The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1901-06-01
CHEAP COCAINE A CURSE.
BY Dr. Thomas D. oroshers. Of Hartford

y
Custom House reports show An
enormous Increase recently in the
Importation Of tins drug, and not
more than the one-sixteenth part
of what is now sold is used for le-
gltimate purposes. The vice Of
cocalnism is spreading alarmlngly
among the poor as well 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 pnr-
chased tor much less.
One result of this cheapening is
that the cocaine habit is becoming
common among tramps and pau-
pcrs, as well as business and pro-
feSional men. II is no longer an
arlstocratic vice, if it ever was.
In New Orleans and other parts
Of the South hyand West the drug
is freely bought in five-cent pack
ages.
| regard the use Of the drug,
even Us q local anaesthotic for
surgical purposes, as exceedingly
dangerous, especially in cases
where the subsequent reaction Is
characterized by headache, lassi-
tude and depression. Yet it's use
in surgery Is becoming very com
mon. ! also deprccatc the fact
that many popular proprietary re-
medics contai / cocaine in large
Quantities. F
1t is almost Il specific for ca
tarrhal troubles, and though using
it as u remedial agent uncon
sclously many persons, charmed
with its speedy and delightful
results, become addicted to it ha-
bitually and finally become slaves
TO its use.
It's first effects in small doses arc
to create feeling of Ella
tion, OF greatly increased mental
and physical superiority,N and OF
freedom from care and anxiety.
The morphinist finds in n substi-
tute to relieve the sense of aepres-
sion following the use of that mar
cotic. The hard drinker is charm
cd with its effects, ,as his depression
yields TO 20 sense Of elation and
abnormal exaltation.
But in the use Of cocaine there
follows n sure renction. In short
time there are developed characte-
ristic symptom Of the habitual CO.
cainist.lf he he n lawyer, writer or
a clergyman he shows marvellous
ilhency and prolixity of speech
He has rare fccunidity of words
but they betray n tendency toward
circumlocution and irrelevanc, .
In letter writing he betrays his Sc
cret vice by the diffuseness with
out dgectness.
Their are novels, which are highly
popular today, which show almost
conclusive evidence Of having been
written under the influence of CO.
cainc, dnd several poems, charac-
terized by marvellous rhythm and
smoothness, have had their inspi-
ration in this drug.
Ilabitual use of it ilnpairs The
judgment and results in the gran
diose ideas often associated with
paretic diseases. Ones sense of
right and wrong becomes impair
ed. A man formerly open and
frank becomes secretiye, selfish
and dishonest. A Wall street au-
thority told me that he knew OF
three Of the most reckless opera
tors of recent years whose losses
Of fortunes are directly due to ims
pairmcnt of their Judgment
through the use of cocaine.
After the abnormal sense of
elationa and power como delu-
sions. The victim fears sudden
attack. He sits up, at night
watching for burglars. Heis fear
full of accident and abnormally
suspicious Of imaginary persecu-
tors. Most victims in this stage
carry revolvcrs.
One of them once came to me
in this condition. He was ply.
sician, who had lost his wife and
family in the Johnstown flood,
and had taken to cocaine to soothe
him in bis great afiliction. He had
two reyolyers when he told me of
his secret. He was rational enogh
in most matters, but thought he
had hidden enemies. ! finally
persuaded him to surrender his
firearms, and the first night he
compromised on stout baseball
bat under his pillow. He finally
conquered the appetite, but it re-
quired years of hard struggling.
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