The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-19

Awake, thou that sleepest"'
Why have We as American citizens
been so blind. so dull?
Where has been our boosted alertness:
Why all of these years have We allowed
men, women and young girls to rely upon
habit-forming drugs for relief from pain
Why are We blind today to other things
which We allow manufactured and sold
which do not promote physical eff
cheney?
The first forty-eight hours after the
law prohibiting the sale of these drugs
went into effect, one hundred victims
were admitted to the Chicago Bridewell.
voluntary prisoners asking for relief
from the agony caused by being deprived
Of morphine, heroin. or some other drug
the sale of which was SO suddenly pro-
hibited. The weeks following the pas
sage of this law saw all the hospitals
working overtime. opening new school
buildings. hospital wards, and every
available place for the care of victims
of drugs: in fact. all institutions in which
there was available space and adequate
medical supervision promptly cooper
ated. A conservative estimate made at
that time was to the effect that in Chi
cago alone were 10000 drug users. Many
of these were young girls.
1t is generally admitted that a habitual
drug user needs both medical and insti-
tutional help for cure or even relief.
Sudden shutting off OF the drug is fol-
lowed not only. by intense suffering. but
a physical and mental lowering that may
mean death or insanity.
That this Federal law was necessary
no one can question. The pity Is that
the suffering fell alone on the victims of
h. hal Of Snriety that
permitted and practically encouraged the
unlicensed sales of these drugs.
One delicate blonde girl in her early
twentics admitted to the psychopathic
hospital told how she started the habit
by taking heroin from drug clerk for
headache. Another, a dressmaker. told
of taking sleeping powders for years and
when they no longer brought aid doc
tor prescribed something stronger" She
had been using this something strong
err for fve years until. when the drug
gist suddenly refused to fill the prescrip-
ton again, she learned she was taking
one of the forbidden drugs and was
victim to it.
Who shall say when drugs are harm
less? Doctors disagree. Fifteen. twenty
years ago many pain-relieving remedies
were given that are generally frowned on
by the medical fraternity today. The eff
feet of a drug on the human system Is so
uncertain that it should never be taken
except under the directions of repu-
table physician and should not be con-
tinued after his treatment ceases
There is no such thing az drug that
cures pain: it only dulls pain and pre-
vents discovery of the cause OF It, The
continued use OF a mild pain-concealer
is often. in fact generally, followed by
the desire of a stronger one-and the
dangerous drug habit is formed without
the victim being aware of 1t.
Few people have known that heroin-
so often given for pain and sleeplessness
and coughs-is a dangerous preparation
Of morphine. Heron has fastened the
morphine habit on thousands. The law
has interviewed to stop its sale, but too
late for many thousands.
Some years ago a Federal law pro-
vided that the percentage of alcohol con-
tanned In patent medicines should be
plainly printed on the label. This led to
the discovery that thousands Of people
were dosing themselves innocently with
''bitters'' and ''tonics." were. in fact. TAX
ing medicines almost as strong in alco-
hol as gin and whisky.
Why not look facts squarely in the
face? Why not forbid. by Federal law,
the sales not only of habit-forming drugs.
but Of anything detrimental to health OF
mind or body as alcohol. narcotics. heart
stimulants. like caffeine. etc? In fact.