The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-03-04
women SMOKE
ENGLISH LADIES GIVEN TO
PIPE DREAMS.
The PRIVATE HOSPITALS
Of London are Many and
Convenient.

London. Feb. 29.-Many columns in
the daily newspapers of the metropolis
are being occupied just now in discuss
ing the question, Should woman
smoker" 1t is, perhaps, little remark
able that a diversity of opinion should
exist in this matter, yet It appears
that not only manly members of the
fair sex. but their masculine adm r
ers as WE'LL are of the opinion that
smoking by women is not only allow
able. but in some instances womanlike
and deserving of encouragement. Even
the ranks of the clergy have some ad-
vocates of the cigarette for the mouths
of pretty maidens aud buxom matrons,
and no little warmth of feeling is dis
played by some of the writer's.
The old argument that tobacco is
solace to those suffering from mental
worry Is used over and over again in
various forms. II Is argued that wo-
men. being naturally Of a nervous tenn
perament, require some soporifc and
that in many Instances a quiet smoke
than any other prescription that
might be given by physician. Perhaps
the strongest argument used in favor of
/ the weed is that indulgence in II fore
stalls resort to more dangerous drugs
liquor, opium and cocaine. One
would be surprised to learn the extent
to which dissipation in these harmful
drugs prevails among the women of tn e
land The poorer classes naturally
take to liquor for beer and gin are
cheap here and Within the reach of all
Opium in some of its forms is the dis
sipation of the rich and there are thous-
ands-probably tens of thousands-of
well-to-do women who are almost con-
ctantly under the influence of morphine
of cocaine. The habit can be INDUCED
secretely and many women are constant
users of these drugs for years before
they are detected by their relatives
When exposure finally comes it is gen.
orally too late to hope for release from
the slavery of the habit; II has become
too firmly fixed to permit of cure ex-
cept by the most radical and heroic
treatment.
There are scores of private hospi
tails here that advertise for and cure
victims of opium and other narcotics,
That they are well patronized is prov
ed by the prosperous appearance of
the managers. Hundreds of women
on finding themselves victims of the
pernicious habit seek voluntarily to
free themselves from its grasp, gener-
ally without success. The regular
physicians exhaust their resources in
attempts to affect cures; then the
specialists take the cases In hand. II
is rich graft" for them. The friends
public exposure and pay enormous
sums for home treatment This
proving unavailing, the women are
sent to the so-called private hospitals
where they are subjected to the most
vigorous treatment Some of the
cures are about as bad as the disease
and leave the patient hopeless physi
cal and mental wreck. If cure il
effected--and such marvels do occur
at intervals-the doctor" receives q
prlncely reward for his services. In
any event his silence Is marketable
commodity and he makes good use ol
it, for there are no ethics that hamper
this class of medical practitioners.
There are scores of women of quail
ty in this city who have passed
through the ordeal that awaits the vic
tins of all follies. Some of them have
been cured at least for the nonce: 9th
ers have acquired habit as a substi
tute for morphine. The favorite o.
, these are strongly "doped" with NOR
, phine, the strength being gradual.
reduced until there may be scarcel,
trace of the drug left But this IL
extremely difficult to break, especial
, ly when cigarets are smoked. Scores
can drop the use of the cigar or The
pipe to one who can deny himself |
cigaret after having become accus
! toned to 1t.
II Is on the theory that in the choic,
of evils the English women shoul'
, choose the least that most advocates
, of smoking among members of the Sc,
!. base their argument. The absurdit,
of such plea does not need comment
, AS The Chronicle observed the othe
} day, ''If 1t was necessary that womel
}, eat poison there might be some com
mon sense in the plea for tobacco
) but as no such necessity exists the cor
!, tention falls to the ground. Their
is nothing In 1t to commend itself t
> persons OF ordinary intelligence an
\, onnipy ananityb