The sun., 1916-10-26
DRUG ADDICT BECS
FOR BROADER LAWS
Tells Medical Editors COnven-
ton He Has Been Enslaved
Thirty-five Years.
JUDGE DESCRIBES EVIL.
Narcotic Discussion Leads to
Conclusion National Leg
islatiOn Is Needed.

4 tall. thin. restless man Of 80 arose
ton at the forty-seventh annual meeting
Of the American Medical Editors As
ISOLATION at the Hotel McAlpin yester-
day, announced that ne had been a NOR
phine nend for thirty-nve years and
pleaded for broad. rational laws that
will enable a victim to get his particular
drug when he requires II most. He de-
scribed himself as Dr. Frank $. Abbott.
formerly Of Brooklyn and later Of Cali
fornis, M said he had practised medi-
cine for ffty-nve years. but now Is re-
tired.
~ stand here for the million Ameri-
cans who are in favor OF reasonable
lawv.' he said. II have been IN addict
for thirty-ive years. I'm q morphine
iend. but In all these years I have never
done a single thing Of which I am
allow q man to be called = morphine
fiend. Do you allow o brother to be
called a whiskey fiend?
II am talking from the bottom OF my
soul. Forty ear z l was suffering
from facial neuralgia and tool my Hrst
dose OF morphine. I have been to thir-
teen institutions and have been treated
by many physicians, but they could DO
nothing for me. II Ii notifying TO
stand up In public and confess that I
am n morphine nend. but I do II for the
millions who want broader laws. !
want legislation that will not make Il
impossible for . man 70 get morphine
when It Is absolutely needed to save his
hfs.'
Sees Mach IN Court Room.
Judge c. N. Collins Of Special See.
sions said that one gets a better object
lesson Of the evils Of the narcotic habit
In . room than anywhere else In
the United States.
The Harrison Federal Law and the
State law are pretty good" he said.
They trace the distribution OF drugs.
Notwithstanding all that these laws are
doing the laws sre being beaten now.
Rats are distributing the drug to the
underworld. Men are coming from In
| stitutions. The rats get hold of these
men. VINO might be rebuilt They take
the drug and are ready then for crime.
III you could see the stream Of de-
stroysd humanity that We see you would
understand why VI are so worked up.
| whether the medical profession likes l,
or not. the right kind Of laws are goins
TO come. The right Of the state to pro-
tect society and future generations mus,
be paramount. think we are coming
TO q point Of view that national legisla-
ton 10 the way to strike at the root OF
thk evil. legislation that will control the
manufacture and distribution Of NOR.
phins, heroin and other narcotics.
Medical men should hnd some way
SO an addict may he treated without
the humiliation OF q court commitment
| The reduction method should be prac'
tised. Don't get the idea that the Law
restraints the medical man In his treat.
msnt. Lots Of doctors have been prac'
tisinG their profession to supply drugs
TO the addict"
Says 100000 Use Drugs.
b. c. Keith. chief Of the miscellaneou
| division Of the Internal Revenue Bureau
Of Washington. explained that his bu'
real merely enforces. the national anti
narcotic act to shut of supplies anc
asked for the cooperation OF all pbysi
clans. He said Il IL reported there are
1000 900 drug habitues In the United
States.
Dr. John D.. DAWN. representing th'
Federation OF Medical Economi,
Leagues. wanted to know why the IN
ternal revenue department which col
lects beer and whiskey taxes didn't re
medical advice before the Harrison ac
was passed. He said he went to Al
bany last spring to defend the homo An,
dignity OF the medical profession am
made . hght against amendments t'
the Doylan law. which were defeated
The present laws were passed with
II regard to the exigencies Of medicine
as practised for centuries he said
."rbe drug Svtl has been grossly exag