Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1880 — Morphine for Thirty Years. [ARTICLE]

Morphine for Thirty Years.

New York Sao, Mrs. Susan C. Jackson, a wealthy widow who iniarded at *62 West Thir-ty-second street, died on Monday In her 87th year, after thirty years’ persistent use of morphine. She said that she first used the drug under medical advice to ease neuralgic pains and the habit grew upon her until she became a slave to it. She was a native of Massachusetts, and connected witli some of the oldest families in that state. Some years ago her husband died; leaving her unincumbered anil with a handsome income. She kept house alone until about eight months ago. She had made eveiy effort to conquer she habit she had acquired, hut without success. When she went to board in Thirty-second street she was accustomed to take as much as twelve grains of morphine a day. A month ago she sent for Dr. Francis A. Thomas, who found her bedridden and suffering from the effects of the habit that had enslaved her for thirty years. He advised her to cease using the drug, but she said she had not long to live under any circumstances, and refused to abandon it. Finally he anoceded in reducing the dally allowance to four grains, but was unaole to get below, that. He tried to substitute chloral for morphine, but It had no effect upon the patient, who wandered very much in her intellect, and passed most of her time in a death-like stupor. On Monday morning her attendants supposing her to be dead, spoke of her as having “gone home;” but she aroused herself quickly, and said: • “Oh, no, you have not got rid of me yet,” When Dr, Thomas called, a little later in the day, lie found her very near death) and told her so, The information did not disturb her In the leaijt. She took her usual dose of morphine, and sank into a sleep, from which she never awoke. Dr. Thomas reported her death and its cause to the Bureau of Vital Statistics!

The disappearance of the Jeannette into the i per bound Arctic sea north of Behring's Straits, more than a year ago. and the failure to oommunicate with her during the summer, have furnished the Arctio experts of l>oth this country and Europe with a fruitful theme for speculation of late. The numerous conjectures as to the absent • vessel’s position and the discussion attending them have disclosed the remarkable fact that no one appears to be acquainted with the plans of her commander. There is no end of guessing as to which shore of Wrangell laud he made for a winter harbor. By some it is maintained that He attempts

ed to reach the eastern shore and became frozen in by the ice known to have been present in that region in immense quantities; while others better acquainted with the canons of Arctic navigation are confident that he sought the western shore and is now there in a safe harbor. If the former supposition is correct the position of the explorers is a perilous one, but if {he latter is trqe there is no cause to fear fqr their safety. Bi|t ttje singular part of l{ is, iio one seems to kfiow which shore Lieutenant jDe Long intended to make; yet it nee ms incredible that he should have departed on »Uoh an expedition without leaving behind him a oarefUlly considered plan of operations. It Is now certain that the explorers are doomed to a second winter in high Arctic latitudes, and on the approach of summer a relief expedition will be in order. Such an expedition would at once proceed to the proposed destination of the Jeannette; but if she had none the search for her will be prosecuted under difficulties. If the wiseacres who are speculating as to the Jeannette’s wheteabopts WQphl d W*h the outlines Qf her trip as agreed upon before her departure, they would save themWriyef a vast amount qf public gueesEaat Indian snake charmers are carefUl to extract the fangs of their pets. John Howe, who went into the business at Charlotte, N. C., did not thus make harm less the rattlesnakes 25™* used, and a vicious bite killed him in half an hour. •. *

'k- ... -Jr „ . _ • . JjMttMr tirftt TiufL A Geneva to the London Daily News sav*: The boring for the Ariberg tunnel is actively progressing oD'tho Austrian^ side of the mountain, nel of Ariberg is^n^the^linear the railroad which is now being built from Innsbruck to Blundenz. The road »will be eighty-one miles long: the first section, from Innsbruck to Landeck, having a length of forty-six miles; and the second, from Landeck to Blundenz, a length of thirty-five miles. It is expected that the total cost of the road will be <•,602,001. At Bt. Antoine, 1,721 feet above Landeck, is the beginning of the great tunnel. The point fixed upon by tire Austrian government for the opening is not the one that was chosen by General Nonliing, who first surveyed the ground. The tunnel, had his scheme lieen adopted, would have been higher up the mountain, shorter, wide enough only for single rails, and therefore less expensive than tne one finally fixed upon. But the government, believing that the Ariberg line will some day be one of the moat important to Europeans, decided that it is expedient to provide every facility for a great traffic. The gradients are to be as easy as possible, even though the tunnel should be a little longer, and the line will be double railed throughout its length. In this connection it Is Interesting to learn that the entire length of the great St. Got hard tunnel will be in running order by April. Together with the Mont Cenis and St. Gothard tunnels, the Ariberg will rank among the great engineering works of Europe.