Evening star., 1923-11-14
PRISON HELD CURE
FOR us. PHYSICIANS
.B0OTLEGC|NG DOPE
Memphis NeuroIogist Would
Strike at Sources of Mar.
cotic Supply.

| Prison terms for lawbreakfng ply
/ sicians and druggists, whom he term
ed drug bootleggers," were advo-
Gated today by DR.. w. G. Summerville
Memphis. chairman Of the neurology
and psychiatry section of the South
crn Medical Association, speaking to
that body at the Shoreham Hotel.
He also urged compulsory hospitali-
; cation of drug addicts.
| The conclusions and suggestions
made by DR.. Summerville were:
| Strike at the very source of sup
ply and, by international co-opera-
| tion. limit the growth of the poppy.
Eliminate the importation and
manufacture of heroin, for which
there Is no need in medicine
Educate physicians and the pub
lie to the fact that narcotic drug ad-
vice.
Establish in each state special
sanitariumS, where addicts. either by
voluntary or compulsory commitmen {,
may receive treatment from skilled
physicians.
Asks Drastic Ban.
supply by proper federal supervision
and drastic laws entailing long terms
of Imprisonment for bootleggers and
all violators of the Harrison mar
cotio law"
The problem of narcotic drug ad-
diction is serious and it's solution
a problem now engaging the atten-
tion of congressman, jurists and
physicians. but we do not seem any
nearer the solution. 1t was hoped
that the Harrison narcotic law would
serve the purpose, but after eight
years we see that 1t has in a great
measure failed.
There are In the United States to-
day 100000 persons addicted to
morphine. heroin or codeineWand
this In the face Of the Harrison mar
cotio law.
THE public and physicians as a rule.
CONSIDER drug addiction a vicious habit
or mai perversion. We now know htat
drug addiction is disease, a pathoIog-
fcal condition; or to be more exact. I
would say that the craving for opium,
! or Its derivatives. is as much a symptom
pleurisy.
I'VE do believe. however, that all drug
addicts. and particularly the physician
drug addict, are distinct menace, maxi
ing addicts of members Of their family
and of their friends Not long ago there
died in southern town an old phy-
sictan. who had been morphine addict
| for seventeen years, and who was re-
| sponsible for his sister, brother and
many OF his patients becoming addicted
! to the drug. In fact, this town was
noted for its very large number Of
drug habitues.
Treatment Hard to Obtain,
1.-THE majority of addicts are finan-
cially unable to obtain private treat
ment. There are a few places lin some
| states where they are treated in the
| city hospitals for short period, but not
long enough to hope for permanent re-
| suits. Many are committed to jails and
warehouses; as vagrants or on some
technical charge. though they are not
\ criminals nor are they vicious.
! 1T Is not my purpose to fix the re-
sponsibility for beginning the habit
| on any one. Physicians and drug.
gists have been blamed for 1t and
doubtless in many cases this is true.
| but many take 1T up themselves to
obtain relief from some physical or.
mental discomfort.
"If we were to have. institutions in
every state capable of caring for all
addicts, the solution of the problem
would not yet be accomplished. There
| is a menace with which it is diffi-
cult to cope-that menace Of the
lpeddler, and along with him we would
place the druggist and physician who
sells morphine OF addicts or writes
prescriptions Until we get rid of
| them, cures are frequently tempo
"The peddlers' trade is dependent
upon supply and demand. It had
been suggested to limit the supply by
restricting the amount of poppies
grown. This would require inter-
national cooperation and would
strike at the very root of the evil.
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