The sun., 1916-09-07
THE SUPPRESSION OF THE
COCAINE EVIL IN FRANCE
AND ENGLAND.

The greatest interest is now natu-
rally felt | n everything relating to the
war; and the articles on the sale Of
cocaine and other drugs to soldiers
which have been appearing in cur
ent numbers Of French and British
journals are likely to receive more at
tention than would be given TO then in
peaceful times. Attention they certain
ly deserve from the facts thai are mar
rated in them, although they do not
by any means describe the extent Of the
traffic. The French Government has
already set a salutary example. having
Just passed through both chambers an
act Of the most drastic and searching
character against the sale OF cocaine
and morphine. The new regulations OF
the British Government were pub
lished in the London Gdsettc of July
2s. In the press reports Of the Farlia-
mentary debate which led to these reg
ulations the iniquities of the drug
traffic have been dragged TO light with
British bluntness. Tampering with
drugs is now forbidden. and IL the
regulations are enforced a danger to
the efficiency Of the soldier will be
removed.
The new regulations for the dis
tribution and use of cocaine n opium
are formulated In "A Royal Proclama-
tion and Order in Council. II Is stated
by the Pharmaceutical Journal OF
August 8 that they are alike compre-
hensive and stringent and should go
far to prevent the pernicious drug TAX
ing vices against which they are
directed. The procedure for the sup
ply and dealing in cocaine and opium
is prescribed in "A series OF clauses.
According to the first of these rules
1t Is required that cocaine must be
supplied on and in accordance with a
written prescription Of a duly qualified
medical practitioner and dispensed by
n person duly authorized to dispense
such prescriptions. while another
clause provides that the medical man
must date the prescription and sign
it with his full name, address and
qualifications. Moreover. he must
mark II with the words mot TO he
repeated" and specify the total guam
tity OF cocaine TO be supplied in the
prescription. An exception is a in
the case Of proprietary medicines.
where II sufices to state the amount Of
the medicine to he used. This excep-
ton seems to indicate that the Ques-
ton has two sides. which probably the
Government would be glad to dis
tingu.sh II IL could. In general the
propriety Of selling without r%estric-
tions medicines which contain cocaine
is decidedly questionable. Fo il must
be remembered that such medicines
may De sold'to the public by any quail
fled pharmacist and hat the people
who buy them are more or less accus-
toned to the drug from their use. and
since even the moderate use OF Opcaine
is not designed for specially weak vcs-
sells. the distribution of proprietary
medicines OF this sort produces "A
marked increase in the habit.
This exception and the fact that un-
qualified dentists are not included in
the restrictions Of the act are likely
To diminish its force. Another OBJ
stacle to its success is the scarcity
Of novocaine. q comparatively safe and
harmless substitute for cocaine. The
supply Of n~ovoca!ne has virtually been
commaNdeered by h army authori-
ties. Ii is generally admitted h a the
public and especially the dentists have
a legitimate use for cocaine, and that
relief ought to be extended 10 a man
with ,oothache. for example. This is
\ consideration OF which n man is
competent TO appreciate the force.