Page 204—Narcotics and Intoxicants

Narcotics and Intoxicants
In most parts of the word man has found out some way of stimulating, soothing, or deadening his animal system by means of plants or drugs. Hundreds of these stimulating, intoxicating, soothing, and stupefying substances have been discovered and used in various countries, chief amongst which may be mentioned— Opium, Tobacco, Indian Hemp, Betel Nut, and Alcohol; and others are used in a less degree, such as Coca, Kola Nut, Thorn Apple, Cocculus Indicus, Intoxicating Toadstool, Deadly Nightshade, Henbane, Rhododendron, Azalea, Emetic Holly, Bearded Darnel, etc. The first five among those human pleasers and human destroyers are— 1. Alcohol, now drank in the shape of spirits, wine, beer, or some
other form probably by 500,000,000 persons.
2. Opium, smoked, inhaled, drank or swallowed by probably
100,000,000.
3. Tobacco, now smoked, chewed, and snuffed by probably 300,000,000
4. Haschish, made from Indian Hemp, now smoked, chewed, or
swallowed by probably 150,000,000.
5. Betel Nut, chewed probably by 50,000,000.
These five narcotising and intoxicating poisons are used, more or less, by half the people in the world, giving some considerable pleasure at times, but destroying, more or less, the health of all who use them, and gradually stunting the form and otherwise undermining the well-being of the entire human race. Chemistry also produces many things which are taken in the same way and for the same purpose, such as Laudanum, Morphia, Cocaine, Chloral, Chloroform, Ether, &c., and many so-called patent medicines. These all tend to form habits which soothe and please for a time, but they all damage or destroy in the end. The great bulk of easy-going, unreflecting people have no idea what an amount of mischief and misery the habit of using these things inflict upon poor humanity.
Books show narcotics, toxicants,
Of each and every kind;
Insidious destroyers all,
Of body and of mind.
These four pages show at a glance the effects of the three most fascinating and seductive Drugs in the world—Tobacco, Opium, and Alcohol, and which physically, mentally, and morally injure or ruin the greatest number of mankind.

A good-looking young man soothing,
comforting, poisoning, and gradually
destroying himself with Tobacco.

Chinese Smoking Opium.

First Shoeblack—What yer doin', Bill?
Second Shoeblack—Learnin' to Smoke.
The Drink Craving
Probably the best use a man can make of his leisure time is to read good books and to follow their advice, and the worst use he can make of it is to indulge in intoxicating liquor, and to go where that will lead or take him. It is said that "Dipsomania," "Alcoholism," or the "Craving-for-Drink" disease can be cured in most persons by certain remedies an proper management, and the time has come now when the lovers of human progress everywhere feel that this fearful curse must be grappled with, and, if possible, stamped out like the smallpox, or any other terrible disease. One writer sums up the evils of drinking as follows:—
"It injures the health.
It shortens life.
It originates hereditary disease.
It ruins the character of thousands.
It destroys the peace of families and of individuals.
It causes husbands and wives to neglect each other, their children,
and their homes.
It makes wives widows, and children orphans.
It bereaves parents of their children.
It reduces families to penury.
It hinders the amelioration of the poorer classes of society.
It makes time hard and trade bad.
It is a cause of quarrels, robberies, and murders.
It is a cause of suicide.
It fills our prisons.
It fills our poorhouses.
It fills our hospitals.
It fills our madhouses."
Books, like strong drink, will drown a man's cares
But do not waste his wealth,
Books leave him better, drink the worse,
In character and health.

Two talented men soothing, comforting,
and gradually poisoning themselves
with Brandy and Tobacco.

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