The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-04

Printed In the Leading Daily Paper
 Throughout the World--How H,
 Learned to Smoke Opium, and Hov
 He Introduced Its Use In the Unite,
 States.
 Memphis, Tenn. December s.-(special.
 III. M. Wicks of San Francisco, Cal, tn
 prince of opium smokers, the white mai
 to introduce opium smoking in th
 United States, and whose arrival il
 Memphis, Tenn, for the purpose of talk
 ing the James Treatment, was chroni
 cled in this paper last Sunday has be
 gun treatment. In order that the publit
 might be fully posted as to his progress
 Dr. A. P. Waterfield, a prominent prac
 ticing physician of Memphis. Tenn e
 number of other physicians, and youl
 correspondent were invited to make c
 preliminary examination of tho patients condition and observe the treatment
 closely and to report results. Last Mon-
 day morning the patient received the necessary purgatives, followed by saline laxatives which thoroughly relieved the engorged condition of the g1andular sys-
 tenn. This was a great source of relief to the patient. Functional activity had been greatly impaired by the condition Of his system. On Monday morning upon examination 1t was found that the pa tient was smoking 10 draehms of opium and as result he was greatly consti- pated, his liver was thoroughly torpid his kidneys were inactive his physical condition was exceedingly bad, his appe- tite was poor, his pulse was 70, age 64 weight 122 pounds, respiration IS, suffer- ing with opium users catarrh, used to- bacco. smoked pipe, and suffering from eczema on lower limbs to such an extent that 1t prevented sleep. Although the pa- tients weight on Monday was only l22 pounds, 1t could be easily seen that he had once been man of fine physique and that he was but A shadow of his former self
 Thursdy morning 1t was found that his system had been thoroughly cleansed and that he was in a condition to begin active treatment and that his eczema was great 1y relieved. The plan of treatment con- sists of baths. electricity, tonics, diet, regular exercise in moderation, the neces- sary heart stimulants, sleep potions, and a gradual reduction of the amount of opium used, etc. The James treatment ss antidotal, ellmlnative and supportive
 At the end of the first day 1t was found
 that the treatment had almost assumed
 complete control of the patients system.
 He was less nervous, his heart, liver and kidneys were in better condition and his appetite was very much improved, and as a result his system did not demand more than one-third of the accustomed quantity of the drug.
 On Friday the patient did not ask for opium, and it was only necessary to al- low him a small dose of his accustomed drug Friday night Saturday it was found that his liver was acting freely. that there was a healthy action of the kid neys, and that the skin was moist and no longer presented the dry and shrivel- ed appearance that characterized 1t on Monday morning. The pupil of the pa tients eye were relieved of their con- tracted appearance and were almost nat ural. He expressed himself as feeling very much improved and full of hope and encouragement. The physicians In charge consider that the patient is making very good progress, and 1t Is expected that he will gain considerable in weight during the following week. As MT Wicks was the first white man who smoked opium in the United States, a brief sketch of his experience with opium will be of in- terest to our readers.
 I first learned to smoke opium on board of a steamer on the Pacific ocean where a number of Chinese were smolS- ing this drug. Afterwards on arriving in SdllIotIld 1 tApeIltncGu some IrOuDIe III getting the Chinese in the laundries to roll my pills for me. but few tips soon overcame this trouble. Up to that time white men had never smoked opium in California, but a number or my com panions considering opium a new form of tobacco peculiar to the Chinese tried hitting the pipe" and were soon ad- dicted to It's use. For a few years Cal ifornia was full of opium smokers. Later introduced inc 1ica nf ha drt1e fv Cht- cago, also into New Orleans and Into many other cities in which my business took me l afterwards learned to roll my pills. and when "Cremone" the celebrated opium joint in New York offered the Golden Yenhock' as a prize to the most dexterous pill roller. my ability in this line soon enabled me to outclass an riv- as, and I won this distinguished honor. The Cremone was the most palatial place of the kind in the world. Opium nauseates nearly everybody when they first begin It's use, but after that 1t does not. I had smoked opium for near ly a month before the delightful exhili- ration enjoyed by the beginner was ex- perienced. l never. thought that the use of opium would become a necessity. but when 1t dies out of the system you have horrible dreams night and day and great physical pain. which IS not over come until you resort to the drug again. When I started the use O. opium 1 weighed 165 pounds. Last Monday when I went under the James treatment I only weighed 122 pounds. However. 1 expect to regain my former weight as I am improving rapidly. I began using opium in 1873 at which time 1t was not known that the drug would cause an ad' dction, however l hope that my experi- ence will be a warning to those who are constantly resorting to the use of opium to allay pain, for the suffering its use entails is ten thousand times worse than any ordinary ailment. and I sincerely trust that those who are already slaves to opium or morphine will follow my ex- ample and get rid of 1t by taking treat ment, for I am already convinced by what have seen of the results obtained by the James treatment at Memphis that 1t will undoubtedly cure any case of drug addiction regardless of quantity used. length of time or physical cond- fion of patients, and with hut a mini mum amount of pain or inconvenience.
 --.s.-
 Perhaps 1t js not etched enough: send 1t to the Gawk Engraving Co. Peoples phone 276.