The Detroit times., 1916-03-08
Autobiography Of a Drug Fiend
rsJRss isas Rsu:sn ss BY Dr. John Harrison Hughes
John Harrison Hughes

trying to cure their opium sddic-
tions.
But now 10 return TO my own per
soual experiences. For the first two
or three months DR.. B. kept sending
along. with the other supplies, some
OF his special solution for my OVID
Use He tried to make me believe
IL did not contain morphine: but, as
time passed. my suspicion that II
did turned into absolute certainly,
and then l threw IL aside and took
10 the morphine straight.
of course this use OF the drug by
myself was kept a secret from my
patients and verybody else. I was
looked upon ss brand snatchec
from the burning by this same re
nowned cure" and II would not have
been good business policy TO have
destroyed that illusion by letting my
continued addiction become known
Thus things continued at the in
stitute until. having exhausted ali
the available and paying material al
hand. I closed its doors, pulled down
the signs, and returned TO my ranch
home.
IL was about this time that ] be
gan TO tamper with cocaine; and
no doubt. from the same reason that
so many opium victims sooner or
later become coke" nends.
You may not know IL. but the pc
RODS OF mental exaltation and phys
ical well-being experienced al the
beginning of an opium addiction
gradually become less and less well
marked until. within from two TO
three months as a rule. they cease
altogether. Even an increase in
the dosage will not cause a return
of such influences. And this marks
the time Of the fastening OF the
habit. Thereafter the habitual dos
ing maintains a seemingly normal
condition only. the addict experienc-
ing no drug effects whatever. II is
when the dosage Ia left OF, or great.
ly reduced. that things begin TO hap
pen In rapid and furious succession.
Now the opium user. no longer
able to get any pleasure from his
drug. seeks something that will pro-
duce a physical sensation or exhila-
ration. With his already opium-soak.
ed body he finds his ideal In cocaine
for, from the nrst TO the very last
dose, no matter for how long used.
II always gives results. And. as one
who has been there and knows, let
me tell you that. in an already
opium-impregnated body. the mental
happiness and physical exaltation
OF cocaine has the effects Of opium
alone reduced TO the insIpidity OF a
bread pin! And for aeroplane sen.
sations OF trip through paradise
II has a brand-nev Salvation army
convert kneeling again A. the mourn
ers' bench for fresh inspiration, Ny
individual experience Vith cocaine
vas or rather short duration. Owing
70 the morphine-satursted condition
OF my body, tolerance for the drug
was at once established. and In less
than week I was taking a. high a.
20 grains a day, divided into as many
or more injections And surely
got ell the satisfaction possible 10
be derived from its use.
But owing 10 constitutional
hsart.veakness, an intolerance for
the drug began 20 manifest itself
that compelled me TO reduce the
amount used. and soon 10 leave n
on altogether. And let M here add
that my physical body At no time
set up, any objection whatever "a
such reduction and leaving on. The
whole period OF ny cocaine addic
tion. from the frst TO the last injec
tion. was approximately six months
This Intolerance for cocaine va,
manifested In the way Of violent and
sunocsting futterlngs of the heart
coming on Immediately after an In
lection. This distressing condition
az q rule quickly passed and wa,
followed by the usual exhilaratlns
: effects OF the drug.
I continued the injections Of NOR
phine, however. tor about a year
. longer that ~. till July, 1896 And
, here IL marked an important epsci
In my drug ginnuenced career