The Washington times., 1915-04-10

habit has not produced anything like
the ruinous effects that follow it in
other countries. Scientists who have
studied this condition report that the
use of these leaves by the native In
dians In the high altitude regions OF
South America gives them a physca!
stamina and capacity to resist hunger,
deprivation. the effect Of rarefied at
ton. that seems to be the chief re-
suit of the habit. On the other hand,
when used in countries of low alti-
tude and different climate this drug be-
comes one OF the most runous.
Revelations Horrify Public.
1t is now being realized that the law
deals with situation of the gravcst
character in this country. There has
been from some quarters protest that
the enactment has added to the difh-
Guilty of getting and using these drugs
IN cases where the use is perfectly ieSl-
innate and proper; and from these
sources have come some rigorous de-
nunciation of II. But the general scnti-
ment OF a public Mortified by reVcla-
lions about the drug habit has been 70
increase the insistence that the law, II
amended must be changed In direc-
tions that will give II greater effective
ness. Notifications of the administra-
tive process will come about gradually;
but at present the desire IL to make
the measure absolutely effective for the
destruction of the drug habit by MAX
ing the acquisition of drugs by hends
absolutely impossible
Big Problem In London.
Widespread use OF drugs. especially
opium, In Mohammedan countries Is at
tributed, in its origin. to the fact that
the Koran prohibits the use of alCol u
The POPPY. from which opium and NOR
phinc are extracted. was first used by
the Mohammedans of Western Asia.
They carried it some four centuries ago
to India; and much later, II was intro
duCed as a great commercial business
into China. where tho British Govern.
ment committed one of tho worst
oifenscS against humanity that may he
charged againSI any government, by
backing up the opium trade and COM
pclliny China to keep its markets open
To tho drug. in order to provide sal"
for the product of tho Indian poppy
fields. But today tho western conn
tries. liuropo and America alike, con-
front tnc druE-Using evil in most aggra-
waited form among their own eJple
and tho problem "f dealing with II in
London CommHu'is FAR more attention
now than eve" do that of forcing
Indian opium uupG he chinese market.
Twenty to thirty years ago China g
annual US" Of opium was calculated OF
rs high AS Sl".t0ODo. More recently the
Chinese awakening has caused Il de-
lP1nllnPu PHOTl Ol Ilp butnbTlliCS 10
eradicate the evil. and they have mad2
important progress.
Treatment of "Fiends."
The coca leaf Is to tho western world.
in n general way what the poppy leaf
has hocn for centuries to the eastern
One of the problems which the IIarri-
son law has forced upon public notice
Is that of caring for and treating the
unfOrtInateS whose condition cannot br
disguised after their drugs arc taken
from them. Lately. bogus cures" hav"
been offered AM widely sold, which in
fact are not cures at all but. according
to Dr. Rhccs. merely preparations con-
tanning enough Oh the drugs to give 4
measure of satisfaction to the user.
This sort of "cure" recalls the method
by which use Of cocaine was originally
encouraged and widely extended. l.ittl"
bottles of an alleged catarrh cure wer"
left on doorsteps, with Instructors to
sniff the contents when the Catarrh was
troublesome. The basis of the "Curc'
was cocaine and it promptly fixed tho
habit That sort Of thing is now being
stopped very fast.