Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-11
CURE FOR CRAVING
FOR DRUGS SEEN
Prot. Bancroft Finds Desire
OF AddiCtS Due to COndi-
ton of Brain COlIoidS.
nv THOMAS n. benny.

The Irresistible crs wings of drug 3D.
the cells of the brsin and in certs in
ca SEES can be cured by definite chemical
treat menC. IT, IL announced by Prof,
wilder D. Bancroft and J. g. RutSler,
Ir< NJ Cornell University in a report
inst made 10 the National Academy OF
Sciences here.
This report constitutes on extension
IN the effect. ~ morphine NJ the theory
OF INSANITY advanced oy Bancroft o.
the snpusl meeting 81 the Nsnonsl
Academy. THIS was 10 tbe effect that
abnormal mental processes sle due
either 10 thickening OF thinning the
protein substance of the central nervous
system which exists IN colotoal form.
CovDteracts Eject Of Morphine.
The ideal drug for thinning, or pep
riziro these colloids Bancroft found,
was sodium thiocyana Experiments
with rabbits. ne reports, show that sni-
mails remain conscious after an 1n1ec-
ton OF sodium thiocysnate when given
a 0ose Of morphine much greater than
would be required 10 make them uncon-
scious and thai the breathing rste re-
mains ora cticallv normal. The ordinary
erect of norp1ine is greatly to reduce
the respiration rate so that " Is osreN
socs Not.
Aoolyne ne RESULT OF ne faoo' Hf-
oariDen' s 10 numsn9 Bancroft 'opor:S
As o. lssnI, OF Toe eco .lnhso 90 @,
nocrnnipe Il. wonio SeAn1. mat ccIlolosI
GRANGE ts.eS place rnereo. ne nrs'n
colloiny ste kept ccnSfsD Ic IN o"SLSe
OF oiSpe, sion that :: les nan oofmsi.
THIS GORE oonos % toe crSVlnS s'aSe.
Inca, Upon using NOR 70 s~sIn1S
the desire. these colloioS become even
less finely dispersed and the craving
is assussed. Upon recovery from the
effect of sny given dose Of the drug
the brain colloids of the addict return
not TO their normal particel size. but
only TO a partially agglomerateo conol-
ton. Then there Is again desire Ior
the drug. The whole system becomes
a accustomed to this abnormally dispersed
condition Of the brain colloids. PROB
ABLY only certain of the brain coliolos
sre involved
Symptoms BeId Similar.
'.The withdrawal symptoms met with
upcn attempting 10 cure drug SodlcJs
by withholding the morphine are very
much like those described upon pro-
Ionped administration OF sodium THO
cvanate for the relief OF high blood
is. Discrimination hallu-
cinstions Of sight and hearing mania,
confusion and ideas Of persecution.
These symptoms are not due TO the
same cause. because the drug over
oeptizes the brain colloids of the normal
person.
Upon withdrs wing the drug from the
addict the peptizing agents normally
present in the BODY tend to return the
suspended particles TO their original
size. This gives rise TO state OF irTi-
liability or hyper-excits bihty like that
which Is observed upon recovering from
the effects of an sns aesthetic. II 1s
then that the withdrawal symptoms
become manifest. There is also strong
desire for the drug.
The employment OF sodium THO
cyanste should tend to increase the
degree OF dispersion Of the partially ae-
gIomersted protein nerve collOids. This
should increase the tolerance OF the
individual to morphine The next stage
would then be 9. return TO the truly
normal particle size of the suspended
proteins of the brain. The patient
would then be normal II the BODY
furnished its own natural peptiging
agents in the usual wsv and IL the
patient, having been returned TO normal
RETAINED from using morphine cure
would result"
Bas Been Used Before.
Sodium thiocyanate Prof. Bancroft
says, has been administered to drug ad-
diets for other reasons and cures OF
the addiction reported, although not
with the real cause In one
case a patient recovered from both
MOI phine and alcohol addiction. Sim
liar effects have been attained with
sodium bromide. although Bancroft
says it Is not so effective an agent.
These results" he says. show quite
definitely that the desire Of addicts
for morphine is not explainable on any
sort of psychological basis, but is a
colloidsl phenomenon.
Since we are postuIst ting that the pro-
system behave phvsico- C hemics lily like
albumin IT, IL interesting 10 note that
injections Of starch have been found
10 be benehcisl when there ere signs
of recovery from morphine poisoning.
Starch can be used 70 keep egg
9 lbUmin from cose1Ils ting even in boil
ing water.
Barring other dangerous organic
ailments there appears TO be no rheo-
retical dif1iculty in the way Of the EN-
cienG cure of drug addicts by admin
istering increasing larger doses OF
sodium thiocyanate and ct the same
time slowly withdrs wing the drug TO
which the patient is addicted. Bv
such q tres tment il might take few
months 10 cure the addict. Except in
cases of ovpo-tensjon We cen see 10
outstanding msoicsl res on INV s,co
ace lmAnir eooGlo 90 os soolics ole.
oeoElnizs 100 fnerzow is csr stnlv in-
oicsisd 10 oe sas Emens OF c'rIg go