The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-01-20

cheap drug. and, unEappiiy. there are
lat least. So far as America is Col-
ceEn~Q) no restrictions or laws regula-
ting the sale 1t is difficult 10
eXaggerate the subtle and pernici0us
influence Of this drug. The absence II
those unpleasant after effects which at
tend indulgence iii :aorph.a Ut chloral.
the sense Of physical well-being and
mental eXhilaration consequent. makes
the drug more fascinating TO the jsded
worker, who is firmly possessed u the
belief that ne can discontinue its use
Whea he pleases. Cocaillism. remarks
DR.. T. D. Crothers din his new book on
Norphinisn and Marc unaniacs from
Other Drugs'D is q new disease Of civil
izatjon. Its prevalence is certainly a
grim commentary upon existing social
conditions, for it seems to fall most
heavily upon the extremes of society
the rich and the impoverished classes.
Like other social sores, its real cure
cannot be effected permanently by any
legislative act, for the drug habit is
merely another aspect Of that big So
cial problem which long ago fretted the
soul of Ruskin and still confronts social
refornlers of every kind: but much may
and should be done IN rendering more
difficult indulgence IN this drug. The
neuro:ic we have always with US; he is
one of the inventions Of the nineteenth
century, but if we are powerless for the
time being to change the atmosphere in
which he lives, We can fence him
round with better safeguards.
DR. Crothers asserts that, so far as
America is concerned, the custom
house reports indicate an enormous in
crease In the importation of cocaine
every year, and while the price in fall
ing the demand is greater and increas-
ing quantities are sold" Unhappily,
only, roughly speaking, about per
cent. Of the drug sold could be account
ed for in legitimate ways. In the low
est centers of the cities, we are told,
+ cocaine is in great demand in both
drug and grocery stores. Tramps and
pedlers carry cocaine and morphia to
sell. When the poor people cannot
procure the drug by honest means they
become thieves to secure the means to
buy it. On the other hand, cocaine Is
bought freely by the wealthy sections.
while 1.-The preparations most commonly
sold are called cold" and catarrhal
remedies, which are practically nothing
but cocaine" Cocainism has assumed
too threatening an aspect for its bane-
fulness to be lightly ignored. Our great
cities have curses enough and to spare
without this one being superadded.
DR. Crothers is of npiniOn-and he is
not alone-that cocaineism is increas-
ing. He says: "A variety of unmis-
taxable symptoms sustain this asser-
ton; symptoms seen in newspaper lit
erature, in stories novels, medical Wri-
ting, strange conduct, eccentricities,
mysterious acts and sudden deaths"
Some physicians are no doubt reckless
in prescribing it. but. on the whole, no
physician Of repute to-day would pre-
scribe its use except with great eau
ton, and it is from proprietary medi-
cines that we have most to fear. DR..
Crothers goes so far as to say that the
use Of cocaine in such medicines lis a
source of peril Of greater magnitude
than that Of any form of opium. THE
Speaker.