The Times of yesterday gives a very alarming account of
the spread of ether-drinking in the North-East of Ireland. We do not exactly see how it can profess to know the precise number of ether-drinkers in so many•counties, unless it finds its statistics in the Irish chemists' returns of the number of their ether-buying customers. But if it does, we should fear that, the number of ether-drinkers • being probably considerably larger than the number of ether-buyers, as there need not be more than one customer for each family, the returns are lower than the truth instead of above the trutl•. According to the statement, the ether-takers use methylated ether, which is so nasty that the drinkers have to hold the nose while they drink, lest they should be sickened by the smell. A tea-spoonful is the dose for the young, a dessert- spoonful the average dose, and a table-spoonful the dose for confirmed drinkers. In some districts,—for example, Cooks- town,—the ether-drinkers are said to be considerably over half the population; in others, a third, a quarter, a fifth, &c. The period of unconsciousness due to intoxication lasts about three- quarters of an hour, and is not followed by the bad headache that follows alcoholic intoxication ; yet it weakens the mind, and depresses the spirits after the temporary excitement of the draught is over. It seems that ether-drinking 'began almost immediately after Father Mathew's agitation, as a consequence. of the craving for the displaced alcohol. The result of casting out one devil is not unfrequently, it seems, a subsequent posses- sion by seven devils of still more malignant nature. The only remedy suggested is, that all methylated ether should be also alloyed with naphtha, which would then be impossible as a beverage, as sickness would inevitably ensue, as well as a bad headache.
Previous page
