Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-16
THE COCAINE HABIT.
It's Growth Marked-Many Evils At
tributed to It.

From the Speaker.
Even the most casual of newspaper read
ers must have noticed how many have been
the cases of cocaine poisoning during the
last few years. Either the drug has been
prescribed in the first instance by ply
stefan or-what is more common-has been
an ingredient in some patent medicine to
relieve nerve pain. Its value a local
anaesthetic and it's immediate tonic effect
upon the nervous system are so marked
that the patient grows more and more to
depend on it for relief; the cocaine habit
is induced. and the victim soon becomes a
physical and mental wreck. The dangers
attaching to the indiscriminate use of this
alkaloid of the coca plant, its fascination
for neurotic subjects, are now well recog-
nized among physicians of repute, but It
forms a too frequent constituent in many
popular medicines. for it is a cheap drug,
and, unhappily, there are Cat least, so far
as America is concerned) restrictions
laws regulating the sale. 1t is diff
cult to eXaggerate the subtle and pernicious
influence of this drug. The absence of
those unpleasant after effects which attend
indulgence In morphia or choral, the sense
of physical we'll being and mental eXhilara-
ton consequent. makes the drug more ias-
cinating to the jaded worker, who is firmly
possessed of the belief that he can discon-
tinue it's use when he pleaSes. Cocainism,
remarks DIR. T. d. Crothers Gn his rev
book on 'Morphinism and Narcomanias
from Other DrugS') is a new disease of
civilization. Its prevalence is certainly
grim commentary upon existing social con-
ditionS. for Ii seems to fan most heavily
upon the extremes of Society-the rich and
the impoverished classes. Like other social
sores. its real cure cannot be effected per-
manently by any legislative act, for the
drug habit is merely another aspect of that
big social problem which long ago fretted
the soul of Rusl1in and still confronts social
reformers of every kind; but much may and
should be done in rendering more difficult
Indulgence in this drug. The neurotic We
have always with US: he is one Of the in
venticns of the nineteenth century, but II
We are powerlcss for the time being to
change the atmosphere in which he lives,
we can fence him round with better safe
guards.
Dr. Crothers asserts that. so far Amer
lea is concerned. 1.-The custom house reports
indicate enormous increase in the I'M
portationS of cocaine every year, and while
the price is falling the demand is greater
and increasing quantities are sold" In
happily, only, roughly speaking, about per
cent of the drug sold could be accounted for
in legitimate ways In the lowest centers
of the cities. told. cocaine is in great
demand in both drug and grocery stores.
Tramps and peddlers carry cocaine and NOR
phia to sell. When the poor people cannot
procure the drug by honest means they be-
come thieves to secure the means TO buy il.
On the other hand. cocaine is bought freely
Dy the wealthy sections, Wnlle the prcpa-
rations most commonly sold are called
cold and catarrhal remedies, which are
practically nothing but cocaine" Cocain-
ism has assumed too threatening an aspect
for It's banefulness to be lightly ignored.
Our great cities have curses enough and to
spare without this one being superadded.
DR.. Crothers Is of opinion-and he is not
alone-that cocainism is increasing. He
says: "a variety of unmistakable 3ymp-
toms sustains this. assertion; symptoms
seen in newspaper literature, in stories,
novels. medical writing. strange conduct.
eccentricities. mysterious acts and sudden
deaths" Some physicians are no doubt
reckless in prescribing 1t, but, on the WHOLE
no physician Of repute today would pre-
scribe its use except with great caution.
and it Is from proprietary medicines that we
have most to fear DR.. Crothers goes SO far
as to say that the use Of cocaine in such
medicines lis source Of peril Of greater
magnitude than that Of any form OF
opium