New-York tribune., 1919-07-18
200 Narcotic Users Stam-
pede City Clinic; Many
Women Hysterical as
Doors Close on Throng
5000 Registered Here
Druggists, Also Frightened
by the Recent Arrests,
Won't Fill Prescriptions

The registration system for drug ad-
diets, which went into effect yesterday,
had unlocked for results last night.
Frightened by recent arrests, doctors
and druggists refused to make out or
fill prescriptions when the addicts pre-
sented their registration and dosage
cards, showing that they had complied
with the law by registering at 1928
Prince Street. Before long there was
almost a stampede in the Worth Street
clinic.
Women went home vowing that they
would be out of their minds by morn
ing, and that they could not live for
twenty-four hours without narcotics.
Frenzy and hysteria developed among
the feminine addicts. Seven hundred
men and women swarmed down to the
clinic, operated by the Board of Health.
Many had to be turned away.
The trouble appeared to be that both
doctors and druggists were in doubt as
to where their duty lay. The manager
of Liggett's string of drug stores de-
elared they had not yet decided on any
definite policy and that it had been left
to the individual store managers to use
judgment in filling prescriptions for
drug addicts.
Copeland Issues Call
Health Commissioner Copeland de-
elared last night that physicians and
druggists should make out and fill pre-
can produce his registration and dosage
card. 1t was their duty to the public
to- prescribe for these addicts, so long
as it was done within the law. Further
more, those suffering from incurable
and chronic diseases should be pre-
scribed for, even if they have not regis
tered, said the Commissioner.
Eighteen hundred addicts registered
at 1913 Prince Street yesterday, making
a total to date of 5000.
Copies of the regulations have been
prepared in great numbers and physi-
clans can obtain them readily from the
Board of Health. A period of two
months is allowed for registration and
the addict is expected to have reached
an irreducible minimum of about two
grains by that time. A new card can
be given at the end of the second
month, subject to the approval of Com
missioner Walter f. Herrick, if the
cure is not complete and the need of
further treatment is evident.
Would Care for Ill
BY the registration system, it is
expected that the duplication and re
duplication of prescriptions will be
prevented. AT the sane time, there is
no desire on the part of the city and
state authorities to cut off the supply
needed by men and women who are
suffering pain or who are genuinely
i'll.
A new avenue Of hope has been
opened up to the addict by the presen-
tation to the city by John D. Rookie
pital, at Avenue A and Sixty-fourth
Street The Rockefeller Foundation is
to defray the expenses of removing the
buildings to the Warwick Farm in
Orange County. The addicts will be
sent out to the farm for cure. The
city will appropriate S36,5OO for carry
ing on the work of the new hospital
for the remainder of the year, and an
additional $4,000 for carrying on the
work of relieving drug addicts within
the city limits The first step toward
establishing the farm for drug addicts
was taken yesterday by the Sinking
Fund Commission, when it transferred
the Warwick Farm to the jurisdiction
of the Board of Health The Warwick
Farm was bought by the Gaynor ad-
ministration for inebriates, but since
the country is dry it will now be used
Tor drug addicts. The hospital which
viii be removed to the farm was
erected at cost of 100000.
To Curb Peddlinx
Az result Of the peddling of drugs
In pushcarts in the street, members Of
the Pushcart Pedlers' Association
held conference yesterday and
pledged themselves to have every
member Of the association act as de-
tective foT the purpose of curbing the
activities Of the drug pedlers on the
East Side. The conference was called
by Harry Schlacht, director of the
downtown Chamber Of Commerce. and
was the result Of reports that push
cart pedlers had peen caught selling
drugs in Rivington Street, Orchard
Street and other thoroughfares on the
East Side. Representatives of the as
eociatlon disclaimed all knowledge of
drug-peddling activities, but declared
that during the last few days a num-
Der of unidentified pushcart pedlers
had been operating in the neighbor-
hood
The representatives Of the associa-
ton, said Mr.. Schlacht, were con-
vinced that these pedlers had been
htred by a drug firm to dispose of
large quantities of drugs which the
4rm could not otherwise get rid of.
The matter would be laid before the
District Attorney, said Mr.. Schlacht.