The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-18
CURSE OF CHEAP COCAINE.
Use of the Drug Has Been Alarming
ly Common of Late Years.
(Frorn the New York H,

Grom the New York Herald)
In lecture before the New York
School of Clinical Medicine at VS. West
Forty-second street last evening DR..
Thomas d. Crothers of Hartford, Conn,
characterized cocainism as one of the
three great scourges of the world, alco-
holism and morphinism being the other
two.
Custom-house reports, the lucturer said
show an enormous increase recently in
the importation of this drug and not
more than the one-sixtieth part of what
is now sold is used for legitimate pur-
poses. The vice of cocainism is spread
ing alarmingly among the poor as we'll
as the rich, as the drug is becoming
cheaper all the time. A one-ounce pack
age, which less than five years ago cost
about So, can now be purchased for IS
cents.
One result of this cheapening is that
the cocaine habit Is becoming common
among tramps and paupers as well as
business and professional men. 1t is no
longer an aristocratic vice, if it ever was.
In New Orleans and other parts of the
south and west the drug is freely bought
in 5-cent packages
Dr. Crothers regards the use of the
drug, even as a local anaesthetic for
surgical purposes, as exceedingly dam
gerous, especially in cases where the sub
sequent reaction is characterized by head
ache, lassitude and depression. Yet its
use in surgery is becoming very common.
The lecturer Also deprecated the fact that
many popular proprietary remedies con-
tain cocaine in large quantities. 1t is
almost a specific for catarrhal troubles,
and though using it as a remedial agent
unconsctously many persons, charmed
with its speedy and delightful results,
become addicted to it habitually, and
Enally become slaves to its use.
It's first effects in small doses are to
create feeling of citation, of greatly in
creased mental and physical superiority
and of freedom from care and anxiety.
The morphinist finds in it a substitute
to relieve the sense of depression follow
ing the use of that narcotic. The hard
drinker is charmed with its effects, as
his depression yields to a sense of Ella
ton and abnormal exaltation. But in
the use of cocaine there follows a sure
reaction. In a short time there are de-
veloped characteristic symptoms of the
habitual cocainist. II he be a lawyer, a
writer or a clergyman he shows mar
velous fleuncy and prolixity of speech.
He has a rare fecundity of words, but
they betray a tendency toward circum-
locution and irrelevancy. In letter writing
he betrays his secret vice by his diffuse
ness without directness.
There are novels, which are highly
popular today" said the lecturer, (which
show almost conclusive evidence of hav-
ing been written under the influence of
cacaine, and several poems characterized
by marvellous rhythm and smoothness
have had their inspiration in this drug.
"Habitual use of it impairs the judg
ment and results in the grandiose IDEAS
often associated with paretic diseases.
Ones sense of right and wrong becomes
impaired. A man formerly open and frank
becomes secretive, selfish and dishonest.
A Wall street authority told me that he
knew of three of the most reckless opera
tors of recent years whose losses of for
tunes are directly due to impairment of
their judgment through the use of CO.
caine.
After the abnormal sense of citation
and power come delusions. The victom
fears sudden attack. He sits up at night
watching for burglars. He is fearful of
accident and abnormally suspicious of
imaginary prosecutors. Most victims in
this stage carry revolvers.
"One of them once came to me in this
condition. He was a physician, who had
lost his wife and family in the Johns
town flood and had taken to cocaine to
soothe him in his great affliction He
had two revolvers when he told me of
his secret. He was rational enough in
most matters, but thought he had hidden
enemies finally persuaded him to sur
render his firearms, and the first night
he compromised on a stout baseball bat
under his pillow. He finally conquered
the appetite. but 1t required years of
hard struggling"
DIR. Crothers narrated many similar in
stances, especially among brain workers.
He recommended as the best curative
methods complete abstinence from the
drug combined with Turkish and electric
baths, mineral water and tonics, judicious
restraint, careful and abstemious diet
and q long rest. He knows of no specific
for the cure of the habit.