Treatment of Opium Addiction with Lecithin and Glucose and Its Effects on Abstinence Symptoms

preventive and curative measures have been the subject of consideration in various provinces with a view to eradicating the evil. The authors for many years ?past have been interested in this problem and have evolved a method of treatment of opium addiction which has given satisfactory results in their hands as well as in those of others. A careful study of the withdrawal symptoms and the biochemical and biophysical changes in the blood was made in a large series of cases of opium addiction in the Carmichael Hospital for Tropical Diseases. All these individuals were males and a careful examination showed that they were not suffering from any other ailment of a serious nature before admission. In all cases the usual dose of opium was continued until the patients had become accustomed to their new surroundings and the hospital discipline. During this period the mentality of the patient with regard to. the drug habit was carefully studied. It was made clear to him that in spite of all the treatment that he would receive, he may have to undergo considerable inconvenience and trouble from the symptoms which would follow the withdrawal of the drug, and that his active co-operation was absolutely essential at every stage of the treatment. This took from two to five days. After the patient had got quite used to the new surroundings, the supply of opium was suddenly and completely discontinued with the full knowledge and consent of the patient. The ensuing abstinence symptoms were carefully and systematically observed and noted in each case, and efforts were made to combat them by different means. The blood of each addict was examined three times, firstly on admission, secondly during withdrawal and thirdly after the cure, for N.P.N., blood sugar, water content, lecithin and cholesterol content and blood urea.