Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-05
VIEWS Of THE CORONER
Stringent Law Regulating Sale
of Cocaine.
MANY DISTRESSING CASES
Superintendent of Police is Doing
What He Can
TO BETTER THE SITUATION
Habit Developed to Alarming Extent
Has Produced Some Pitiable
Examples of Wretchedness.
TO BETTER THE SITUATION

Examples of Wretchedness
DR.. ]. Ramsey hewitt. the District cor
oner. believes a strinent law regulating the
sale of cocaine and other so-called dope
should be enacted at the present session of
Congress. During the time he has been cor
oner he has had to look after the bodies of
number of victims of the dope" habit
and has found many distressing cases. 1t
was not until few days ago. however that
he realized more fully than ever that some
thing must be done. The doctor was seated
in his office when friend, the mother of
a family of grown children. called upon him
and related the story of her suffering the
result, she stated, of people In the drug
business being willing to sell her son CO.
caine In order to increase their profits
This is only one of many envelopes that
| nave taken from his pockets" she said.
exhibiting to the coroner a small epvelona
marked Cocaine"
The woman stated that all her son had
to do was to go In the store without
prescription or even note from a physician
ana put down nickel She had talked TO
her boy about the bad effects of the use of
cocaine. but the drug had so strong hold
upon him that he said he could not desist
from using it. His mother thought the core
sac of the life-destroying article and there
by saving life instead of waiting until the
lie has been taken and then have to pass
upon the cause of death
1T would be so much better" she told
the coroner, 'if you had the authority of
law to do that which would save life in
stead OF having to wait until the life is
sacrificed and then being called upon to
loo upon the emaciated form of the vic
tim and say he is only one more monument
to the sale of the stuff
In Accord With Views.
Coroner hewitt made 1t known to the
mother of the victim of the dope" that
he was heartily in accord with her views
upon the question of cocaine and opiates
of every kind, and was only sorry he was
not IN position to assist her.
But the coroner said to Star reporter
that Is only one of many of such out
rageous cases that have come to my notice
and 1t is too bad that something cannot be
done for these miserable creatures There
Is only one end to those who use It. and
the victims OF the dope all seem to realize.
only too well, the nature of the ending but
the habit has such a hold upon them that
they are unable to stop IT.
Inc coroner thinks a stringent law
should be placed upon the statute books
which would restrict the sale of such ar
ticles. 1t is his idea that they should be
sold only upon prescriptions from reputable
physicians and then not to persons who
are known to use them improperly. During
recent years the coroner has had to give
certificates of death In cases in which the
bodies were those of persons who had prac-
ucally killed themselves by continuing the
use of drugs for too long period. Under
the law the coroner has no authority to
prevent the sales of any of the numerous
drugs that are said to be used by men and
women to such an alarming extent
There is law upon the statute books
that is intended to regulate the sale of
narcotics of the kinds that are 30 gen
arD lu hrtf fha fny n fra1,.
restrictions upon such sales. Major Syl-
vester has given the matter considerable
thought, and Is doing what he can to
bring about the passage of law which, IL
properly enforced. will, it is believed. bring
about the reclamation Of many young per-
sons
To an Alarming Extent.
In his last annual report to the District
Commissioners the superintendent of police
said:
Some years ago the cocaine habit de-
veloped to an alarming extent throughout
the southern cities. the use of the drug
being chiefly confined to the less intelligent
the practice has grown to be an extensive
one in this section being INDUCED in how
ever. almost exclusively by the lower ell
ement of humanity. Parties have been ap-
pretended peddling the drug from door to
door among the ignorant disposing of
small packages at nominal prices. The
habit has produced some pitiable exam
pies of Indebtedness. Some most worthy
and capable people have wrecked their
own lives and made those of others miser-
able. In past recommendations your
perintendent took the initiative against
pharmacists selling drugs without limit
and II is again urged that the measure pro-
vlding for the practice of pharmacy and
sale Of poisons which was introduced in
Congress two years ago become a law
1T provides restrictions In the sale of the
numerous poisons that are being used with
lamentable effect as narcotics, and pro-
hibits the promiseuous sale of medicine by
itnerant vendors. who unquestionabiy have
contributed to many of the sad cases
brought to the attention of the police. No
petty detail which might not meet the APP
prevail of one or two Interested persons
should be allowed to interfere with the
prompt and favorable disposition OF this
important matter.
who has been engaged in the enforcement
of the existing dental and pharmacy laws
has accomplished 81 great deal of good.
pecially in securing compliance with the
duly authorized practitioners OF medicine
and dentistry, and has also done creditable
work In keeping down the display and sale
of objectionable literature"
Manner of Shutting Coke"
The police of several of the precincts are
more familiar than most other persons with
the manner In which hundreds of persons
SfluH COKE, as tney cdit II, OF inject 1t
In their legs or arms by means OF needles.
In some sections the habit Is confined al
most wholly to white persons. while in
other sections colored people are the
slaves OF the habit
IN some drug stores" a policeman said
to Star reporter, cocaine is kept put
up in Scent packages. and the buyers do
not even have to ask for the drug. They
are so we'll known that all they have to
do Is to put down their nickel and say
five This is all that is necessary to
make the clerks understand that they want
that which win affect what brains they
have left or send them to an asylum or
grave"
1t is stated by the police that many of
the lower classes have developed the drug
habit and given up the use OF alcoholic
stimulants. Those who have had the ex-
perlence the police say. realize what the
change means but after using the drug a
short time they find 1t almost impossible
10 hreak Themselves OF the habit.