Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-31
DRINK CONE, TURN TO DOPE
STARTLING FIGURES GIVEN
BY HEALTH OFFICER
fhscrts Thousands or Pounds Of Crude
Opium Arc Struggled Into
Amcricn.
ny AUGUsTIN LAWDY.

-, NEW YORK. Dec. 3o.---Hcalth Com
,m,SIioner ROYAL 5. Copeland uron
more Than s55 persons Killed in vari-
Gus cities by drinking wood alcohol
uhoc,nrnu that In the past few weeks
thousands or habitual drinkers IN this
CITY alone have turned to drugs be-
cause Of their fear OF wood alcoholic
In New York City" said the com.
nissiomer. there arc between 100. 900
ana 2oo,o"0 drug addicts. dare moi
eHrn Th9nFhi X. estimate ai the number
or prohibition has more than doubled
me number OF drug liends. Prohlbi-
INC drug trade is ridiculous.
lack Of all this hcllish misery
CAUSED by the illicit sale OF heroin.
n n"ripn,ne. and cocaine, all OF them
| call The drug ring The hcadGunrl
.SrS or the group o. men compris !ng
inns ring Is IN New York For months
secretly tightening the mcshcs OF a
net about these men. and before Iontr
l nope TO bring them To justice. WHO
these men are. am not prepared to
say Just now.
nm, SmuRgic Deadly Dope.
~ ,,unureus OF thousands OF pounds
ttuue opium, grown in India, are
IInipped |" this country Via China
,,'rc the opium is manufactured into
~, n,ad u,erirTa,ivas' There is absolutely no
nicuitHi use Tor hcroin. Then the
morphine, heroin and cocaine is shin
ped gu; of America and smugglcd
p !, Gy Way OF Mexico and Canada.
"orAru out some system of intcrnn-
Iona Iona. control Of crude opium. The
nrns evil will persist SO long az It is
possible for american manufacturers
10 prepare the opium, ship It away
ana then regain control OF the drugs
through smuggling.
government, upon the heads Of nthrr
s'oncrhinonts' upon the league OF ma
c c;yhS j., noon mnsi every Official body ;ha,
Tor The control OF the narcotic rvii
nruSs arc so easily conccaled: the
niiuE 9ootiesSer IL rarely caught The
can heal some of these poor vi";In,,,
nut without such strict Eovcrnmentn;
80" !F2t as TO prohibit the possibility
or iiiicit possession of narcotics The
nrobicm VIII never be solved, ~"
eNl!, growing, is rotting the whole
Snc.ai iapric Ii IL only the poorest
cn nSS. IS iilat me health department.
ean reach and even when cured tho
i.at'eht IS likely to return 10 the dr,i.
. up%M me hrst physical pain, moral
Suicrihs or social disaster"
200 Cnses In One Hospital
DR.. Copeland declared ina, =, ~.
riverside Hospital the health Jrr,r,
ment is treating about 800 cascs. NM
n nail nt me narcotic clinic about 800
sra t.s ain djmini sally being givsn
urusa thcy are addicted to. III. clinir
HdS opened last spring when Tho ISnd
~ government. beginning. a narcotic
y!rhh up campaign. closed an in:,n,:
hbH ,,i,,i. OF Illicit drug supply. drivimS
,,nr ,,no en1 Oh addicts 10 the health de-
!r rTbr'' ,.ei,,, cIamoring for treatment.
ne ne CON ,ihiss!oncr sd i'll that out OF III:
r'sc. admissions 10 the clinic. a,Gi7
o' "Th we're male and ol5 were female.
,or me most startling thing" said
,-.on'nlisSi"!ler Copeland IS iha, mas
OF the patients are under ,Ty";,,, ', -.
lars o. age, and nearly ono thir,l M
,,",,, tnelr teens. Ninety uvc r.Sr
,ont bcctine addicis through us~nci.
t.on ~ me Underworld. Every sirari",
lis MIN aJHcyy ana every nationality mas
acranec OF the patients Is v ,,lo,,,
n nat,'e, porn Americans. Above 20 Der
ci,nrff,,,-4 COMMISSIONS are employed Us
icurS, drivers, conductors ci,v,'
al, nnera tors ana in other position
Ci,ns !or absolute sobriety. PhvsY
Ina. ministers and nurses are ninon,,
fnr r N'u.ilns' THAT more persons na.i;
oIJ;s,, SeGaFs do not appear, means III =
Imnnr,t uits young. the ready prey OF
'""crtu!nSis or some other ,Iistns "