The Washington times., 1922-05-20
M|ED|C05
CARELESS
A. TIMES
Everyone Is In Danger, With
Organized Ring Flooding
U. s., Says Herrick.
BY MARGERY REX.

S' u N1kthb A'AoJ SOs
Who are the drug addicts. you
read about?
Their names are seldom
printed. Sensations would be
caused by their disclosures,
yet there is no more reason
for such revelation than there
would be for publishing lists
of those taken with cancer
or tuberculosis. Never mind
who the addicts are.
Those Who Fall.
But we may tell who are liable
to become narcotic addicts:
Highly excitable pepIe.
individuals working under great
mental strain.
Persons Of low mentality, persons
Of high mentality.
Those to whom drugs have been
administered carelessly by ply.
sicians.
In a word-ANYBODY.
Sex Doesn't Count.
Sex has nothing to do with sus.
ceptibility to the lure Of narcotics
or with ability to cast off the evil
thran of such a habit. Men and
women alike struggle in the agonies
of desire for drugs.
Neither social position nor finan
cial rating, nor intellectual power
Is proof against the snare of white
powders and hypodermic needles.
Many people have become mar
cotic slaves through no habit of
their own. But a simple precau-
tion advised by student of the
situation may save others from this
spreading misery. The warning
former commissioner of the depart
ment Of narcotic drug control of
the State of New York. MIR. Her
rick says:
How to Keep Safe.
beware Of the repetition of
drugtaking.
"When one finds that drugs give
relief from pain and give sleep, ne
feels q temptation to try II just
once more. After three or four eX.
Dict" .
During his experience as COM
missioner for the State, Mr.. Her
rick had ample opportunity to OBJ
serve the fearful scope Of drug
using. He Is heartily in favor OF
the Miller anti-narcotic bill now
awaiting President Harding's sig.
nature.
''If drugs are not to be obtained"
Mr.. Herrick says, there will be no
new addicts and the old users will
have to surrender to a cure.
But 1 want to emphasize that
80 per cent of the drug-taking to-
day in the higher walks of life is
the outcome of illness during which
narcotics have been administered by
physicians.
"The drug is the worst thing this
country has to contend with.
Few people have an idea Of its
widespread use.
Highest families. socially, finan-
cially and intellectually, as well as
those from the lowest walks of life,
feel its effect.
Drug addiction Is handed down
from mothers and fathers. not as in
heritance or a communicable dis
ease, but simply as a habit they are
apt to give their children.
Many Baby Addicts.
Proof is to be had in the fact
that many babies are addicts sim.
ply because their mothers are.
Highly excitable people are Sub
ject to addiction, as well as all indi-
viduals who work under great men.
tai strain.
II have never known a case Of
self-cure among users of morphine
or heroin. The reason is that the
withdrawal symptoms (the reac-
ton of the body when the drug Is
taken away are so severe that they
tax the resistance of the addict. He
cannot withstand the pain. He has
perspiration of agony breaks out all
over his body. l have seen some
Of these addicts in such misery 1 had
cramps, frightful nervousness; a cold
TO turn away.
"If the sufferer can't get medical
treatment and II he is not confined
in a hospital during his with
drawal' he must resort TO the old
drug for surcease of pain.
Men in penal institutions In
which they are unable to get the
drug are taken right off. and in
some few instances, results have
Medical treatment with cure
IL more humane. A counter.irri-
tant is administered in small
amounts which puts the patient
into a state resembling twilight
sleep. Then he may rest. When
he comes out from the effects of
this period Of withdrawal symp.
toms has expired and he can be
fed and built up and watched.
Opinions vary on drug cures.
Some say there Is no cure, that
they always go back to 1t. Then
on the other hand we haye found
addicts who begged TO be cured.
Some have persisted lin their
demands to be sent to institutional
Men and women are alike sex
makes no difference in the degree
Of addiction.
Drugs have a greater hold on
people of 10 wmentality. Environ.
ment has a great deal to do with
this difference. They are tempted
to go back to old companions and
take drugs again"
A study of narcotics and their
users will reveal mean traits OF hu.
man nature, Mr.. Herrt"k says.
"sddicts who wouldn't sell or
a