The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-01-05

WORKING FOR
ADDICT CURE.
Definite Progress M a d e
By Health Experts In
The Past Year
BY VIRGIL PINKLEY
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5. CUP.
The government has made definite
progress during the past year in
its efforts to develop a treatment
which viii! aid and possibly
"cure" narcotic drug addicts, the
United Press learned yesterday.
Doctors of the United States
public health service are working
on six different treatments IN
the worlds largest narcotic lab
oratory established in the Leaven-
worth, Kans., prison annex.
The prison bureau and public
health service have transformed
the annex from wal time deten-
ton camp which housed some Of
the most radical and dangerous
characters in the nations history
to a huge laboratory where medi-
cal science is endeavoring to rid
the world of one of its greatest
curses - addiction to narcotic
drugs.
Public health officials are re-
luctant to discuss the various
treatments or results already
achieved. They admit, however,
that most of the sO-called "cures"
reported are failures. and that
vast amount Of new information
pertaining 10 narcotics and their
usage has been compiled.
The LeavenwOrth annex houses
some 1900 narcotic addicts. Most
of these inmates are long time
users of drugs.
Some Of these addicts arrive
with literally every inch of their
bodies SCARED from hypOdermic
injections and consuming daily as
much as 60 grains of narcotics.
A great majority of drug ad-
diets arrested for violations of
federal laws are users of heroin,
one Of opium's IS derivitives.
Herein is the most popular "big
city" drug.
Studies Of narcotic addicts show
that the majority are diseased
physically and mentally. The pub
lie health service has devoted con-
siderable attention to these ac-
companying diseases. !
Treatments under study include
as fundamentals, placing addicts
on proper diet and regular
hours for meals, sleep and eXer-
else. Allowing sufferers to do gar
den and farm work also has prov
ed beneficial. Narcotic farm hos
pitfalls are. being constructed at
Lexington, KY, and Fort Worth,
Tex, to enable addicts to be close
to nature and so treatments may
be conducted under the most fa-
vorable conditions.
Narcotic addicts have express
sionless features and II lack of
mental activity. Sunken cheeks
and lusterleSs eyes are character
istics. The tingernails become brit
tie and the teeth soften. Gradual
loss of weight sets in and very
little solid food is consumed.
Public health , research has,
shown that repeated prison SEN
fences are imposed more often
upon drug addicts than upon 9th
er types of federal prisoners. /
Males predominant in the. pro-
portion of about four white males
TO one white female. The proper
ton of women is somewhat higher
among the negro group. o..
Separation and divorce are
more common among narcotic
users than in the general popula-
ton; divorce occurring about five
times as often. Widows and wild
overs are also found more often
among addicts.
Persons addicted to the use of
habit-formi"g narcotics are found |
in all age groups above fifteen
years, with a greater concentra-
ton in the 25 to As year age
groups. g.. 90,