The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-08
DRUG USERS BEGIN
TO GET DOPE CARDS
Men and Women in Various
Stages of Distress Appear
at Registers Office.
NARCOTIC LAW DRASTIC
ESQ Addicts, Ranging in Age
From 81 to 20, Comply With
Statute on First Day.

Her eyes were of the pop variety,
blue veined. querulous and watery. She
rolled them or. better. they seemed to
roll Of their own accord. She was paste
pale and rather plump and the split In
the back OF her blue serge jacket sug-
gested the nascent locust's shell. An
even more generous rip ran over one
hip and down the side of her skirt. Her
shoes were heellcss. When she talked
her mouth curved down to the left and
her stained fingers plucked at the but
ton-holes of the Jacket There were
no buttons.
81 gotta have 1t at every night"
ahe whined should be double strength
but the docs nowadays amt what they
used to be. / gotta have 1t every night
at Q or else my head won't' sleep It's
all right. l amt the kind what likes
1t; / gotta have II. / never was no
snow drifter."
So the young doctor in the offices OF
the State Department of Narcotic Drug
Control, 12S Prince street, took yell
low card out Of q pigeon hole In his
desk. The woman, she was about 80.
sat down and on the card wrote her
name. address. weight, height. nation
atty, occupation and like Information
about herself. Finally she came to the
line reading Marks Of Identification"
"Can't make no mistake about me. :"
she simpered. And she drew her skirt
above her knee and began other rather
disconcerting display preparations
"Never mind. madame. never mind
suffered the young doctor with such
embarrassment that she tossed her skirt
0t9 lad hva
."Oh, all right" she scoffed. Just
thought you'd like to see. Gotta a big
welt on the calf Of my right leg. but
no punctures No. I amt never used
ahe needle and l amt no sleigh rider,
either"
Like Passport Photographs.
Out Of a tattered wrist bag that still
made a brave show of brass initials she
drew three small photographs Of herself.
They were Of the sort used for passports.
The yellow card was made out in tripli-
cate and to each of the cards one OF the
photographs was pasted. After few
more questions relative TO the sort OF
medicine she took the name of her doc
tor, the nature OF her ailment and its
duration, she shuffled out Of the place
still bewailing.
"They oughta make II double strength.
They oughta make it double strength for
n body"
She was one OF the heterogeneous
throng of drug addlcts that shambled,
strobe and limped in and out Of 12s
Prince street yesterday to comply with
the new State drug law that compels
every habitual user Of narcotic drugs to
register. Nowhere else In the world
could there have been assembled such a
show OF humanity. There were moro
men than women, about $50 all told, and
they ranged from FL to 20.
Came some shamefaced and furtive to
make long and unsolicited statements
about weak hearts. chronic neuralgia,
unnatural nerve centres and the like.
and letters from their doctors attesting
TO the fact that this or that narcotic
was an essential to the prolongation Of
life.
Others came making volublepretense Of
OF hating the stuff, but manifesting all
the pltiful symptoms Of the inveterate
user Of drugs. 1t was nothing like the
old days OF cocaine peddling and the
heroin traffic. And there was nothing
about this crowd that made one bark
back to the nights when the yen hok and
hop frolic were TO be had and INDUCED
IN by anybody possessing the appetite
and 50. It wasn't as colorful as that.
They were not all such as the woman
who had to have it" And they weren't
all shabby nor bleared. Some came In
motor cars and clean clothes and every
outward manifestation OF normal health
Others also announced by their dress and
manner that their addiction was not yet
their personal milestone.
Fortnight's Time to Register.
The registration of the city's drug ad-
diets began yesterday and will continue
all the week. Walter r. Herrick, Com
missioner OF the Department of Narcotic
Drug Control OF the State of New York
figures that within a fortnight all those
who are going TO register will have done
no. Those who do not either will cease
20 obtain the drug. or, by displaying Its
possession, announce that some doctor
or druggist is defying the law. Here
after any person who applies to a physl-
clan or druggist in this State for any
medicine containing narcotic drug viii
be compelled to produce the yellow card
The doctor who prescribes the dope viii
write on the card just how much the
addict is to have. The druggist whC
compounds or dispenses the stuff will
attest on the card his compliance will
the doctors prescription.
The card is good for two months. Tt
have it renewed the addict must show
the used card, and the old card mus
prove that there ha been a rigid adher
ence to the law. 1t goes without saylnl
that card or no card no person can pre-
scribe. purchase or sell the straight mar
cctic. The new law stipulates the maxi
mum of dope that medicines may con
tain, and these medicines may not be dis
pensed except upon a physicians order
And lest there be any who nurs,
doubts whether they are or are not dru.
sddicts the new law defines such person
thus:
Amy person who has needed or de
manded the administering, prescribln.
for or dispensing of cocaine, opium OF
their derivatives at more or less regular
intervals for thirty consecutive dayi
prior to the time such person applies TO I
physician or a physician of any institu
ton for the administering. prescribln,
Tor or dispensing of any such drugs o.
their derivatives: provided. however
that upon the filing of the report of tn,
case by the attending physician. or tn,
physician of an institution in charge o
the patient. with this department, 4
may ruls that such a person shall Of
shall not be recorded"
The Narcotic Drug Control. head1ua r
tiers Will be open to registrants from
until every day except Sunday an,
from Z until on Tuesday, Wednesda,
and Friday nights
LEGUIA NAMES GARNET