The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-04-24
HOW IT WORKS IN GEORGIA

The Macon Telegraph has always
been considered one of the most con-
sentative papers in the country;
therefore, its statements can be relied
upon. In a recent issue that news
paper published the following appall-
ing facts relative to conditions in
Georgia.
The report of the clinical director
of the state sanitarium regarding the
great increase in insanity in Georgia,
as a result of the use of drugs, COM
ing upon the heels of the reports o.
the state chemist and the state drug
inspector, brings to public attention
very serious situation in this state.
The reports are made independently
of each other. but they all indicate
the same condition.
In the report of DIR. Green, the elm
ical director at the state sanitarium,
it is shown that there has been a
steady increase in insanity from the
use of drugs during the past FIVE
years. During the same period of
time there was very slight increase
in the number of cases from alcohol
ism, but the increase was so slight
that it would be hard to say that it is
significant. The increase in the drug
cases, however, was great enough to
cause alarm. The increase was more
than 200 per cent. during the five
years, including 1913, while the first
two months of the present year show
jump to nearly 700 per cent. The
record for the year will hardly show
up so great, but there will undoubt-
edly be large increase over any for
mer year.
The record increase not only in
cludes cases of insanity proper, but a
similar increase is shown in what are
known as "habitual criminal class and
sexual perverts."
The growing increase of the drug
habit has been so pronounced that it
was recently made the subject of re-
ports by both the state chemist and
the state drug inspector. Both re-
ports are conservative and are made
merely to direct attention to the
growing evil. DR.. r. E. Stallings, the
state chemist, says: Among the
drugs analysed this year were num-
Der of samples of cocaine, which the
inspector found were being sold ille-
gally."
In his report the state drug inspect
or, DR.. T. A Cheatham, shows an an
alysis of fifteen samples, all sold by
drug concerns in Georgia, which were
sold in violation of the narcotic laws
of the state. Every sample found was
cocaine, and in every instance it was
in the hands of negroes. This is TAX
en- as an indication of the general and
deadly use of the drug among the ne
groes. 1t is urged that all the forces
of the law be combined to break up
the sale of the stuff illegally. 1t is IL
legal to sell cocaine in Georgia ex-
cept on the written prescription of
reputable physician, and emphasis is
placed on the reputable"
When the number of blind tigers
and illicit distillers in Georgia are
added to the drug law violations, and
all of these evils are put together, the
impression is created that the tabled
pandora box" has been opened in
this state. 1t is time, too, that more
attention were being paid to reform
ing men by creating in them a new
heart and right spirit, rather than
trying to save them by force. 1t is
time to bark back to the Lords pray
er, deliver us from evil" and not
depend entirely upon delivering evil
from us. In other words, we ought to
pay more attention to reforming men
by appealing to them than by trying
to reform them by forcing something
upon the mwithout their consent-ad.