The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-01-04
TOWN OF. COCAINE F|ENDs
South Manchester, Conn., Is a
Victim of the Dope Habit.
PHYSICIANS ARE HELPLESS
Motormen, Messenger Boys and SILK
Mil Operatives Are Undermining
Their Health by the Practice-Ihe
First Sensation Exhilarating, But
the After Effect Is Like Death.

Hartford, Conn, Jan. 4.-The physl-
clans OF South Manchester are astonishcdat
the spread of the Cocaine habit in that VII
lage, but they are powerless TO stay IL. Il
stranger going to the pretty little place IN
an electric car will first see the c0ndue-
tor or lnotorman take out a bottle, shake
"a white pow der in his pain and then snuTf
it with intense tisfactionand along drawn
Sigh OF relief In the street every other
man or boy is using the stuff. Strangers
will stop each other at the corners and ask:
Can you give me a pinch?'' The ques-
ton is readily understood and the bottle
of snuff is forthcoming.
At I. l.. Weldon & Co, s drug store were
learned the ingredients of the substance,
which was introduced cnere by Hartford
doctor prescription forcatarrh. Theprep-
aration is composed Of sugar OF MILK mag
nesia, cocaine and menthol, making vol
atiIe snuff. IL is an expensive compound n
jar OF it being worth $50 at wholesale.
The original prescription has been copied
and reCopied, until there is hardly q drug
store In town where the snuff cannot be
obtained. The largest dealers, perhaps, are
T. l.. weldon & Co. W B. Henry and F Z:
Belcher Il Co. They sell the snuff III
small packages, usually in bottles, costing
10 cents each.
The worst victims Of the habit are the
hundreds OF employees of all ages of Cheney
Bros great silk mill. 1t is even more
common than the tobacco habit. When
man or boy gets out OF the SNUFF he goes
around until he can raise pinch fr IN
some one else II none is to be had he
runs To the nearest druggist.
One clerk said why, they come in
here at all hours OF the day and say: Give
me some Of that snuff, quick, got TO have
it TLey act half crazy in their hurry and
greed. But that isn't the worst OF it.
They come to my house after am asle@p
and make me get up, go to the store aud
satisfy their cravings.
Sometimes Apologize.
"They sometimes apologize, but they
they can't help it. They must have the
snuff OF die. If we don't go TO the store
fer them. they say they Will tie compelled
to break in and steal it. And know they
would They have no control over them
selves. They cannot sleep and they don't
know what they are about much OF the
time"
AS he spoke, a once sturdy mechanic
entered and shufning up to the counter
whined out his request for an ounce of
the snuff. His eyes were sunken and blood
shot, his frame was bent and Ids hand
treIr bled The victims are noticeable on
the streets because of their pallor. their
watery ewes ana their general appearance
OF detection.
The cases of the boys are specially
pitiful one OF them, thirteen years old,
was seized with a rit I'm Hayes temperance
saloon the other day as result OF in
diligence in the drug, and doctors had to
be summoned. A drug clerk told me that
the victims became utterly regardless Of
expense. one workman, whom the drug
clerk named, spends at least So week
of his hard-earned wages this way. Many
others. not having ready cash, run up
heavy bills.
The doctors say that this cocaine habit
Is becoming much worse than that OF
HuIor. Once man or boy gets the appe-
tite, there seems to be no such thing a:
curing him. These doctors have studied
over the matter and have prescribed in
vain.