Blandford Weekly News. — 1889-03-30 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

USE OF OPIATES BY FRENCHWOMEN. Foremost among all the European specimens of her sex (says the Paris correspondent of the Daily Telegraph) the Frenchwoman has always been on the alert for stimulants or sedatives of a quiet and unobtrusive but not necessarily of a harmless kind. She had tried nearly everything that has been recommended either by private medical advice or by public advertisement; but her favourite remedy for "low spirits" for some years has been morphine. This drug had becon.e so popular among Parisian ladies that any member of the fair sex who did not inject morphine now and then under the epidermis of her wrist, arm, or leg was considered to be completely "out of the movement." Some ladies went so far with the drug as to make themselves helpless and hopeless lunatics. They had tried previously to banish headache and its attendant cohort of feverish languor, lassitude, and lowness of spirits with ether, hashish, opium, and similar medicaments, but to none of these did they become so addicted as to the insinuating morphine, which was patronised equally by the fashionable lady wearied by the vigils of the ballroom, the actress overpowered by the excitement of the footlights and the greemroom, and other persons overwhelmed by drinking too deeply of pleasure's cup. Morphinomanie is, in fact, a veritable epidemic which has even spread to inea in Paris, and one sociologist raises his voice in order to call the attention of the Academy of Medicine to the matter. He says, without the least intention of causing an alarm, that morphine is daily murdering dozens of Parisiennes, and that the drug will reappear under a new name next season. The future desig• nation is " exalgine." which, no doubt, has been chosen for euphemistic reasons, as the word morphine had acquired a perilous and forbidding sound. Antipynne has also been the "go " in boudoirs and salons; but medical authorities say that it simply stupefies, while morphine has at least the attribute —and perhaps advantage —of elevating its votary or victim to a state of temporary exaltation and possibly inspiration. "Exalgine," the new stimulant or sedative, will probably be a cunning combination of all the other noxious concoctions, and will no doubt be the rage for a year or so among the overexcited members of the "Monde oh ions amuse."  The smouldering tire of Armenian indignation and discontent with the Turkish Government has (says a correspondent) again burst into flame, consequent upon the despatch of an order signed by the Minister of Poblic Instruction, addresred to the Armenian ' Patriarch, prohibiting the teaching of the history of that people in the national schools and colleges. the Patriarch sent a strong protest against the measure.  - . Nine stowaways were lauded on Tuesday at Dover from the Hull steamer Buffalo, which was bound from London to New York. The lads, most of whom belonged to the East-end of London and were wretchedly clothed, secreted themselves in the holds before the vessel left the London Docks. They stated that they wished to get to America to better their prospects. The lads presented a very sorry spectacle. It is believed that the forthcoming Indian Budget will be more satisfactory than was anticipated; that there will be no deficit, and no increased taxation; and that no additional loan will be required. Mr. John Gibson, a commercial traveller at Allos, having lost his train at Falkirk, proceeded to walk by the line to Larbert. His body was afterwards found on the line, mutilated almost past recognition. King Milan has returned to Belgrade and received the Ministers and the Regents. The King will not de. part on his contemplated tour until he is assured that Queen Natalie will not return during his absence.