Evening star., 1949-02-06

I1lCy odlO, G1iC vi uS WOuIO 1ldNC W
be used in such strength that it also
would make the victim irrational.
DR.. Winfred Overholser, superin-
tendent of st. Elizabeth's Hospital,
said he knew of drugs which could
produce reasonably accurate con-
fessions but did not know of any
that could prompt false confessions.
He suggested that "actedron"
might have been used to keep the
cardinal awake for a very long
period until he reached a stage of
exhaustion. He compared that to
the "third-degree' method of keep
ing person wakeful with klieg
lights. He pointed out, however,
that if that had been done, the
cardinal would have shown the
effects of long sleeplessness.
Sees Use of Another Drug.
DR.. Overholser suggested that
some quicker acting and more di-
rect drug was used. He minimized
the possibility of planting the false
confession in the cardinals mind
while the cardinal was under the
influence OF drugs. The psychia-
triSt pointed out that the cardinal
appeared to be strong minded
person who could not be hypnotized
against his will.
Justin F. Powers, editor of the
scientific edition Of the Journal of
the American Pharmaceutical Asr
sociation, said drug catalogues iden-
titled "aktedron' as substance pro-
duced by firm in Budapest 1t
has the same chemical composition
as benzedrine, he said, except that
it is produced as phosphate, while
the benzedrine formula produces a
Sulphate Effects from both drugs,
however, would be the same, he said.
The Tablet article said the drug,
attacking nerve centers, at first
gives immense strength" and
brings 'superhuman courage" But
next day, it continued, "the reaction
sets in. 1t begins with a strong
headache and vertigo. Then a
steadily increasing sense of uncer-
9tainty overcomes him.
Feels Frightened.
Then the prisoner begins to feel
frightened. Finally he becomes semi
conscious He is paralyzed as though
he were in a hypnotic trance. Nei-
ther his judgment nor his memory
functions any more. He has the
impression of having a deadly vacu-
um in his head.
He has an urge blindly to obey
the slightest orders and is psyche
logically incapable of saying no to
anything. The victims are led to
trial in this condition.
Benzedrine, doctors point out, is
stimulant, the after-effect of
which is strong depression of body
activities. as is described in the first
part of the tablet article One pro-
fessor said he had seen the tire
mendous let-down" in students who
had taken the drug to study for
examinations.
But that such a drugs effects
could be carried to the point out
lined is absolutely preposterous.
according to DR.. Theodore Koppan-
vi, professor of pharmacology at
the Georgetown University Medical
School.
If victim were drugged Ito the
point where he murmured yes, yes,
yes to every question, his physical
state would be obvious even to a
layman," Dr. Koppanyi declared.
DR.. Arnold j. Lehman. chief of
pharmacology. Food and Drug Ad-
ministration, said he thought use
of the drug in the Mindszenty cases
very unlikely
The drug effects the cerebral
cortex, which controls reasoning.
Used in large doses, benzedrine
might have an effect similar to "a
person mumbling in his Sleep" DR..
Lehman said, but he added that he
thought the prospects of its being
used in the trial was cutting the
possibilities pretty thin
Knows of No Drug.
Dr. Maurice I. Smith, pharmacol-
ogist at the National Institute of
Health in Bethesda, said he knew
of no drugs which would force vic
TINS to testify falsely against their
wills.
There are many drugs which can
break down association between the
high nerve centers and actions, he
said. but then you wouldn't be
dealing with a normal subject any
more, You would be dealing with
an irrational person"
Doctors pointed out that with
other drugs-including the so-called
twilight sleep" drugs-patients
have been induced to answer ques-
tions truthfully which they would
not answer in conscious conditions.
But the answers are truthful, not
false, they stressed.