Evening star., 1953-11-20
Antidote for Morphine
Is Chemically Similar
Used in ObstetricuI Cuses
And to Treut Addiction
By Thomus R. Henry

new drug which is chemically
similar to morphine, but which acts as
a direct antidote. not only Is saving
lives of persons with overdoses Of the
narcotic but is throwing new light on
the mechanics of drug addiction.
This is n-allyl-nor- morphine, first
introduced about two years ago with
which extensive experiments are being
carried out by doctors of the National
Institute of Mental DiSeases-chiefiy
at the Public Health Service hospital
for addicts at Lexington. KY.
BY using it, they already have proved
for the first time that addiction is
definitely a condition Of the central
nervous system rather than a purely
psychological craving as some PSYCHE
artists have maintained.
This drug is so similar to morphine
in its chemical structure that the en-
lyme systems of the body which take
up the dangerous, habit-forming drug
cannot discriminate between the two.
They even appear to have a greater
affinity for nor-morphine than for
morphine itself.
Molecular Replacement.
Thus when near-fatal dose of NOR
phine has been given. life can be saved
by use OF this new drug. It's molecules
almost Immediately replace the NOR
phine molecules in the nerve cells.
A new and important use has been
found in obstetrics. Despite its draw
backs, morphine still is the best pain
killer known to medicine. It is ex-
tremely effective in childbirth in very
small doses, which can be given with
complete safety SO far as the mother is
concerned. The nervous system of the
child, however, is much more sensitive,
and it is born heavily narcotized. This
condition often is fatal, so that most
obstetricians have abandoned use of
the drug.
The new substance, according to
National Institute doctors, almost COM
pletely removes this danger. The child
is unharmed when it is given a dose
OF nor-morphlne as soon as 1t is born.
A third use is in detecting the pres
ence of drug addiction, especially in
legal cases. The drug addict appears
perfectly normal, so long as the supply
OF morphine is uninterrupted. When
deprived of it for a few days, how
ever, the almost unbearable withdrawal
symptoms set in. These same symp-
toms, it has been found, can be pre-
cipitated in few minutes by an
extremely minute dose of nor-morphine.
Such dose would have no effect what
Soever on a non-addict.
Dose Regulated.
The size of the dose is regulated
so that the withdrawal symptoms can
be kept at minimum. A stronger dose
would bring them on with full intensity.
1t would cure the addiction, for the
time being, but at the price Of terrible
suffering and possibly death. For this
reason the doctors are sticking to the
old method of gradual withdrawal over
period of weeks
Experiments at Lexington have
demonstrated that not only the brain
but the spinal cord of addicts enters
into the picture, thus definitely proving
the physical basis Of addiction. It
apparently permeates the entire nervous
system, and not alone the layers OF
consciousness
The new drug first was introduced
as possible pain killer whose effects
would be similar to morphine without
the addiction possibilities. It proved
failure for this purpose, and it was
abandoned until it's other potentiali-
ties accidentally were discovered A
very large dose would be required before
any pain-killing properties became
apparent.
Although they have demonstrated
that uTHn
volved in addiction, the institute doc
tors say, the fact remains that there
is large mental factor and only indi-
vlduals with unstable nervous systems
are likely to become addicts. The num-
Der due to medical administration of
morphine is quite negligible, in the
absence OF the susceptible kind of
mind.