lace.

"The sense of fatigue, and the _besoin de respirer_ are both
Nature's danger signals. Drugs which hide such signals from us
are a more than doubtful benefit. If it were possible for us to
suppose that a fraction of a grain of cocaine could afford to
exhausted nerve centres, and muscles, the nutriment which they
require for their restoration, and at the same time eliminate
the poisonous waste products, then it would be reasonable to
prescribe the drug for use by all who are overworked, and
perhaps suffering from the malnutrition consequent upon,
'nervous dyspepsia,' as well as mere want of rest.

"In this go-ahead century it is no wonder that many are but too
ready to experiment with a drug which professes to be able to
remove fatigue, and to enable a man to go on working when,
without its aid, weariness had become unendurable. Cocaine
claims all this; and it is most dangerous just because, for a
time, it seems able to keep its promise. That is how victims to
cocainism are made. Let us be honest with our overworked
patients, who want us to help them with drugs; let us tell them
that rest is the only safe remedy for weariness.

"To combine such a drug as coca, or cocaine, with an alcoholic
stimulant, is to multiply the dangers of cocainism by those of
alcoholism. It would be impossible to find terms sufficiently
severe in which to condemn the recklessness of those who
promiscuously recommend such a compound for all who are
overworked or debilitated. One firm actually has the assurance
to advertise a preparation of this kind as a remedy for
dipsomania. Truly this is casting out devils by Beelzebub, with
a vengeance. Invoking Beelzebub for such a purpose has never
been a success. And I suspect that any form of coca wine will
make a great many more dipsomaniacs than it will cure."

Dr. Walter N. Edwards, F. C. S., says of coca wines:--

"These wines are sold as being useful in an immense variety of
ailments. The following are a few of the many that are named
upon the bottles or in the circulars accompanying them:--

"Weakness after illness,
"Nervous disorders,
"Sleeplessness,
"Influenza,
"Whooping cough,
"Exhaustion of mind and body,
"Allays thirst,
"Restores digestive function,
"Enables great physical toi