The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-10-01
COCAINE COMPLETELY UNDER.
MINES THE USERS NATURE.
NEGROES WORSE WHITES
In kan.as City More Women Than
Men are Addicted to the Poison
A Large Percentage OF General
hospital Patients Fiends.

ana police VINO know nor" OF the
prevalence of the cocaine habit in
Kansas City than other persons, are
watching with the interest the fight
that has been started against the
sellers of the drug. PhysiciaU say
that few habitual users are ever cur.
ed. The police assert that tho habit
is fast increasing, especially among
north end negroes. and they are
skeptical about the curing OF any real
coke" nend.
one has but to watch the peculiar, al
most uncanny antics Of a user Of CO.
cainc under the influence of the drug
which to them is life, to be filled with
horror and disgust. Unlike morphine
which dcpresses the nerves and
brings on languid sense of pleas
ure. cocaine. or coke" as IT Is call
ed by those addicted to the habit.
eXalts the nervous system and de-
presses only the circulation. Its effec:
upon the mind is curious. 1t brings
about the most ridiculous fancies. and
usually when a considerable quantity
of the drug has been taken the fan.
cies are a succession of imaginary
horrors, the coke fcnd believing
himself pursued by assassins.
'Leaping' is a term applied by the
fAliaA "a 90 4.
and every policeman who walks a
north end beat is familiar with the
habits OF the depraved ona.
"All you can do when you catch
them ''leaping" said Michael Mullan,,
who for years has been a north end
patrolman, "is TO take them to cell.
And I'd almost rather tackle the
ghost of my grandfather than a wo-
man coke fiend with her unearthly
shrieks. There's something terrible
about her actions
The cocaine habit is more prevalent
among negroes than whites and more
women are addicted TO it's use than
men. The drug produces its effect by
coming in contact with the mucou.
membrane. The usual method of TAX
ing It Is by shifting it up the nose.
\ small quantity is placed by tn.
fend on the back of the hand, in a lit.
tie depression made BY holding the
thumb rigid. and shifted into the nos
trils. Another method frequently
used Is that of dissolving the hap
py dust in beer This method is es-
pecially popular among the negroes.
who have their can rushing parties
in their homes. or IN the summer
time often meet in vacant lots in
Belvidere hollow, and sheltered by
the high weeds, get themselves under
the Influence of the drug. They dance
and Groom their wierd ditties until
the last and more violent stages or
"leaping'' are reached. At this juno.
ture every coke" fiend usually wants
to be alone.
The "leaping' fiend will run along
The trcet twitching in every muscle.
Reaching a corner he will peer crat.
tily down the cross street. look be.
hind him. then break into run.
again stopping to hide I'm dark door
ways or alleys At other times they
Will give vent to continuous and most
disconcerting shrieks. Locked I'm thu,
cellar in the holdover. hends have
been known 10 continue these howls
almost without interruption for three
or four hours. The users often imag-
inc them elves fabulously wealthy or
think they are roaming through beau.
uful gardens, when IN reality ther
are threading dark north end ALLEYS.
Cocaine Mary, a fiend known 10
the police for twenty years BY no
other name walked from a third story
window at Third and Main street
several weeks ago, fell to the paw
menr and was instantly killed.
! never saw an old coke fend'
said DR. J. Parke Neal, who for many
months has had experience with n.
ers OF the drug brought into the eu-
ergoncy hospital. 1T Is unusual for
them to last much pap the age OF
40. The most of them become insane.
Cocaine is chiefly harmful through
Its effects upon the will II seems 10
absolutely annihilate the moral ma.
turc. The fiend becomes vaccilatirg
and Irregular as to purpose and lives
with but one thought and aim-more
coke The habit once formed can
scarcely be cured.
THE coke fiend becomes a perfect
bundle or nerves when under the IN.
lluence OF the drug. The habit is