The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-04-01
PETROLEUM DRUNKARDS
CURIOUS EFFECTS OF A NEW VICE
JUST DISCOVERED IN PARIS.

jOo OtSSOVCh6O IN IHhtSs
The More Advanced Brand Of French |
Thirst is Quenchsd Only by Coal OIL
The Strange Habit Has Made Con- |
siderable Progress.
With the Picquart and Drsyfus
problems still, for them, unsolvsd, it |
were vain perhaps to ask Frenchmen
to turn their attention to the liquor
question. Yet if they did SO they
might find some interesting develop
ments. In 1874 the number OF drink
ing establishments in France was
342, $3.50, without counting Paris,
which was responsible for about
10000. Since then, although the
population has remained-a station
airy, the liquor shops have increased
in number greatly. In 1896 the total
number was 1872, O47, which represents
an increase of twenty-five per cent.
With respect to the quantity of
wine consumed by individuals,
Boulogne-sur-Se Seine is IN the proud
position of top of the list, with the re-
spectacle allowance Of SO. gallons
head. Next in order comes Nice,
Saint Etienne, Grenoble, Troyes,
Toulouse and finally Paris, where the
annual amount consumed is 44.6 gal
Ions head. With regard to Paris it
should be borne in mind that there
more than anywhere else in France
perhaps the beer habit has been in
troduced, and the steadily increasing
consumption of beer in Paris will
doubtless account for her being be-
hind the other six towns mentioned
as regards the consumption of wine.
Rouen does not gain place in the
first fight of wine drinkers, but is alb
solutely first in the consumption OF
alcohol in the form of brandy and
other spirituous compounds, the aver
age being four gallons a head. But
these orthodox beverages, wine, beer
and. spirits, do not satisfy the more
advanced brand of French thirst.
The Frenchman has gone one better,
or worse, than the Irish drinker OF
methylated spirits and seeks delight
In petroleum. The habit has made
considerable progress in Paris OIL
ready; doctors have already chris
tened it "Petrolism" and its victims
''petroliques. The neighborhood OF
the Bastille is the chief urban centre
of the new vice, and there are many
of its yotaries on the outskirts of the
capital.
The medical men have not yet had
time thoroughly to study the effects OF
petroleum drinking, but their expert
ence has been wide enough to allow
of q good many features being deter
mined. As usual with all such vices,
the taste grows upon the victim until
it develops into an irresistible pas,
sion. The intoxication produced by
petroleum is of melancholy nature.
The drinker is sad, discontinued and
despairing, rarely quarrelsome or
pugnacious. His sleep at night would
not seem to- be very injuriously al
tected by it, and, according to some
opinions. the general health is not SC
rapidly undermined as by alcoholic
drinks usually taken to excess. o.
this point, however, opinions differ
Some doctors hold that the gravest or
ganic changes are cauced by the u.s.
of petroleum, and that the germs
mortal diseases ere called into being
The Telegraph's Paris correspondent
writes:
1.-THE manner in which the lates
batch of petroliques was discovere
is curious. A firm in the city full
nished petroleum to certain reta
shops. The head of one of-the latte
complained of short measure. In
wholesale merchant denied the charg
and proved that he was right. The
the retail dealer set himself to dii
cover the clue to the mystery, but fo
a long time in vain. None OF tn
LIQUID was removed from the premise
nor spilled, and yet it continued
disappear. At last it was diocovere
that their workmen drank it to rail-
their laboring power to the prop
level
Another coniraternity OF tirplel
was convicted of the offence In al
ferent way. A usually sober and har
working man, who was happy, thouG
married, began suddenly to stage
home in a state of half seas over. ID
spouse, Mortified at the prospecti'
before her, searched his pockets, al
to her surprise ., found that his fun
we're not lower tlan before. Meth
was he ever lase, strange to say. Y
able to selve the riddle, she confid
it to one of her married friends. ~
latter had hu5band of her own W
was in the same boat. They put thu
heads together snd, after some do
of shadowing and inquiring, the =
sorrowing matroKs learned that TN
lords and masters were slaves to
troleum. This curious and rep
hensible vice 10, I am told, receivl
careful attention in medical circles
Paris. Ths authorities will hare
take it up uLtil they are ready TO
it,"-New York Sun.
Sikh Regulations.
.a+ ~ reculations intended