The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-17
MORPHINE PARLORS.
New Name for Opiom Hells-A "shct"
Given for a Quarter.

0ANcA AOA - &ooAtSAs
There is a place in San Francisco
where victims of the insidious NOR
phine habit go for treatment daily.
the number Of visits depending on the
extent to which the deadly drug has
gained control of the unfortunate users.
The patients of this peculiar insti-
tuition are of both sexes, for women
as well as men have learned the secret
of the gun as the regular morphine
fiend calls the hypodermic syringe
which gives him surcease of care and
sorrow.
The place is in big building on
LarlSin street, almost in the shadow of
the new city hall One of the rooms
is occupied by the elderly man who
ministers to the cravings of the
patients Here he awaits their daily
visits, ard when they come supplies
their wants with a dexterity that has
come from a practice both large and
long. II does not take many minutes
to give the morphine users what they
seek-says the Chronicle.
A few grains Of morphine and a
spoonful Of hot water appears at times
greater than stackes of coin to a con-
frmed fend, and there is nothing he
would not sacrifice in order to obtain
it.
The proprietor of the Larkin street
place is a man with a history. At one
time he figured prominently in an in
terror town in the southern portion of
the state as a prominent physician.
Patients focked to his Office to consult
him His healing powers seemed mar
Vicious and his success was great, but
from administering drugs he came to
use them, particularly opium. Once
q victim of the morphine habit his
constitution became so undermined
that finally he found himself unable to
attend to his professional duties. Then
began the decline. His practice rapidly
dwindled away until not a patient was
left. What money he possessed fol-
lowed in a short while, and finally he
found himself thrown upon the world
minus friends and wealth.
Numerous attempts at regaining the
lost ground were made, but all proved
failures; and, finally abandoning all
hope Of ever getting on in the world
again, the doctor 6rifted into this city.
thinking that here ne might f1nd less
difficulty in eking out an existence
than is TO be met with in an interior
town.
It was his own experience in sup
plying himself with the drug which
had taken such a strong hold upon
nm Indl SuHSGSlGU the business 1DOn
which he is now engaged, and which
* paying him we'll He early realized
how many of San Francisco's citizens
had fallen victims to the use of mar
cotics, and figured that apartments
where morphine could be privately
given would prove profitable. From
the moment he opened his place it
has not lacked for patrons, and they
arc not people from the lower walks
Of life, but refined and intelligent per-
sons who know that they have fallen
victims to a fearful habit and do not
care to be free.
Loiter in the vicinity of the NOR
phine parlors awhile and you will be
astonisked at the character of the pa
tents who make daily visits to the
place. There are many women among
thenl-women who are young, well
dressed and refined IN appearance. Men
saunter in for a shot as other men
drop in at a saloon on their way to
business for a mornig bracer. In ar
ranging his apartment the man of NOR
phine showed great consideration for
the comfort and artistic taste of those
who might become his patients A
more finely arranged suit of rooms
could not be found in days travel
Heavy tapestries hang over the doors
and windows while spread upon the
floor are thick, soft rugs. The furni-
f1re is in keeping with the other sur
roundings.
One Of the rooms is used for loung-
ing, and scattered about on tables are
books by standard authors. magazines
and daily papers. The other room is
the Office proper, and there the doctor
holds forth. His stock of trade consists
Of several hypodernic syringes, q small
oil stove, several small Walls contain
ing cocaine and morphine and some
utensils in which water is heated.
Their are no regular Office houre dur
ing which patrons must call, but there
is a rule. for the government of the
sexes. On the wall Of the Office is a
sign to the effect that ladies viii be
treated only at 3, ] and o'clock. An