ABSTRACT
Opium eating or drinking has become less common; opium smoking has gained some footing; and, since the discovery of the process of subcutaneous injection, the practice of subcutaneous injection of morphia has increased steadily, until it has become a formidable enemy to health. In the larger number of instances of the habit of subcutaneous injection of morphia, the reason assigned for the beginning of the practice is alleviation of pain. When the injection of morphia is kept within reasonable limits, the phenomena which occur from it, subjective or objective, are often obscure. The objective phenomena presented by the morphia habitué are fairly characteristic. During all the time in which the habit is carried on the temperature of the body is irregular. After the administration of the morphia there is a rise in the temperature called by some observers neurotic pyrexia. The circulation in the morphia habitue is slow, as a rule, and the pulse is small and resistant.
