AfoySev%z}       Acquirement  of  the  Drug  Habit.  549 
cent.  A  careful  investigation  among  physicians  assures  us  that  the 
legitimate  use  of  cocaine  has  not  increased,  since  its  greater  use  in 
general  surgery  is  offset  by  a  more  careful  use  in  nose  and  throat 
work  and  in  general  practice.  Because  of  its  now  known  dangerous 
character  it  is,  of  late,  seldom  ordered  in  a  prescription  to  be  handled 
by  the  patient.  The  use  of  cocaine  in  operative  surgery  and  the 
relief  of  pain  by  the  advances  in  surgery  largely  tend  to  lessen  the 
legitimate  use  of  morphine.  The  prices  of  these  products  vary  but 
little  from  what  they  were  in  1898,  so  that  the  increase  of  over  400 
per  cent,  in  the  imports  of  cocaine  is  very  significant ;  while  the 
increase  of  nearly  500  per  cent,  in  the  quantities  and  over  600  per 
cent,  in  the  values  of  opium  and  morphine  is  simply  startling. 
As  this  report  is  being  prepared,  a  despatch  comes  from  San 
Francisco  announcing  that  over  $1,000,000  worth  of  opium  has  just 
reached  that  port  of  entry  in  one  cargo.  If  true,  the  receipts  for 
the  next  year  will  be  unprecedently  foreboding. 
That  it  might,  in  a  measure,  answer  some  of  the  other  questions, 
your  committee  has  thought  wise  to  send  out  return  postal  cards  to 
a  number  of  pharmacists  and  physicians  in  different  localities,  as 
follows  : 
American  Pharmaceutical  Association. 
Special  Committee  on  the  Question  of  the  Acquirement  of  the 
Drug  Habit. 
Dear  Sir  :  As  a  member  of  the  above  committee  I  earnestly  beg 
your  prompt  co-operation.  Kindly  fill  out  the  blanks  on  the  attached 
return-card,  which  you  will  please  mail. 
Should  you  prefer  not  to  be  known  in  the  report,  the  card  may 
be  mailed  without  your  signature ;  please  give  the  matter  your 
serious  attention,  however,  and  make  your  report  as  accurate  and 
complete  as  possible. 
ON  THE  QUESTION  OF  THE  ACQUIREMENT  OF  THE  DRUG  HABIT. 
How  many  persons  do  you  know  who  have  a  drug  habit  ? 
Have  you  noticed  a  seemingly  unwarranted  use  of  sulfonal  and 
trional  ? 
Do  you  believe  habits  are  formed  for  the  popular  headache 
remedies  ? 
How  many  persons  do  you  know  who  have  a  habit  for  the  follow- 
