Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-10
MANY dope" PATIENTS
! RECEIVED At HOSPITAL
DR.. j. S. De Jarnette Tells How
Habitues Are Being Cured Of
Deadly Habit.
SOME COME VOLUNTARILY
superintendent OF Western State
Hospital Brings Out Interesting
Facts in Connection With Harrison
Antinarcotic Law.
Especial to The rimes-Dispatch.,

III
STAUNToN. VA, May 9.--p..' J. S. Do
Jarnette. superintendent Of the West
ern State Hospital has given out a
statement with reference to the Harri-
| son antinarcotic law, and the treatment
OF drug users at the hospital over
which he presides. lie brings out some
interesting facts that have not before
been published. One is that Virginia
already has a rigid law on this sub
lect. and that as a consequence, no new
drug users have been made within the
past five years; all users of drugs, ac-
cordinG to his statement, having ac-
auired the habit by having the drug
prescribed for them by physician.
His statement follows:
we have received into this hospital
about fifty such patients, many OF them
coming FOR treatment voluntarily and
alone, without commission Of lunacy
being held on them, as our special board
authorized mo to take them at SIS per
month. paid In advance. This is prac-
| tically cost. and is done only for the
sake of humanity.
1T is interesting to note that the
duration OF the habit has been from
Ave to forty-tive years. Only one pa
tfent has been habitual as short a
time as five years: the average is an
rroNimately twenty years. This shows
that for the last few years our doctors
have not been making habitues as was
done years ago, for most OF the admis-
sions declare they we're started on the
drug by their doctors, and some say
they had been taking it for months he
fore they knew what 1t was. A motht ="
daughter and niece, were brought here
from neiEhborhood town all at tho
same time. and the daughter eighteen
years old and niece twenty three years
old. had been taking laudanum ever
ha
Of the kind 7 have ever treated.)
Almost invariably our patients tell
lis after four days treatment they
would not take the drug IL they had It,
though at first they imagine they will
die when the drug is withdrawn Their
appetite becomes enormous, and they
gain flesh rapidly, and the death like
pallor changes to a normal healthy
color. They begin to sneeze, for an
opium hahitue never sneezes while taxi
ing the drug.
Many Of these persons tell me they
nave been spending IS and $40 a month
for the drug, and as they are usually
cured and go home in one month. il is
splendid investment, for it saves them
money and gives them back their
health.
81 would estimate there are at least
zoo habitues in Augusta County and
stanton. and at So each per month,
"ouiu make $1,000 per month, or
$4,000 per year for opium. lauda mum
and morphine. \ good many of my
patients have spent $4,000 for the drug.
and have been helpless to help them
selves In regard 20 breaking the habit
Opium is indeed a hard master: it's re-
cruitS heretofore have been many and
its deserters are few. The pleasure Of
taking the drug soon passes away, and
the poor doper takes his dope more to
keep from suffering than for pleasure.
They all can be cured, and cured in
month or less time.
Under the great Harrison drug law
it ought TO he hard to get the drug to
continue the habit when they return
home.
For some years it has been against
the law of Virginia for doctor to
prescribe morphine for a morphine
habltue to continue the habit. and no
druggist could legally sell IL without
an original written prescription for
each purchase: that is, no PRESCRIPTION
for morphine can he filled hut once in
Virginia within the law. The doctor
In Virginia who knowingly prcscribes
for a morphine habituc with the idea
of continuing the hsbit is liable to a
heavy fine. This is not generally
known. and I hope this fac, will be
copied extensively in the State papers
u. S. DE JARNETTE
Superintendent Western State
Hospital stanton. Va