INSANITY CAUSED BY DRUGS. 215 



grows wild in many parts of the United States, and which may be pur- 

 chased for a trifle in any drug store. Ten cents worth of sassafras 

 root will make three or four bottles equal to the usual dollar bottle of 

 patent medicine, and, if it were only known, quite as effectual. In 

 reality, a "spring" medicine is no more needed than a "fall" medi- 

 cine by most people. The system is far more apt to be depleted and 

 weakened by the heat of the summer than it is by the purer condition 

 of the winter. Hence, if a so-called "spring" medicine is ever needed, 

 it is needed more in the fall than in the spring. The popular notion 

 that the blood becomes impure in the spring is no more true of that 

 period than of other periods. It is most likely to follow a period of 

 comparative idleness, or overeating, no matter what time of year. The 

 remedy is care in the diet and one or other of the simple nature reme- 

 dies, such as given in Vitalogy under the proper headings. A good 

 spring remedy is made by crushing a piece of sassafras bark and mak- 

 ing a tea of it, and drinking from half to a tea cupful three times a 

 day, after meals. 



INSANITY CAUSED BY PATENT MEDICINES AND DRUGS. 



Every state in the union has one or more great insane asylums, 

 nearly always filled to overflowing with patients. Various causes are 

 given for this prevalence of insanity, but the real underlying cause is 

 rarely mentioned. Statistics partly indicate that from 12 to 15 per 

 cent, of the cases are due to the consumption of alcoholic liquors. A 

 somewhat larger percentage is due to love affairs, sudden adversity and 

 other recognized cau&es. But what of the rest ? Some of the best 

 thinkers and students in this country have reached the conclusion that 

 the primary cause is to be found in the almost universal use of drugs 

 and especially of " patent medicines." The metallic and vegetable 

 poisons contained in these medicines remain as deposits in the system 

 and attack the nerve centers, causing disturbances and weakness which 

 in susceptible persons produces insanity. This deduction is supported 

 by the fact that the increase of insanity is shown to have kept pace in 

 almost exact ratio with the increased use of drugs and patent medi- 

 cines. Indians and uncivilized races who do not use drug remedies 

 have no asylums and very few or no insane. Cast aside patent medi- 

 cines and drugs and in a few years our many insane asylums would be 

 largely emptied of patients. 



