Tine Cocaine Plague

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1922, Page 1

Tine Cocaine Plague

i ron hors op the habit. LONDON. Oct. 2. Practical suggestions for dealing with the cocaine plague were made ' vosterdiiv hy Dr Philip W. Lamb. T-, Last India Dock-road, a specialist m drug-treatment and a student of tropical diseases. Many persons suffering from the cocaine liahit have passed llirough his hands. ••1 have not had so many eases .lately,” said Dr Land), "hut the habit, is undoubtedly -till very prevalent ant everything should he done to put an end to it. ‘ •Cocaine-taking is unite ditlerent from the morphia habit. The latter is generally the oiiteome of elicits to prevent pa'iil from arising after some serious operation. The cocaine habit is emplmtieally difierent. Ihe ]>eot.le who take it are usuallv young Studs who have no idea of the serious consequences anil are not told what the I result will he. “Judging by the menhir-takers who have mine under my notiee a large pro--1 portion are bordering on feeble-mind-edness, though occasionally you iind one who is really clever and intelligent. Those who are mentally not too steady are never anxious to help themselves, however anxious won may he to help them. By the time they realise the horrors of the habit they are doomed, and very little can he done tor them. , “It is a horrible habit. If the _ co-caine-takers are suddenly deprived thev have a terrible time without it. In ',nv own practice I have found d necessary to treat them hy allowing smaller and smaller doses. With -cocaine, as with morphia, only disappointomnl results for patient and doctor if a quieq cure is attempted. It is a matter of great patience over many

months. , , “To eradicate the. habit in London there should lie special clinics in which patients could he treated. So far as I know there is no such thing. The hospitals have no ward for cocaine takers, and if they had I do not think they would no into them, because they have a fear of the hospital and regard it as a stigma. “Tot if you do not. treat these people the habit will spread. It is, as you sav, a plague. Tt grows hy contagion. “These girls, ignorant and often feebleminded, take if because other <drls tell them to do so. Environment and example are the chief reasons for the spread of the habit, with, of course the fact that there is a great profit in the sale of the drug, and there are always people trying to spread it for that'reason. No punishment could He too severe for the sellers. “As a doctor those wretched victims come to me for help and sympathy. At first- they confess to some other ailment, asking tn he cured of catarrh, for example. I know the signs so well that I detect cocaine very soon and then T hear the whole sad story. This is undoubtedly a matter which should he taken in hand, and money should he spent, to establish centres where cure can he effected.”