The morning call., 1892-02-12
THE MORPHINE HABIT.
The Youngest Victim on Record Released
From It's Fetters.
The Euouirerts INDIANAPOLIS Special.

The Youngest Victim on Record Released
From It's Fetters.
The Enquirer's indianapolis Special.
The little child patient at the Inebriate
Institute, Plainfeld, has been dismissed as
cured of the morphine habit. The case is
remarkable one. She was the youngest
victim of this awful habit on record. Her
age is but g. Her mother is representa-
tive of one of the best-knOwn families in
this State. and her father is an Ohio manu-
facturer. Early in December lady applied
for admission as a patient. She gave the
name of Miller, her residence as Ohio, and
confessed that she had become addicted to
the use Of morphine until she required from
twenty to thirty grains daily. She was
born and reared in Boone County, this State,
and upon coming TO the institute she left
her child with her peOpleiat Lebanon.
Within day or two the truth impressed
itself upon the grandparents that the child
was also morphine victim. This was con-
trmed by the mother, who confessed that
she lad been administered the drug when
she was a small infant in order to keep her
quiet and that she now had been known TO
use MT least two grains daily before she was
satisfied. Deprivation of the drug threw
the child into spasms and In her conscious
moments she continually cried for pheen,
pheen," by which she was in the habit Of
calling it. The father was Immediately COM
munlcated with by telegraph and acting I'M
der advice the little one was transferred to
the institute by it's grandparents. When
first received at the institute It's condition
was pitable. the haggard looks, restless
movements, nervous and unrefreshing sleep
showing plainly the ravages of the terrible
habit The child was subjected to the same
treatment received by adult persons, save
that the injections were diluted and ad-
miniStered in less quantities, and the
amount of morphine allowed each day was
reduced more rapidly than with older pa
tents. Within five days the drug was with
drawn altogether, and within fifteen days
cure was effected Both the mother
and child were treated at the hotel,
rather than the institute, and in this way
much publicity was avoided, nevertheless
the cases excited great attention In that
place. The mother was not only recognized
as belonging to a representative family, but
many remembered her in her earlier days,
when She was known as highly gifted and
accomplished young lady of social distinc-
ton and enjoying a wide range of acquaint-
auce. Her wedding was one Of the festive
events of Central Indiana.
Within ten days after entering the insti-
tute the mother realized not only the fright
ful condition into which she had fallen her
self, but into which she had dragged her child
aud the recovery Of the latter was a con-
slant theme of conversation. Her husband
twice visited the institution and took the
child home cured. Tue mother will
follow in few days. The change in her
condition is as wonderful as that of the
child, and the JOY of feeling herself cured
of the habit has restored the bloom to her
checks, and the smile TO her lips. In body
and MIND she is again the beautiful woman,
once the belle of Lebanon.