The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-19

iue preso naS Deen ueluRoo recently
with more or less sensational accounts
Of the trials and fluctuations Of drug
victims and the inadequate provision
for their treatment In our public in.
stitutions. Since the majority Of these
addicts are supplied from the ranks Of
the neither world. among them not a
few convicted criminals. their state
ments must be taken with a grain Of
salt.
Among those who praiseworthily
sympnthize with these unfortunates
hyperbolial statements are not Infre-
Quent for example. "No tongue can
express the awful torture they suffer.
A large percentage die from n too
rapid or sudden withdrawal Of the
drug. I will cite but one Ease mon
the hundreds" The torture" and
fatality here implied are not justified
by hospital records nor by the obser.
vations Of reliable physicians. This
"philanthropist" asserts that "when a
treatment has been discovered that
would cure without sending the vic.
tim through the agonies Of hell and
through the shadow of the grave. they
will come forth In droves great enough
10 jam the largest public and private
dividual is not to he relied upon In
matters medical Is evident from the
fact that he speaks Of Gil Bias us
lone Of the leading physicians Of his
day and age. who first bled the
patient. then insisted upon the hot
water diet" Those who are familiar
with literature know that Gil Bias
was u fictitious cha ractcr. delineated
as an adventuer in LIZ SAGE's great
novel Of that name.
The city provides for the treatment
Of these cases In It's various hospitals.
That there Is a thorough understand
ing of the subject by the city's 81.
ficials has been brought tut In THE
SuS ny the statements of Chief Magis-
trnte WILLIAM Mc.ADoo and Dr. GREG-
DRY. In charge Of the psychopathic
ward of Bellevue Hospital. The for
mer recommends that there should
he one institution. properly equipped.
and that he is In favor of the War.
| wick Farm. where eight hundred and
| ten acres Of land. beyond the metro
/ politan atmosphere, would afford op-
p~ortunity for rebuilding the broken
constitutions of these addicts and
preparing them for their work.
Or. GREGORY also very properly
holds the opinion that a separate In
stitution for the treatment Of drug
addicts Is absolutely necessary and
would pay the community good inter-
! cst on It's investment he also favOrs
the Warwick Farm. where the addict
could regain strength. after treat.
ment. from outdoor exercise. far re-
moved from any environment which
caused the condition.
II l. fortunate that these we'll In.
formed city officials confirm the value
Of the Warwick Farm idea. which
has been under consideration for
some time by II committee appointed
ny the National Committee on Prisons
and Prison Labor, which met at the
house of II public spirited woman who
through her generosity initiated this
movement several weeks ngo
The fact that ey-Surgeon-General
STOKES Is the city official In charge OF
the Warwick Farm. and that he will
he assisted ny another former United
States naval surgeon. would insure
success Of this movement. which
promises to become the pattern for
other States.
That the drug addict must not only
be relieved of his habit but must he
placed under favorable environment
and II necessary furnished with en-
ployment that would improve his
mental and moral condition. all those
who are informed upon the subject
agree. When these unfortunates ara
discharged from our public city insti.
tutions free from the drug habit they
are but too apt to return to their
former environment and lapse into
the habit which 1t has cost the city
SO dearly to eliminate.
Dr. GREGoRY's view that tho city
could we'll afford u large investment
In the Warwick Farm to relieve II Of
the enormous expense now almost
uselessly involved In the treatment of
drug addicts In our hospitals Is un.
douhtedly correct.