The Washington times., 1923-02-11
nope PROBLEM
NEEDS SCIENCE,
SAYS FOWLER
Addicts Must Be Considered
Same as the Sick, Declares
District Health officer
MUST CRUSH PEDDLER
Many Drug Users Primarily
Defective, Degenerate, Weak
or Vicious, He Points Out

urgent ana immediate 1nterna'
tional action that the dope ques.
tion," declared DR.. William C.
Fowler, District Health officer
Yesterday. "The Hearst news
papers are to be congratulated on
inaugurating a crusade against
this evil.
The suggestion that there be
held a conference of experts, men
familiar with the narcotic ques-
ton and the treatment Of the
addict, may aid in solving the
problem of handling the addict
scientifically.
ADDICT NEEDS PITY.
''The addict to drugs must be
considered a sick man or woman,
and should be treated as such.
It is the smuggler and peddler
of narcotic drugs that should
by all means be crushed-he should
be given a long prison term.
placed away where he will not
be able to ply his Illicit business.
Many Of the unfortunates that
use narcotic drugs are persons
primarily defective, degenerate,
weak or vicious. On the other
hand, many others are people of
high mentality, Of high ethical
and moral standards, Of high eco
nomic efficiency. and social stand
ing.
"whatever the original status,
mental, moral, physical or ethical,
or whatever the circumstances
Of his primary intelligence, once
the habit is formed. the end is the
acknowledgment use of opiate
drugs means not pleasure, not
appetite or habit means relief
from physical suffering and con-
troll of physical symptoms.
1.-THE opium. morphine, and
heroin habits are very prevalent,
and with the cocaine habit, con-
stitute one of the most serious and
troublesome problems that con-
fronts the human race. 1t is a
grave mistake to regard an addict
as q degenerate, unworthy Of help,
incurable, and hopeless. Moreover.
1t is wrong to assume that these
unfortunate individuals do not want
to be cured and will not try
to stop the use of drugs.
MANY Of the addicts will CO.
operate to the fullest extent in this
direction and suffer if necessary
to the limits of their endurance
in their effort to break away from
the habit. The addict, therefore,
should be regarded as a sick per-
son requiring proper medical care
and is entitled to our whole SYM
pathy.
Persons who are habituated to
the use of narcotic drugs, in the
early stages of it's activity, suffer
a sense Of increased intellectual
power and often a real exaltation
of the imaginative function, but
the true intellectual activities which
are useful in the daily struggle for
existence are dismissed.
AS. HABIT GROWS.
1.-THE first effect of these drugs
is usually a feeling of well being,
relief and contentment and of
ease and facilitation of mental ef-
fort. These agreeable effects vary
in degree in different individuals,
and therefore, not all victims are
affected with equal readiness. AS
a general thing. women and neuro-
tic and dissipated individuals are
more prone to the effects of mar
cotics. AS the use of the drug
is continued, an increased tolerance
to it becomes gradually established
be used in order to satisfy the
craving created by the drug.
Drugs have a pronounced influ-
ence upon the digestive tract
and in many persons produce
nausea, lessening of appetite, and
activity Of digestion, and consti-
patton. These orders of digestion
and other disturbances are due in
part at least to an arrest OF the
secretions both in the stomach and
1ntestines.
when the drug habit has Sc
cured a firm hold upon the indi-
vidual, 1t becomes a real disease
with physical. mental and moral
complications. The individual may
to casual observer appear quite
normal, but subsequently there will
be noted a loss OF body weight
and otherwise become defective. A
number of these persons sink to
the lowest level OF INSCRIPTIONS
cunning and cowardice, and be-
come incapable of any effort. Duty
no longer appeals to them, and in
order to obtain the drug they will
resort to almost any means.
1.-The cocaine habit, when once
formed is difficult to eradicate.
in certain persons, remarka bly
small doses of cocaine will produce
most alarming symptoms. The
patient becomes pulseless, the
breathing is shallow and there is
more or less complete unconscious.
ness. The chronic effects of CO.
caine are similar 70 those of the
narcotic habit with. however. more
severe psychic disturbances such
as insomnia, Authorizations, melan.
cholia and suicidaI mania.
I'm crushing this evil, 1t is
highly important first to make ar.
rangements for the treatment OF
the addicts. Then there should be
legislation which will curb the sale
OF narcotics by peddlers and SNUG
glers.
IF the addict could go to an in
stitution where he may receive a
cure, he will become a useful cit
lien. But he must be looked upon
as sick person-treated as &
sick person and he will be only
too happy to help those trying t.
cure him"