely to the demands of the drug. the
destinations of which completely en-
thralled him. Practice and home We're
gone, and he gave free rein to his vice.
He returned to Chicago and was sent to
the insane asylum, where a complete cure
was effected, and he resumed his practice
only to find himself deserted bv his
clients and his reputation impaired.
Consolation for the reverses came with
cocaine, to which he again became a
victim, and there were months when he
absolutely lived in the state of mind II
produced, securing it by hook or crook
until his last possession was gone and his
family beggared.
The physician went to the gutter, ami
year ago was begging for cocaine DC
drug stores or securing it by fictitious
orders on druggists. Then he disap-
peared. He was occasionally heard from
IN Canada and the east until last fall
when the papers recorded his arrest in
New York city for endeavoring to obtain
supply OF cocaine by representing him
self as messenger sent from one ply
sclan to another. In the police court
the gaunt, emaciated, ragged man told
his story of want and woe, and the
causes which brought them about AT
that time he was using sixty grains of
cocaine day. He was sent to Bellevue
hospital to die. There he was found bv
the manager of the Christian home.
where he was nursed back to mental and
physical vigor.
DIR. Bradley was reluctant to dwell on
Atae episodes thus briefly given, but con
versed freely on other circumstances of
his life.
Until 1885 there was nothing to dim
my prospects, said DIR. Bradley. 1T
was in that year that cocaine was first
brought to notice through a German
physician, but it was only known as a
practical an@sthetic. in operation by
SS0Af1No'
for using it for other purposes. l was
the first man to discover that it could be
otherwise used-in fact, to take the place
OF ether or chloroform. That discovery.
SO important to the world was most un-
fortunate for me. When | announced
my discovery physicians laughed and de-
clared l was crazy. | wrote a letter to
Mayor Harrison asking him to appoint i
medical commission to inquire into the
value of my discovery, which was the
administration of cocaine hypodermic-
ally first utilized my discovery bv
testing it on a cat. l dissected a leg of
a cat, exposing tissues and muscles. and
kept the animal on my desk for hours
watching the circulation. There was II |
pain, the drug exercising soothing
aefect.
''Next began experimenting on my
self | found that the anesthetic infu- |
ence of cocaine is limited. / expert |
mented on myself again and again to see
just how far this limit extended. and |
learned just where, when and how to
give injections. PHYSICIANS then be- !
lleved that the effects of the drug were
similar to those of morphine. To dis |
prove this l tried actual cautery by ap-
plying to my body red hot irons, but I
felt no pam, and there was not the
slightest sensation as the flesh withered
under the heated irons. For three
months every day for a half hour | ex-
perimented with the drug, and often
passed several hours of the night in its
study before a mirror, watching it's eff
feet on myself. But l never realized
that it was obtaining mastery over me.
Its fascinating powers were unknown to
The profession. was thunderstruck when
found that the drug was absolutely
necessary to my mind and body. | be-
ieve l could have conquered the habit
hen were it not for a misunderstanding
With the man from whom | rented NV
home. He wanted his house, and when
refused to vacate it my weakness was
made a point by which / was dragged
nto an insane court. Persecution and
publicity drove me to desperate extremes.
At the Washingtonian home no one
new how to treat my disease. Every
'ody knows the rest-how | went to the
utter and lost everything
"With all your experience with CO.
aine, how do you now regard it?' asked
he reporter.
Il think it is grand drug, with re-
properties, and destined to take
he place of ether and chloroform. 1t can
e used without danger of death. 1t
reduces no nausea or prostration. 1t is
great specific for nervous diseases. for
ertain diseases of the spine, for paralysis.
or tetanus, hydrophobia and other CON
ulsive diseases. 1t will unite with other {
and intensity their ac- {
ION. think know more about cocaine !
han most man hut / hnrc, NJ, l.c,,....... {