The Detroit times., 1916-03-28
Copyright. 1918. by
Frederic n. Robinson.
22.--I BEGIN THE Battle,

NO. pa BEGIN THE BATTLE.
ON March 10. 1912, one year ago
the day this sentence is being writ
ten, / began the battle
Remembering my former expert
ence. when / Was l6 years younger.
and how | suffered by the rapid re-
duction OF the drug. decided this
time on the gradual reduction plan.
Al this time was taking Il
grains of morphine every "a hours.
A year before | was using as high as
20 grains per "A hours. Ny daily
allowance had always been carefully
weighed out into two doses. one Of
which was taken early Of morning
and the other in the late afternoon.
Perhaps during your school DAYS,
my dear reader, you have had 10 do
with a mathematical problem some
thing like this: A frog is at the bot.
tom cf wcn 100 feet deep. Each
day he takes 10 jumps, Of one foot
each, up the side OF the well Each
nighI he falls back nine jumps How
many days will II take him 10 get
ont Of the well2"
Ny efforts az the reduction OF my
morphine allowance we're something
like he trials and tribulatioDs OF
that poor frog in getting out OF the
Well From the day | commenced
the reduction TO thar OF my fra.
triumph | had many fall-bacS. but
each time not quite so far as the
time before. and, at each advance.
80, a little nearer the goal OF uiti-
mate victory.
In relating my experiences of 16
years before. ! have gone somewhat
/ fully into the symptomatology OF
opium abstinence and rapid reduc-
ton. hence will not here tell the
story Of similar but less intense
manifestations long drawn out. Il is
pertinent. however, 10 mention few
incidents Of historical and Patio.
logical interest in connection there
/ with.
l
gradual reduction plan ! weighed
{ lS0 pounds. had all the outward a9'
pfarances Of health. and was fol
lowing an occupation requiring IL
| hours Of rather strenuous attention
each day | continue this occnpa-
ton for about two and h1'f
months. namely, to the first wee X
in June. by which time ! had re9uc,
ed my consumption Of morphine
from "A 10 three grains per - hours.
This reduction OF the drug made g
CORES pointing reduction in hy pnysl
cal strength and vitality till by his
/ time I Nas no longer able 60 work.
had planned all along ha, when
! reached this stage.f would 80 to a
hyoacinc institution in Gearby
city. 10 finish up What ! mean by
"hyoscine institution" is one using
tho hyoscine treatment for opium
sddictions
During my six years OF freedom
from opium ] had tried out the
hyoscine treatment OF q number OF
patients. and knew that. as cure
for the opium habit, it was nothing
more nor Joss than a great nig hum
hug AT the virtue there is TIT hSe-
seine. as treatment in such cases,
is that il dcthrones the mind or
"bug houses" the patient for the
first three or four days following me
complete withdrawal of his opiate.
II il something like chIcaoiorming
patient for a surgical operation
|and. as with chloroform, the injury
is stin there yet. 70 be recovered
from after It's withdrawal However
in order TO mitigate the horrors oil
the first few days of complete with
dra val. was willing TO be reduced
10 state of "innocuous desuetude'
by hyoscine. knowing IT would be up
70 me. and me alone, TO make The
fight Of the days and weeks to fol
low
When ] arrived at he sanitorium
I had decided upon. ] demanded out.
side counsel before ! would permit
The physician in charge to admin
lister the treatment.
The first consulting physician
called in percussed and auscultated
me with reference TO heart diihculty