“A third class of men who become habituated to the use of chloral are men of extremely nervous and excitable temperament, who by nature, and often by labors in which they are occupied, become bad sleepers. A little thing in the course of their daily routine oppresses them. What to other men is passing annoyance, thrown off with the next step, is to these men a worry and anxiety of hours. They are over susceptible of what is said of them and of their work, however good the work may be. They are too elated when praised, or too depressed when not praised or dispraised. They fail to play character parts on the stage of this world, and as they lie down to rest they take all their cares and anxieties into bed with them, in the liveliest state of perturbation. Unable in this condition to sleep, and not knowing a more natural remedy, they resort to the use of such an instrument as chloral hydrate. They begin with a moderate dose, as occasion seems to demand, and at last, in what they consider a safe and moderate system of employing it, they depend on the narcotic for their falsified repose. Among these classes of men the use of chloral hydrate is on the increase. The use is essentially a bad business at the best, and while I do not wish in the least to exaggerate the danger springing from it, while, indeed, I am willing to state that I have never been able to trace out a series of fatal organic changes of a structural character from such use, I have certainly seen a great deal of temporary disturbance and enfeeblement from it, without any corresponding advantage that might be set forth as an exchange of some good for some harm. The conclusion I have been forced to arrive at is, in brief, to this effect, that if chloral hydrate cannot be kept for use within its legitimate sphere, as a medicine to be prescribed by the physician, according to his judgment, and by him as rarely as is possible, it were better for mankind not to have it at any price.” A case showing the evil effects of the continued use of chloral in large doses, and aptly illustrating how readily some of these patients pass from the use of this drug to alcoholic stimulants and _vice versa_, is related by Dr. T. Inglis,[59] of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum. I here give an abstract of his very interesting article. “F. S. P., shopkeeper, male, aged forty-seven. Patient’s father died of kidney disease, at an advanced age. Mother “nervous,” died of paralysis. Two sisters neurotic and eccentric. Brother a confirmed dipsomaniac, died of brain softening. Patient a man of average intelligence, neurotic temperament, previous general good health, but has had asthma. Habits teetotal for ten years, up to three weeks before admission.