Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-29
Public Health Service to
Launch Intensive Study of
Ways of Rehabilitation.
WORK TO BE AIDED
BY RIGID DISCIPLINE
Control Of Inmates to Permit Close
Observation of Progress Under
Scientists Direction.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

BY THOMAS r. HENRY.
With the establishment of two Fed
eral prison farms for drug addicts, the
Public Health Service plans to launch
an intensive study of the possibility of
cure and rehabilitation under controlled
conditions.
Despite the stringent laws against
selling narcotics, there still is small
army of drug addicts in the United
States. The number has been esti-
mated conservatively by the Public
Health Service at about 100000. The
proportion is exceptionally high among
criminals whose exploits get into the
newspapers. giving the impression that
the number Is much greater than 1t is.
In the past it has been impossible to
control the treatment rigidly enough.
Various States have established farm
institutions which combined the treat
ment of drunkardS and drug addicts.
but in nearly every case commitment
has been voluntary and the victim has
been free to leave either at pleasure
or at the expiration of short SEN
tence. Very few have been willing to
remain aIter apparent cures.
Perfect Control to Be Had.
The Government narcotic farms will
receive only prisoners committed by the
Federal courts and will be under as
rigid discipline as that of the Federal
penitentiaries. Under perfect control
1t will be possible to observe their physi-
cal and mental progress from day to
~ IN fyeh tvHNn knf
tons and to make a more scientific
analysis of types.
The. sites for the two farms, author
lied at the last session of Congress,
have not been selected. A narcotic
division has been set up in the Public
Health Service to lay out a program
and direct the treatment and scientific
studies. This Is in charge of DR.. w.
L. Treadway.
In any consideration of the narcotic
problem, DR.. Treadway says, 1t Is nee
essary to take into account the different
major types into which addicts fall
Some can be rehabilitated, and others
are hopeless. :
Abnorbals In Three Glasses.
First, there is very small percentage
OF entirely normal persons, probably
driven to drugs by pain or accident and
unable to shake them of without aid
1t Is impossible to determine the num-
Der of these, since narcotic addiction
is secret vice. They often can be
restored completely.
The abnormals themselves fall into
three classes, he points out First are
the adults with mental ages of from S
to 10 years. With these, says Dr. Tread
way, drug addition is only an incident
In delinquent career. There is little
hope that they will be able to adjust
themselves in society, If cured.
Next are persons with intelligence
slightly below normal and with psyche
pathic personalities which prevent them
from fitting in society. These constitute
a considerable percentage of the crimi-
nal drug addicts. They may appear per-
fectly cured, but are likely to Slip back.
Bored Stiff" Glass Seeks Thrills.
The third class, which attracts the
greatest attention, are those slightly
abnormal, whom DR.. Treadway char
acterizes as persons bored stiff, with
life and incapable of self-discipline. !"
They take to drugs to relieve the
monotony. They constantly are seeking
a thrill" Actors and actresses fall
into this class.
This is the genius type, says DR..
Treadway, and the difference between
the great artist and the dope addict
may be only the fact that the former
has Sublimated his search for thrills.
turning the drive which tears his per-
sonality, to the service of humanity.
These probably offer the best chance
OF rehabilitation, which, must be &C
complished through psychiatric work
with the personality of the individual
as well as medical treatment of the
addiction.
Background Must Be Studied.
The fundamental background of the
habit must be studied in each case, DR.
Treadway holds, before 1t can be decid-
ed whether 1t Is safe to turn the victim
loose in society. If this background is
bad, there Is almost certain to be re-
turn to the habit soon after the man
gets back to his old associations.
The precipitating cause in approxi-
mately 70 per cent of cases, DR.. Tread
way says, Is bad associations. The VIC
lin learns the habit, may even be taught
1t by other addictS. The Public Health
Service places little credit in the stories
that dope peddlers deliberately induct
persons into the habit in order to Gre
ate a market. These men, 1t is pointed
out, are among the most despised of hui
man beings and few would dare make
themselves known to any one who was
not already an addict
Next In Importance as a precipitat-
ing cause comes pain, responsible for
about 20 per cent. Only about per
cent, DR.. Treadway believes, results
from overwork and the hunt for
thrills" the cases most likely of re-
Mobilization. The remaining per cent
results from undetermined causes.
Rightly of Laws Helps.
The rightly of the narcotic laws. Pub
lie Health officials, say, has been eff
fective in reducing the number of nor
NAL drug addicts. The normal person
will not deliberately go out of his way to
obtain drugs.
The Public Health Service plans for
the narcotic farms involve three phases.
First is the treatment of withdrawal
symptoms" both physical and mental,
which are signs of pathological dope ad-
diCtion. These are such things as
cramps, SneeZing, excessive perspiration,
collapse, reStleSSneSs and delirium.
sometimes ending In DEATH The other
phases are rehabilitation and custodial
care.
The work at the farms is expected to
add greatly to the scientific knowledge
of drug addiction. The advice of prom
inent specialists is being sought.
1t also will rid the Nation, Public
Health Service officials believe, of
many of the so-called habitual Grim
inals who are arrested again and again
and who are likely finally to commit
atrociouS crimes.