The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-15
DRUGS n DRINK.
StimuIants That Cause Far More
Harm than Alcohol.
The Hospital.

Inc hospital.
With our civilization has come a great
and continual decrease in drunkenness.
The national drink BILL" concerning which
so much is said, Is less, man for man, than
II was a century or half a century ago. or,
We he : more about drunkenness, but that
Is because We have ceased TO regard ii as
a matter of course, a regular part or daily
our blue ribbon and other armies in fight
ing the drink fend," are striking at what
Is, after all, a dying monster. though dan
gerous even IN the death grips. So
Meanwhile another and subtler demon
arises. The vices Of civilization are with us,
and those who would score to drink
as they call it-differentiatlng the consump-
ton of alcohol from that OF al other
l~iquids-indulge In drugs OF various kinds.
Opium, either in the form OF faudanum
drinking or In the subtler form Of the hy-
not common, less rare than it is guessed 10
be. Insomnia or pain which, TO our sensi-
tive nerves. seems intolerable, is the excuse
worse than drunkenness. The cocaine
habit is a recognized fact in America,
where our Teutonic race. subjected to an
~intenser climate and An intenser life than
in Europe. has developed a quicker sensi-
bility and more irritable nerves. The In
halation of chloroform mas proved an ir-
resistible temptation to many. and women
sip eau de Cologne and other perfumes.
Infinitely more dangerous than alcohol are
these forms of inebriety In tnat no revolt
tins do not regard themselves as drunk
ards-at least. not until the habit Is fully
formed. They cannot identity their nerv-
BUSINESS, their faintness, their sleep!essness
with the cravings of the staggering loafer
of the street. nor the rest they obtain after
the dose with the stupor of vulgar drunken
ness. Therefore, to an extent which is not
generally realized, women are subject to
this temptation. Their imagination is not
offended. and they can usually obtain the
l.n,- thAr ronf without StrGniCinn and
carry it about in convenient forms. 1t takes
a long time for even ntimate TO realize
that the depression, the irritability, the
varying moods of a rigid abstainer arises
from Drunkenness; we generally conceive
that condition as being due to only one
source. And drug habits OF various sorts
ICES that they are simply a form OF In
ebriety.
The general habit of drugging is to be
tinual indicating with either digestives.
purgatives. tonics, or sedatives. III a
doctor prescribes these things, good and
and when to stop. but the irresponsible
way in which people pour substances far
stronger than alcohol into their systems
courage. If IL did not arouse ones indigna-
ton at their folly. Cases have been known
of ginger drunkenness. Extracts or ginger,
popular among women as relieving func-
tional disturbances, contain strong alcohol
disguised by the pungent spice. arsenic
eating is not confined to Syria, but is popu-
lar as an Improvement TO the complexion
among the society DANES Of Australia.
while innocent people take strychnine in
their tonics without knowing it until they
foid-hrst, the directly injurious effects of
the chosen drug, and secondly, the risk
OF i~gnorantly clasping TO ones breast a
viper more malignant than the drink
fiend.'' Alcohol we know and dread. but
these things-as dangerous. as alcohol-we
take without any fear: And while Tor men
and women of a different race, dwelling
i'm a hot and malarious climate, q~uinine,
opium and other drugs may be not only
us A~ngio-Saxons except in rare instances,
subtle and pernicious foes.