The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-14
TRIES NEW PLAN To
CURE DOPE F|ENDS
Ten Victims Taken to City
Jail Yesterday
SIGHT WAS PATHETIC
Experiment Is Made by Removing
Them to Place Where They Can
not Procure the Deadly
Drug so Easily
SIGHT WAS PATHETIC

pitiable sight was presented at the
city jail yesterday when eight white
men and two white women were load
ed in the city patrol car and carried
to the hospital of the new city jail.
They were all confirmed dope" fiends,
principally victims to the cocaine habit
The spectacle was truly deplorable;
the wan faces and emaciated bodies of
the victims plainly showed the havoc
the deadly drug had made and the
look of despair in their unnaturally
bright eyes betokened the despair
deep down in their souls.
They were rounded up" by DR..
Charles Whelan, the city physician,
who knows practically every user of
dope" in the city, and who has been
trying to reclaim them by outside
treatment. His efforts were unavail-
ing. however, owing to the fact that
the users of the drug could buy CO.
caine at any time Yesterday Dr.
Whelan decided to try another method.
He had a number of the "dopes" arr
rested and carried them before Judge
Douglas of the recorders court.
Previous to appearing before the
Judge the doctor had a talk with them
and everyone expressed the wish that
they could be broken from the use of
the drug. He submitted a proposition
to them which they all gladly accepted
which was to agree to fine of $50
and a sentence of $50 days with the
nding they were not to APP
peal the cases. They were to be taken
to the hospital of the new city jail and
there to undergo treatment and in the
event any of them was broken of the
drug habit DR.. Whelan agreed to rec
ommend their release. To these terms
the unfortunates assented and yester-
dergo treatment of drug elimination
under the direction of DR.. Whelan.
DR. whelan stated that it was ut
terly impossible to reclaim any of these
unfortunates so long as they can pur-
chase the death dealing drugs, and to
that end has started a relentless war
on the illegal selling of cocaine and
gists have already been arrested for
the Illegal selling of cocaine and other
arrests are expected to follow
Among the white men taken to the
Jail hospital yesterday were several
young men connected with some well
known families. some of them recent
victims to the drug. Others have been
using 1t for years. A remarkable fea-
ture is the confidence they have in DR..
Whelan and instead of regarding him
as their prosecutor, look upon him as
their friend. The doctor tries to re-
claim them by kind treatment and in
variably gains their confidence
One of the young men of good ad-
dress and appearance was asked by a
reporter how long had he been a VIC
tim of the drug.
About a year"
IT suppose you would like to be
cured of the habit?"
God knows that I would"
Can you buy cocaine in the city?'
Yes. but 1t is getting harder to buy
since Doc has been after the dope
sellers"
you know then, where 1t can be
bought?"
Yes. but I would die before would
give 1t away"
yet. If you could not buy the drug.
1t would hasten your cure. would 1t
not?"
Yves, sir; but you have never been
In torments of hell; you don't under
stand"
And the young man turned away.
ending the interview.
Chief Bodeker has detailed special
officers TO aid DIR. Whelan to rid the
town of the dope sellers and several
arrests are expected to be made.
The city physician says the hardest
IN In
vention of the sale of cocaine is the
"bootlegger" usually a "dopist' him
SELF who supplies the dope to the users
of the drug