Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-05-17

In the office OF Judge Edward Swami of the
Court of General Sessions. early in January.
Among those present besides Mrs Vanderbilt
were Floyd H. Wilmot Assistant District At
torney in charge of criminal drug prosecu-
lions; the Rev. Father James Curry rector OF
st. Jamess Church; DR.. Katharine B. Davis.
Commissioner of Correction; H. c. Barber.
superintendent Of the Society for the Proven.
ton of Crime; DR.. Jackson R. Campbell prison
physician; Charles B. Towns, representative
of the Police Department and Ernest K Coul
ter, attorney for Mrs. Vanderbilt
The conference agreed upon the general lines
of a law and the necessity of its immediate pas
sage. Charles B. Towns. who had made an ex-
pert study of the drug evil, was requested to
draft law, which he did This law was ap-
proved of by the conference and introduced by
Senator Boylan. The drug lobby" backed
by liberal funds, made vigorous effort to de-
feat the law, but the campaign of publicity and
education carried on by the conference was too
strong to permit their wicked manceuvres to
succeed. More than 1900 kilograms were sent
to the Legislature urging its passage, and ma
terially aided In securing quick action.
1.-THE use and sale of the dangerous drugs
have been great factor in the filing I'D of
our prisons" said Attorney Coulter. "They
have constantly recruited the army Of the In.
sane In this State, and for years have been
mainly. For this reason alone and entirely
aside from the humanitarian good that the law
will accomplish, the bill is of great economic
value to the State The measure does not in
terfere with the cocaine law, which amply regu-
lates the use and sale Of that drug, making q
violation of the law felony, with a maximum
punishment Of Imprisonment for five years, or
a fine, or both fine and Imprisonment
THE present measure, together with the
cocaine law, now restricts and controls every
feature of the drug habit. Victims cannot be
supplied with drugs without leaving trace Of
the source from which they are obtained. There
are, for instance, about 100000 pounds of
opium received here for medical purposes, but
1t was found that less than 20 per cent. Of 1t
went into legitimate medical practice. That
will give some idea of the far-reaching effects
of the illegal use of the poison"
Under the new bill the license Of physician,
veterinarian, dentist or pharmacist may be re-
voked for violation of its provisions, and he Is
subject also to prosecution for misdemeanor,
punishable under the existing law by one year
in prison or fine of $500, or both.
Druggists, physicians, dentists and veterin-
arans must obtain blanks from the Department
of Health, bound in book form, in which to
keep duplicate records of the purchase and sale
of the drugs. with the name and address OF the
purchaser and that OF the person making the
sale, or the made of the drug by the practi-
TONER who must account for what he did with
the drugs bought, whether used in practice or
sold for elsewhere. Hypodermic syringes
and needles cannot be sold without the written
order of physician.
1t is provided that habitual user of the
drugs under the ban of this bill may be
mitted by a Magistrate to sanitarium, hos.
pital other institution for treatment. Should
the patient resent this confinement and course
of treatment by making trouble for the Off
of the hospital institution he may be
taken before a Magistrate and committed to
prison or workhouse for six months. Drug
gists must verify all prescriptions when they
call for more than certain amount OF the
drug, which may include calling physician
by telephone.
The conscientious and careful enforcement
of this law will, it is explained. make it i'm.
possible for the wretches who now peddle the
drugs to school children to obtain their sup
plies If any druggists or other licensed per-
sell the drugs to these peddlers they
make themselves liable to heavy fine or i'm.
prisonment. The publicspirited persons who
brought about the passage of the law will
watch vigilantly to see that its provisions are
enforced, and we may hope to see the end of
horrible evil that has wrecked the lives Of
many school children.