The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-22
SEES NARCOTIC EVIL
WIPED OUT BY FALL
Commissioner Copeland Conf
dent Even Though Hylan
Refuses to Help.
HE ADDRESSES DOCTORS
Says Dosage Must Be Pre-
scribed if City Refuses to
Establish Hospital.

"1 may not be in ONCE twenty-four
hours more; but whether it Is twenty
four hours or six months I expect to see
= drug addiction in this city ended before
the first frost"
Thus hopefully Health Commissioner
Copeland addressed a meeting OF forty
doctors In the Broadway Central Hotel
yesterday. The physicians were menu
bers of the Medical Association for the
study OF Drug Addiction.
DR.. Copeland made It plain that the
Hylan administration was not cooperat-
Ing with him ia his hght against tina
drug traffic to the extent he would care
to have il. He declared to reporters,
however, that much as he was In
clined to insist that the Mayor accept his
resignation, he was loath to quit once
VIXEN his department had just launched
into the crusade against the dope habit,
IF the city will not give us a hospital
for the treatment of addicts," he told
the physicians. you doctors will have TO
seek the citys permission to continue
prescribing the minimum dosage, even
after your addict has finished the taper
ing off course permitted by law. have
consulted Federal authorities upon this
subject ard THIS Is their opinion"
May EstabIish u Hospital.
One of the physicians attending the
meeting interrupted the Commissioner.
"A number OF my patients" the ply
eician announced, have sought cure and
when they apply at hospitals the author
tiles there tell them that they must be
committed by Magistrate"
at Is just because OF that" Commits
sioner Copeland replied. that l wanted
the hospital buildings offered the city by
the Rockefeller Foundation That's why
was so anxious to establish drug ad-
diets hospital on Warwick Farm.
Il am causing a survey OF Health De
partment property to he made. Maybe
shall find some place to establish hos
pitAl To-day l called up the Metropol-
itan City Hospital and asked for 800
beds for addicts who need immediate
hospital attention. I was told that
could have three beds. no more. | called
up Bellevue. They could offer twenty
six beds. That's the situation.
Charities Commissioner Coler says
that the treatment of these addicts Is
not within the Jurisdiction of the Health
Department. Very we'll! The Charities
Department can have them. But I'll
die in my tracks rather than permi,
these unfortunates to be taken in charge
by the Commissioner OF Corrections and
thus see them classified as criminals
They are sick people and must be treated
as such.
Before l decided to take UP the study
OF the drug addict" DR.. Copeland re-
sumed, my ignorance of the subject was
as profound as Mr.. Coler's, and God
knows that is dense. The Warwick Farm
hospital was TO have been a convalescent
retreat as well as hospital.
MT
Naturally there are persona who op
pose the Health Departments pro
Eramme concerning the treatment o
drugN addicts. Some people have gon,
so far as to say that ! have financia
interest in some patented drug cure. HI
who says that lies. 1 shall drag tn
next man who says that into court ant
make him prove It II he can"
Previous to addressing the doctors, TIL
Commissioner said:
ct have given considerable thought 4
Commissioner Colers and the Comp
troiler's question Of my legal authority
Meantime my department is going o.
caring for the addcts. If the Corpora
ton COUNSEL decides that l am exceeding
my legal boundaries the whole problem
will be subject to review
About $500 drug addicts have regis
tered in the Prince street Office OF tn
state Bureau of Narcotic Drug Control
Only 100 registered yesterday. The us
ual lineup Of addicts in front Of tn
Worth street dispensary applied despit
NE rain. Police have been detailed Z
keep the crowds OF inquisitive away from
tho addicta