Drugs that enslave : $b The opium, morphine, chloral and hashisch habitsKane, H. H. (Harry Hubbell)
Science
Drugs that enslave : $b The opium, morphine, chloral and hashisch habits
Kane, H. H. (Harry Hubbell)
Drug addiction
Mrs. Jane G., a patient of Dr. B. Fränkel, of Berlin, 35 years old, eleven
years ago, after having been suffering with typhoid fever, was afflicted
with an abdominal complaint which caused so much pain that the family
doctor had to administer an injection of morphia daily. Ten years ago
patient married, and has given birth to two children one five years, the
other eight years old now. The confinements were protracted; both children
died soon after their birth. During both pregnancies the use of morphia
was discontinued by the doctor, the same taking place during several
occasional journeys to bathing-places made by the patient because of her
complaint. For five years she has injected morphia herself, the largest
dose _pro die_ having been eight grains.
While using the drug, a febris intermittens tertiana showed itself, two
years ago, lasting, with an interruption of four weeks, until November,
1876. Regularly at 4.30 P.M. she had shiverings, followed by burning
heat, and ending in perspiration. The repeated use of quinine, even a
change of air and a sojourn in the country, were unable to suppress the
fever. Dr. B. Fränkel, who had only for three months attended Mrs. G.,
and whom she had never told of her custom of using morphia regularly,
made the diagnosis of morbid craving for morphia only through considering
the intermittent fever. Apart from the latter, the use of the drug had
brought on the following symptoms: sleeplessness, headache, principally in
the region of the right occipital nerve, parched mouth, loss of appetite,
nausea, sickness, constipation, feeling of oppression, mental anxiety,
palpitations of the heart. Patient, after having hardly fallen asleep,
wakes up with dyspnœa, which increases to actual fits of choking; swimming
before the eyes and muscular quivering.
Patient is admitted into the Maison de Santé, and the use of the morphia
is stopped forthwith.
October 16. Hardly any sleep during the night; in the morning patient is
in a happy temper, makes no complaints. Temperature and pulse normal.
In the course of the forenoon there was much perspiration, and patient
complained of headache and nausea. Pupils unequal, _the left smaller than
the right_. Pressure on the stomach, shivering, yawning; in the afternoon,
there is restlessness, stomach-ache, epigastric pain, oppressiveness, much
perspiration, shivering. Poultices were applied to the abdomen. Up to
the evening she had altogether vomited twelve times and had one relaxed
motion. _Pupils unequal, the left wider than the right._ The excitement,
in consequence of the pain in the stomach, increases hourly. Patient moves
about in bed and moans aloud. Frequent spasmodic yawning. At 9 P.M., a
bath with cold douche of a quarter of an hour’s duration is given, after
which she became quieter for a short time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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