The New York herald., 1922-03-24

tanned completely the spread OF adtfic-
| ton can be stopped for the reason
that there will be far greater care ex-
( ercised in administration by physi-
clans no possibility Of self-nedica-
tion and comparatively little treating
and addiction through association.
Dr. katherine B. Davis, for some
time Commissioner of Correction In
the Mitchell administration. had con-
siderable experience with drug addic-
tisn cases in the various institutions
over which she lad supervision. 1t is
her opinion that the time has come for
the clarification Of the whole situation
through thorough investigation. She
believes that II carefully chosen body
Of men of unquestioned integrity free
from any possible suggestion Of self
interest should take up drug addic-
ton with view to permanently fixing
standards OF practice. great good would
be accomplished.
| DR.. Copeland makes tho following
three suggestions:
Limit the importation of opium,
fixing arbitrarily the maximum that
may be brought into the country
yearly.
Have the manufacture of heroin
under Government supervision, the
| product to be sold in drug stores, on
prescription only, as Is now done with
! liquor.
Absolutely prohibit the expectation
Of opium or its derivatives"
/ Canada Must Cooperate.
Or. Copeland is Of the opinion that
control Of the traffic might break down
unless Canada cooperated with the
/ United States, but he believes this CO.
operation can be obtained. He says.
too, that such restrictions would help
China greatly, and on this latter point
1t may be well again to quote tie
statement OF the National Council of
the Episcopal Church:
I'm addition to what is sold here
! the United States) large quantities OF
opium are almost Immediately ex-
ported to Canada. Mexico and Japan.
japan, refusing to permit the sale OF
opium to her own people. ships it to
China. Now China, through regula-
l siOhso soltlc years ago.
has been gradually diminishing the
growth Of the poppy until to-day there
are no poppy fields except in some out
OF the way places. She has not. how
ever. relieved herself from the clutch
of the drug, which Is shipped back
there through both English and Amer
lean firms. not In the form which may
be smoked, but as morphine, 10 he
taken hypodermically."
This same organization has a sug-
! gestion for remedial action also:
I'VE ought to have Federal Law
forbidding the expectation OF drugs
from our country TO any other coun-
try The United States Public Health
Service should give the Secretary Of
State the estimated amount OF opium
to cover all our medical necessities,
and no greater amount should be i'm
ported. Then IL Canada would enact
such a law much OF our difficulty could
be Immediately overcome
Collins Suggests Remedy.
r. Collins IL one OF the recognized
authorities on drug addiction cases in
New York State. The following brief
extracts along the lines 81 remedial
work are taken from q speech he
made recently in Albany
The Federal laws known an the
Harrison narcotic law is inadequate
to cope with the drug evil :.
for many reasons, and particularly be-
cause IL refers only to persons re-
quired to register under that act.
which, generally speaking. includes
only those who might be grouped
within the term the trade i
general situation is such as to demand
The general situation is such as to
demand immediate action upon tho
part of this State to remedy existing
conditions IL the drug evil is TO be con-,
trolled and the baneful extension Of its
consequences arrested
Finally. as bearing on the matter OF
remedy. there is one OF the closing
paragraphs Of DR.. Ernest s. Bishops
book. TIE Narcotic Drug Problem"
which reads:
Education In the great need Of the
hour. Until 1t is accomplished all else
viii fail. Until We all know what we
are dealing with. how can we tope 10
successfully handle TT II is to be
hoped that the time Is not far distant
when In every medical school and hos
pitsl will be taught in principle and
practice. In class room and clinic. all
that Is known or will be known Of the
pathology. symptomatology. physical
phenomena and rational therapeutics
Of narcotic drug addiction.
1T is to be hoped that in school and
college, In pulpit and press. the facts
Of addiction will be presented in their
practical existence. stripped Of spec
tacularity; a cold calm presentation
OF basis facts. There Is no subject
upon which philanthropy can better
expend Its forces than to this end Of
education as to addiction disease and
humane help to It's sufferers"