The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-11-10
DIRE EFFECTS OF A DRUG.
Opium Has Become n Menace to
Manhood of the British.

Manhood of the British.
From the London News.
Public attention has recently been
the courts Some time ago a man and
woman were placed in the dock to-
gether. Their condition of nervous
distress was pitiable, and they i'm
plored the magistrate to allow them
to have morphine. Their suffehings
were so acute that the request was
eventually granted and the immed-
late result was marvellous. Their
misery and detection disappeared
and for time at least they seemed
perfectly restored. More recently a
man charged with dishonest deal
ing told the magistrate that he was
a victim to cocaine and while under
the influences of the drug did not
know what happened. Inquiries show
that the vice is much more common
than is generally imagined. Naturally
ii is intended to be a secret sin, but
the victim of the habit quickly be-
comes mentally and physically de-
moralized to an extent which renders
the service of the doctor Imperative.
On this subject DR.. Forbes Wins
low speaks with the authority of one
who has made a close study of the
disease for many years. To a report
er he entered into the matter at some
length and during the interview quot
ed from a number OF works which
he has written on the subject I'm my
opinion" he said "one of the chief
causes of degeneration in the human
race is indulgence in opium, or the
drug habit. In China there are up
ward of 100000 opium eaters and the
number is gradually increasing.
A Pernicious Habit.
In one year the value of opium
which was sent into England was over
81, 0OO 900. one curious thing in ref
erance to the drug is that it takes
hold of the individual absolutely; it
degenerates him and makes him
quite unfit for the ordinary duties of
life. The first symptom are feelings of
content and slight excitement, follow
ed by laughter of an involuntary
nature At the first stage the smoker
has feeling of delight, while the tenn
Lhture is increased. Circumstances
WHICH happened long ago present
themselves in all their originality and
the future appears bright. AS the hab-
it increases this feeling of eXalta-
ton is followed by depression. At first
the complexion and particularly the
eyes, but afterwards the face becomes
lnleHsely pdle anu BeilcIdlly lllSSIlSi-
bility supervenes.
DO these conditions apply also to
those who are addicted to cocaine?"
Yes, entirely. When l was in New
York some time ago l spent good
deal of time in the Chinese quarter
and it was a most ordinary thing to
see American women there who had
become fascinated by the habit hang
ing out of the windows. They had
TIT -
tent that they were incapable of leav-
ing the quarter. Many of them were
ladies"
Common Among Women.
Does the drug habit assume seri-
Gus proportions here in England"
Yes it is a very common thing, chief
ly among ladies. Usually it is taken
in the beginning to allay pain. Without
doubt a large amount of laudanum
is consumed by the upper classes in
conjunction with acohol. 1t is a hard
and fast rule that a dipsomanic is also
addicted to the morphia habit, but
not vice versa.
You mean that a dipsomaniac
who is deprived of drink would try
to get drugs, but that a victim of the
drug habit does not care about alco-
hol?"
Exactly"
is the naDlI increasing IN THIS cOun-
try?"
Very much. AS long ago as 1872
no less than 356,211 pounds of opium
were imported into England, and il
the indulgence was measured by the
standard the decline and fall of the
social system might be confidently
predicted"
What about the effects?"
We'll, there are many. AS / have
already stated, in the early stages
the drug produces beautiful feelings
and visions. The feelings of the eater
are not merely pleasureable; he ex-
periences great delight and brilliant
fancies, which transcend all real and
healthy impressions. Without doubt
many painters have done fine work
under the influence of opium. At first
only a small quantity is taken, but
as the fascination takes hold of the
victim the size of the dose is increas-
ed and among the most frequent eff
fects are Authorizations of hearing.
An Old Naturalization.
The idea of being in communication
with Satan is most common in these
cases. But eventually the victim be-
comes degraded in mind, physically
demorlzed and mentally diseased
In some asylums in America 33 per
cent of the patients were opium eat