New-York tribune., 1919-04-27
A Fight
Against Cocaine

lone ounce S per cent solution "a.
caine.'
just above this inscription the ,,nv
insignia of the pharmaceutist rrinn.a
complacently at Jeanne, and for onc,
the little red and white skull and crm,.
bones seemed to fulfil its mission ~
warning. AS Jeanne looked at it ah.
sentmindedly its deep, hollow socket,
and grinning mouth took on the sam.
blance of living thing.
"She continued to study the lab.l
until her steady, unchanging gaze be.
gan to form indefinite lines. A hun.
dred little red and white skulls and
crosshones darted across her vision,
dancing and grinning in their psnto,
mimic abandon. until she had ia FORE.
her eyes closed to shut out their snock.
cry, Just for a moment she steed
thus, trying to summon her will mower,
until she could feel herself resting
upon the selid ground Of determine.
tien, Hut every element of deesien ia
her makeup seemed to have left her
and she slowly opened her eyes to what
seemed an empty world emnty Of here,
happiness OF ambition, She did se
even desire these. really. and gfadu.
ally she awakened 20 she retaliation
that she was slipping-slinping past she
point of caring. She began TO wonder
whether the things people seemed most
to enjoy were worth the trouble they
cost to secure them.
"With an effort she looked about her.
Then she suddenly caught sight of the
little one ounce bottle filled with its
colorless liquid. Subconsciously she
felt the poignant, subtle influence.
Her thoughts carried her back to the
first time, when the inscription read 2
per cent instead of So
Jeanne often thought Of this, and
always wondered whether she would
buy another bottleful when the one
she had was gone. She was always sure
she would not; always sure she could
be the one in a thousand who would
go through the fire of temptation and
escape. Yet this night something
seemed to be forcing her to fight
thing she had not feared, yet which
now she feared she could not fight.
She stared vacantly before her, seeing
nothing but the little dancing red and
white skulls and crossbones, with their
pantomimic mockery. And she
dared not even wonder what the end
might be.
"Her reasons for using the drug 10
the first place had long since been 10"
in medley of visionary Imagining
excuses made to herself with each sue
cessive indulgence-until the explans'
tion she now faced bore not the slignt
est resemblance to those Of earlier
days.
Minutes were passing. Jeanne vs'
neither deciding nor yielding Outside
the life Of the street hummed on wi'n
its murmur CT the hopes and ambitions
of thousands of busy human beings
each intent upon his own speca'
calling.
Suddenly Jeanne looked up and vas
startled to meet her own reflection IL
the mirror opposite. She leaned fof'
ward and looked searchingly into tl'
glass until her gaze became tense. Al
expression of fear and something akl'
to hatred was reflected in tho mirror
For fully five minutes she contempls'e'
the vision before her. She realized tns'
she was looking at her own woFs'
enemy. Summoning all her strensth
she leaned closer to the mirror sn'
with all the courage she could muster
she cried: You fooll'
"The sound of her own voice echcins
the empty room brought he'
back to herself with start, and agaia
she saw the little one-ounce bo1ss
with its red and white label. Delipei
ately she picked it up and turned
slowly from side to side. Her hsns'
grew hot, then cold, with = iefrip's
fear. But of what. Jeanne would nv
even admit it TO herself. She laugnee
nervously as she slowly removed NV
cork. Breathlessiy she lowered tns
syringe and filled It: then withdrew
and placed it where II wou"
have the best effect.
Suddenly the full force of what shs
was doing burst upon her. infaris'es
1t her own weakness, she seized po''
bottle and syringe and sent the"
to the floor, shattered IN
hundred pieces. Worn out with tas
struggle with Self, she threw herseA
Town on her hed-~-enA slcpt."