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The New York Times January 16, 1932
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CORNELL REPORTS CURE OF MORPHINE ADDICT
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Sodium Rhodanate Said to "Wash" Brain and Nervous System in Six Days.
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by The Associated Press.
Ithaca, N.Y., Jan. 15--- Complete breaking of the morphine habit in six
days by a treatment new to medicine was reported today at Cornell University. The narcotic
patient was apparently cured with little discomfort.
The treatment is the administration of a compound designed to wash the brain and nervous
system clean of the "habit."
This habit, under the Cornell interpretation, is a thickening of proteins in brain
cells, a condition which persists after the narcotic is stopped and which accounts for the
continuance of the craving. The new antidote, sodium rhodanate, thins the thickened
proteins.
The hospital story of this case is to appear in the January number of the proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences. It is told by Drs. Wilder D. Bancroft and Robert S.
Gutsell and John E. Rutzler Jr.
It records the first application to a human being suffering from narcotic habit of
discoveries at Cornell about a year ago that anesthesia, unconsciousness from a blow on
the head, insanity, alcoholic intoxication and narcotic habits all have a similar physical
basis, a change in the brain proteins. This research was done with the aid of the
Heckscher Foundation for the Advancement of Science.
The morphine patient was a male nurse, an addict for sixteen years. Cures had been
attempted six times previously and he had been recorded as a "mean case." The
treatment consisting in reducing him in six days from twelve grains of morphine daily to
none, and substituting, sodium rhodanate for morphine cuts.
Narcotic reduction began on his third day in Ithaca memorial Hospital. The record as given
to the National Academy reads:
"Fourth Day--- Appetite improved. Neither nervous nor apprehensive.
"Fifth Day--- More composed, somewhat less talkative and apparently normal, mentally
and physically.
"Sixth Day--- He boasted that previously he had been able always to tell within
one-eighth grain how much his morphine had been reduced. This time he invariably guessed
100 per cent or more too high."
On the ninth day the patient was "depressed for the last time," and on the tenth
day "completely relaxed and comfortable." He has had no desire for morphine
since Dec. 9. The treatment was first tried on dogs.
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