The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-05-12
GEORGIA DOCTOR DECLARES
WHISKY DRINKING
HELPS VICTIMS
hS ks F D R Al D.
Savannah and Augusta, "Wide
Open" Towns, Send Only
One Patient To Public Sani-
tarium-Narcotic H alb I
FIourishes in "Dry" Atlanta

That whisky drinking retardS tie
drug habit and that the use OF mar
cotics f1ourishes in dry" communities
is the statement of Dr. H. r. Harris,
Secretary of the Georgia State Board
of Health, who declares the Harrison
drug act a failure and who sees as a
result of GeOrgia's new and more
stringent prohibition act a large in
crease in the number of drug addicts.
Here is an account of his findings as
reported in the Atlanta (Ga.) Ameri-
can:
That whisky drinking tends to retard
the increase of drug addicts, who are
rarely, if ever, normal human beings
that $4,000 would be necessary for
the State Board of Health to cope sue
cessfully with the drug habitues now
requiring treatment in Georgia, and
that after the new prohibition law goes
into effect May / the state probably
will need 100000 to provide for neces,
saryseare of inebriates and others who
will suffer. are three essential points
in the belief of DR. H F. Harris, see
retary of the State Board of Health
expressed Saturday.
Drug-Habt Is Disease.
1--WE have found that there are com.
paratiyely few addicts in sections
where liquor has been sold or is con.
sumed in quantities. Savannah and
Augusta, both wide-open cities, have
furnished us but one application be-
tween them, while we have had "a
from Atlanta. Where mountain dew
is popular, in North Georgia, the drug
habit is at minimum, but it -four
ishes in South and Central Georgia
Drug taking is a disease, and normal
beings are not affected by it. Only q
few normal humans ever become ad
diets, and l have knovn of such per
sons to take morphine for years and
never crave another dose after the
cessation of pain.
Mr. Blalock seems 90 think that
all you have to do 10 to deprive the
habitue of his drug and the cure is a
natural sequence. Far from it. Only
months of fresh air, physical labor
good food and considerate treatment
under the most favorable conditions
can effect a permanent cure. The
city physicians state that they have
made little headway, If any, in break
ing up the habit among drug users
'If the Government has been unable
to break up moonshining in many
years, it can not expect a remarkable
and sudden activity, after months ot
comparative quiet, to drive us to SUI
perhuman exertions in controlling a
situation that We deem is beyond con
troi.
Harrison Law Failure.
"The Harrison act may do much for
future generations, but it will not be
of much help in curbing the present
drug addicts of Georgia, Mr.. Blalock
TO the contrary, Notwithstanding.
1--WE shall, think, need a farm fol
drunkards after May /, if the law is
rigidly enforced. Other states have
realized that intoxication is a disease
and have proceeded to treat it along
that line.
There are many drug addicts in
Georgia now. many of whom are able
to pay for their care and treatment
also to get their full supply of the
/ drug they crave. We have only a
few thousand dollars to care for the
hundreds of INDECENT, pauper habitues
The situation will be further compli
Gated when thousands are deprived ol
their usual allowances OF whisky"