New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-16
Drug Addiction Treatment
Dr.. Prentice Supplements His Inter
view on Withdrawal Method
To the Editor of The Tribune:

To the Editor of Tho Tribune:
Sir: An interview published in The
Tribune of August Incorrectly quotes
the undersigned as saying 81 haze
never heard of a case where an addict
has died from withdrawal of his drug"
He did say distinctly that he had
heard of many such, but was Of opinion
most of them were mythical. He
cited one case that came under his
personal observation in the peniten-
tiary at Atlanta that died from ssarva-
ton, toxamia and heart failure.
This case was heralded in New
Orleans few days later by those in
charge of the narcotic clinic as a
typical fatality resulting from the
institutional method Of withdrawal
treatment. As matter of cold fact,
that prisoner died as direct result II
his own excuses. and had not been
subjected to the withdrawal treatment,
but continued to receive his morphine
and every care given to patient i'll
in hospital.
Statistics quoted officially from the
report of the American Medical AS
ISOLATION committee on the narcotic
drug situation in the United States,
published as one OF it's education
pamphlets, show some $4,000 cases
taken off the drug by the immediate
and complete withdrawal method, with
out undue suffering and with no deaths
resulting.
1t is the physicians duty to make
his suffering endurabie. In all fairness
it should be stated that no physician
worthy the name in any OF our pubic
or private institutions ever permits
his patients to endure unnecessary
suffering, even though they be addists
being withdrawn from the drug that
has caused their unfortunate conai-
ton. 1t is his high privilege as well
as his duty to relieve pain and suffer
ing, to dispel causes of disease and IN
timely death, and to assist nature 10
restoring normal health. To charge
physicians with brutal.y treating drug
addicts, either as prisoners or otnef'
wise. is gross Islander.
In The Tribune of August IS appears
an emotional letter to the edite'
signed Registered Nurse ASSERTING
that "the instant Withdrawal treat
ment" is "cruel and inhuman," ana
implying that this narcotic SQUAD
knows nothing "of drugs or drug a.
diction", It's writer refers wan 'p'
dignation" to the interview wherein
the undersigned was incorrectly queteo'
and adds he further states that pc
has made study of drug addiction
for twenty years" This statemeh'
was not made, even in the printed ~
terview. This person also informs u
that "there is no cure for drug aao'S-
ton disease"
Narcotic addiction is not recognizes
as a disease" for il presents IL
pathological LESSONS Of disease IN 'ns
organs of the body. 1t IS not so ie
garded by the medical profess'0'''
except by small minority Of doe'''.
who have become extremely yoiuoie -
late IN the public prints, ana Sec"
most persistent in the effort to ga"
credence for this threadbare 1a''"s'
with the sympathetic general puo"e'
While addiction may be lus1'hav''
in cases of painful and incurso'e ''~ ,.
ease, in the vast majority OF cases
is not merely disgraceful hapi'' ~,
is actually vicious. means Of s,s'
and an aid to criminality, certainty ~
moralizing to the individual anu
dangerous menace to society
ALFRED c. PRENTICE
Member Committee on Marcus
Drugs. American Medical Ass0-
citation.
New York, Aug. IA, 1921.