The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-04
DRUG VICTIMS ARE
SEEKING ThEATiENI
"LAHBER-TOwNE. METHOD HEiNG
Used IN RICHMOND HOS
PITFALLS.
S u p PL Y EXHAUSTED
DRUG USERS NO LONGER ABLE 10
GET THEIR NARCOTICS
THROUGH ILLICIT
TRAFFIC..

A few confirmed users of drugs are
under treatment in Richmond hos
pitals already as the result OF the
new Federal law which went into ef-
feet Sunday at midnight, prohibiting
any person from selling or giving
away any narcotic without a special
permit Others who have been using
are now unable to obtain their custo-
mary supply, 1t Is said, will seek
treatment within the next few. days.
A well-known druggist yesterday
thought that the proba bilities were
that no less than one hundred drug
victims in Richmond will be taking
the drug cure by the end OF the
week. With the source of their sup
ply gone victims of the drug habit
Will be forced to seek cure.
There are at present about ten or
more drug feuds being confined in the
city Jail and several of these are In
the hospital ward. In several cases
where persons have been arrested for
petit larceny and other crimes 1t has
developed that they were inveterate
users of drugs.
Besides those among the under
world, several victims are seeking
treatment at many of the private in
stitutions Of the city Still others are
being treated in the city hospital. in
cases where the patients are unable
to pay for their cure.
New Law Is Drastic.
The new law makes 1t almost i'm
possible for users of drugs to obtain
their supply, which in the past was
easily got through illicit traffic. OPEN
ingly carried on despite the efforts Of
the police. Any physician. dentist.
veterinarian or druggist who sells
any narcotic named in the new Fed
eral law. without being registered in
the office OF the internal revenue coll
lector, 10 subject to fine and inn
prisonment. Violators of any of the
pf DIVISIONS OF the new drug act are
liable on conviction to fine of not
fore than $4,000 or may be i'm
pr!soned not more than five years. or
both.
Registration Requirement.
Those who register under the act
are required to pay license fee OF
81 cents to June /. after which they
will pay 81 per year. Doctors who
are permitted to register must buy
order blanks sold at the rate 81 per
hundred, one OF which must be filled
out each time a narcotic is sold. No
druggist Is permitted to sell any
narcotic unless the purchaser pre-
sents one OF these orders.
Drugs named in the act may be
issued by physicians in giving treat
ment without making an order, but
a complete record of the kind and
amount given in treatment must be
kept and the record preserved,
Not Permitted to Lay In Stock.
Persons addicted to the drug habit,
who thought they would be allowed
to purchase a supply before the law
went into effect. were dlsillusioned
when shown a provision in the new
law that any person having any OF
the drugs mentioned In his posses
sion who Is not registered. is liable
to the penalties under the act.
1t 1t said that the new Lambert
Towne" method of treatment. which
consists Of the injection OF bella
donna. xanthoylum and hyoscyamus,
is being used In Richmond to cure
drug users who have applied at the
local hospitals for treatment The
administration of the three drugs re-
suits In what Ia known as the mar
cotic sleep" from which It is said
the patient awakes with his desire
for the drug greatly diminished. and
In some instances entirely gone.