Evening star., 1926-12-28
Profound Interest Is Stirred
BY Hope of Ending Drug Habit

Profound interest has been aroused
by the New York Medical Journals
announcement that 'narcosan," a
treatment for drug addiction develop
ed by A. s. HcrovitZ, a Hungarian
chemist, has been used successfully
on hundreds Of addicts in New York
correctional institutions.
THE most inspiring story Of recent
relation in medical annals" Is the
comment OF the Charlotte Observer
which refers to "over 400 victims OF
the drug habit" who have 'Ieft the
hospitals and are now going about
their various businesses The rescue
Of a large portion of humanity that
was kept in slavery by the drug" "
continues the Observer, might vel.
be hailed as the Nations greatest
Christmas gift. 1t might be regarded
as the big release, and the chemist
who wrought the work has establish
ed a name that will be called blessed
in all parts of the globe" The Rock
Island Argus, estimating that there
are at least 100000 drug addicts, and
that the average addict Is criminal
declares that IF the Hungarian's cure
is absolute, his discovery Is of the
highest import sociologically."
1.-THE announcement to the layman,
according to the Jersey City Journal
lis so startling as to be unbelievable
One has only to think of the terrors
of drug addiction and the raving
wild-eyed, struggling humans, trying
by the bitter and terrible process OF
reduction of dose to break the
shackles of drug addiction in jails
and hospitals all over the country, to
wonder If it can be possible that there
Is a substance which. If introduced
into the blood Of the victim, can, with
in few weeks, make free men and
women Of slaves"
Drug addiction is discussed by the
New Haven Register as one Of the
great enemies Of society. ITO it can
be traced" continues that paper
many of the more vicious criminal
acts perpetrated by modern bandits
both male and female. If the remedy
proves all that is claimed for 1t. OF
even half, it will prove a godsend to
humanity. There is nothing more
pitiable than the sight Of fine speci
men Of humanity depraved through
the use Of drugs; there Is no crime
more damnable than that Of pander'
ing to use of drugs" The Charleston
Daily Mail speaks of the drug peddler
as ION a par with the rat in the bu
bonic plague" and calls him the most
! dangerous influence for wrecking hu
man happiness, destroying character
and blighting lives that exists"
Reviewing the history of the prob
lem, the Los Angeles Times remarks
that ''it was just the virtual impos
sibility of cure that made the Federal
and State anti-narcotic laws so inef'
fective. BY shutting off all legitimate
sources of supply" adds the Times,
"these laws made it at once immense
ly profitable to deal in narcotics ille
ultimately, and the dealers also found
1t worth their while to create new
clients for themselves by making new
addicts-often among school children
The addicts found themselves chained
in a far worse servitude than any
chattel slavery that ever existed.
Turning to the New York investiga
tions, the California paper declares
that "since three complete cures in
400 patients was about the expectation
| of any previous method Of treatment,
it appears that the Nation and the
world have received Christmas pres
ent of inestimable value. Society car
breathe easier If narcotism has been
conquered"
X X
MAY the announcement prove tC
| be a new emancipation proclamation"
Is the wish OF the Omaha World Her
aid, which recalls that ION the medica.
side, curative methods which have
| been employed were of such a rigor
GUS nature and of such doubtful sue
| cess that little headway has beer
made In that direction. On the po
] litical side, the effort to head of the