Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-29
SODA FOR MORPHINE.
Sheriff Smith OF Hartford Claims He
Can Cure "Dope" Victims.

Hartford, July 29.-When prison
er asks for morphine at the Hartford
jail he gets different kind from that
sold In drug stores. Sheriff Smith
has the morphine tablets made spe-
ciaily for Jail use and while the grain
or two grain morphine tablet may
look the same to the man or woman
who lis taking it, it contains lesser
quantity Of morphine and the short
age is made up of soda. The morphine
fiend, on receiving the number of
tablets which the Jail physician says
he should receive. takes them and
feels satisfied, not knowing that his
usual dose has been lessened by a
quantity OF soda. This treatment is
continued until an Improvement is
shown In the mans nerves and then,
while the same number of tablets is
continued, the amount OF morphine is
reduced and more soda is added, to
keep the tablets the regular size, the
patient all the time believing that he
is resolving the usual quantity. The
reduction in the quantity of morphine
with corresponding increase in the
amount of soda. Is the treatment for
several months, the decrease of NOR
phine being gradual SO that the ner-
vous system will not be upset, and
finally the victim is taking all soda
and is receiving the same effect.
The feeding Of all soda is con-
tinued for several weeks, IL the pris-
oner Is to remain at the Jail long
enough to take the whole course OF
treatment, but some time before he Ii
discharged the secret Ia made known
to him and he is told that there Ii no
reason why he should resume the ha-
bit. The soda treatment Is stopped
during his last weeks at the jail and
If he has no desire to resume the drug
habit he has opportunity to learn that
he can get along without it. Many
leave the Jail determined not to touch
the drug again, and some of them are
known to have kept their resolutions.
There are Others who leave the Jail
determined to resume its use,
Sheriff Smith yesterday cited the
case of one patient. When the man
was received at the jail he said he
had been user of morphine IN large
quantities for many years. He would
never have been in Jail but for its
use, he said. He was under sentence
for year and an effort was made to
cure him. The usual treatment was
given him and it finally got to the
point where he had been fed" on all
soda tablets for nine weeks. One day
he did not receive his allowance OF
soda tablets at the usual hour, and he
told the hospital steward that he was
being neglected. The hospital stew
ard told him that he hadn't had any
morphine in nine weeks and that dur
ing all that time he had been fed" on
soda tablets. The mans eyes opened
wide when the treatment he had re-
ceived was explained to him.
During the remainder of his stay at
the jail he had no soda tablets. He
left the Jail determined never to re-
sumo the habit. He has kept away
from crime and several times on meet
ing Sheriff Smith, has thanked him
for curing him. Sheriff Smith form
ed the acquaintance of a New York
man who visited the Jail several times
to see his son who was confined there.
The boy was a victim Of the morphine
habit The young man was sentenced
for more than year and he said that
it was his use of the drug that had
got him into trouble The boys faith
er told the sheriff that his sons use of
the drug had caused the family much
worry, and that the boy had got into
much trouble because of it.
Sheriff Smith told the father that
he would cure the boy. His cure was
effected during the time of his i'm
prisonment and Sheriff Smith occa-
sionally receives q letter from the
father, expressing his appreciation of
the cure of the boy. He has never
resumed the habit, the father says.