The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-13
CHICAGO MORPHINE F1ENDs.
The Number of "Slaves" Is Con.
stantlY InoreasinR.
From the chicago Herald.

Morphine, opium and cocaine slaves are
becoming more numerous every day. That
is the story told by a number of drug
gists in different parts of the city. AS
the sale of the drugs named is prohibited,
except in certain cases, none of them
would allow the mention of their names
The druggists in the vicinity of the
'levee" district in Start, Clark and Dear
born streets, have noticed the marked in
crease in the traffic. The proprietor of
one of the stores in the heart of the State
street tough" district yesterday said:
The morphine habit among the women
is growing at an alarming rate. Where
three or four years ago we sold only small
quantities, and those at long intervals,
we now sell more than an ounce a day.
In fact, we leave the morphine bottle
standing on the rear counter The calls
for the drug are so frequent that we
leave the bottle there to save reaching
up after it. Our customers are mostly
fallen women, and they are nearly all
young.
II don't know how they get into the
habit, but when they once begin using
the drug they soon take it in large doses.
The dose for those who are not accus-
toned TO taking morphine is from one
eighth to one-fourth of a grain. More
than that is dangerous. One grain usual
ly produces coma. The habitue begins
with the small dose, but in very short
time they take from one to three grains
From that ii increases up to fifteen
grains. There are number who tell me
that they take fifteen grains at a time
One girl comes in trembling all over She
screams for the drug. l give her % cents
worth, and she swallows it at gulp.
They tell me that before they take it
they feel nervous and i'll at ease. Nothing
satisfies them. But as soon as they take
their accustomed dose they at once feel
| normal. After o'clock and until l o'clock
there is steady stream of morphine
| tiends.
Many young women come in and beg
me to give them something to cure them
| Of the terrible habit. l have quite a num-
Der whom AN treating now. Morphine
| looks exactly like quinine and has the
same bitter taste. Few can tell the diff
| ference between the two. Often when
| young persons whom think still unad-
! dicted to the use Of the drug come in |
| give them quinine instead of morphine. l
! know several of whom have prevented
| from becoming mOrphine-eaters by this
| deception.
81 notice, too, that many young men are
| becoming addicted to the drug. They
seem 20 use it smaller quantities than
! the women. They tell us they cannot
| stand the STEADY grind OF business With
| out some stimulant.
Cocaine is used by few. 1t has about
! the same effect as opium, but it is usually
| hypodermically injected. Opium is used
still less"
This is substantially the story told by
! five or six pharmacists in State street,
! from Van Buren, street to the viaduct.
Drug store men in the fashionable part of
the city tell of the increase of the NOR
phine habit among the higher classes.
They say the women use it so that they
won't worry, and the men use it to quiet
their nerves. But the increase in these
districts is much smaller than downtown.
Custom house authorities say that the
importation of opium and morphine is in
| creasing steadily, The Chinese, espe-
! clally, seem to get large quantities of it,
Not long ago the collector sold a large
number of uncalled for or seized packages.
nearly all Of which contained opium The
Chinese were present and bid high for the
stuff. The police say that opium joints"
are increasing in number Several who
are acquainted with the levee district say
that the use of the drugs is largely trace
able to the Chinese Men and women of
low character go TO the Chinese resorts to
try it. After that they are slaves.