The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-04-14
THE sTRYcHNINE HABIT.
4 Vice That Ii Gaining . Foothold Among
Women Of Ali Glasses.

4
Pened to sit behind two elegantly
dressed ladies, whose richly-embroidered
jackets opened on white satin vests,
! with shirt fronts and collars in very
'mannish" style. Each Of these bosoms
displayed diamond solitaire worth at
least $1,000 Their hats, parssols,
gloves and shoes were all in exquisite
harmony. don't think ever saw two
women with more refined faces, more
exquisitely cot features, particularly
the lips and chin. Hereabouts exactly
was il that there dwelt smile of en-
trancing power. a smile to catch and
, hold mans love with that strength
which so often enables man to set the
cold barrel of revolver against his
temple and joyfully welcome death
rather than live and see another man
in his place.
All, mel Well, as sat there asking
myself what sort of robes these two
women will wear in the sweet by and
by, one of them said to the other:
Blanche. darling. did you bring your
nux lozenges with you?"
less reader, must say that nux is the
botanical name for strychnine, one of
| the most virulent po:sons known to the
materia medica
why, what a question, Justine.
dear" replied Blanche; you know |
never 60 out without box of those
marvellous 'pick-me-ups' Here" and
the faultlessly gioved hand held out a
little round box in old silver, quantity
carved and jeweled.
Justine took one of the tiny white
tablets and placed 1t across her beauti-
full lips There was moment of silence,
and then closing her soft, full, liquid
blue eyes, she murmered:
''Oh! what a delightful sensation.
Take hold of my hand 1 seem TO be
floating away on wings Of down. There.
its passed now. Why, they must be of
extra strength, Blanche"
''Yes, they are. / ordered them ex-
pressly for our use. The old supply
only contained the thirtieth of grain
esch-the usual dose; but these contain
the twenty-fifth of grain. Amt they
heavenly?"
Indeed they are" was the reply.
Presently the two beautiful creatures
changed their seats and / lost sight Of
them But / didn't forget them
never shall, for sure as water runs and
smoke goes up. shall some d.,y read of
the sudden Ge1th OF beautiful victim
Of strychn!a-
The s.rychnine habit has increased at
an alarm ng rate II tina metropolis
That is due TO the i"'carxably tonic
powers of the dangerous drug. In the
hands OF a careful physician it may be
considered remedy of great impor-
lance. It's power to restore tone TO the
system after great mental or physical
debility has long been acknowledged,
but like other potent remedies, it be-
comes an instrument of terrible posi-
bilities in the hands of the ig-
norant, who rashly make use of it
as a mere ''pick-me-up" or 'fresher"
to stimulate the system and brace up
the tired and shattered nerves Let me
explain why. Its effects are cumula-
tive. That is to say the twenty-flfth of
a grain does not produce its effects and
disappear from the system like a glass
of champagne 1t remains in it and
hence every lozenge carries an addi-
tional supp of this poison to the amount
already stored up in the body. 1t is
therefore a mere question of time and
frequency of doses The strychnis
habit is fastening itself upon the most
diversified classes For instance, the
ater-goers and church-goers, demi-mon-
DANES and women high in the social
circles, literary workers and gamblers,
sewing women and fashionable girls
heavy drinkers and teetotalerS The
first effect Of the strychnine bonbon is
delightful in the extreme. 1t destroys
listlessness and painful languor. in
creasing the action of the heart, ton:ng
up the nervous system and producing a
condition o. pleasing hopefulness,, gay
ETY. and content. But beware of the re-
fiex actionl That is bad. very bad: and
herein lies the danger. f,r the ;nclina-
ton is TO send another OF these poison
Gus bonbons across the lips to help out
the waning effect of the last, and it
would not be at ali unlikely were the
fair head of the worshipper to be found
resting its last sleep On the velvet
covered desk of the church pew.-New
York Cor. Boston Herald