I have before me a clipping from a newspaper published in Columbus, Ohio. There, after the enforcement of restrictive legislation, the authorities found it necessary to ask the governor for some special procedure which would authorize them to supply drug victims with their drugs until proper medical treatment was provided. This did not relate to those victims who had come exclusively from the under-world, but referred specially to those habitual drug-users whose habits had been acquired through illness. It can scarcely be expected that restrictive legislation will entirely prevent the sale and use of drugs in the under-world any more than restrictive legislation has been able to prevent the practice of burglary or any other type of crime or lawlessness. It is highly probable that the under-world will always be able to get its drugs; but it is nevertheless true that the passage of restrictive legislation and the enforcement of such laws will tend to prevent the descent of many into the criminal class. Even this is comparatively unimportant. Those who suffer most are those who have been given the habit by physicians. These are honest drug-users, and to them at this writing no helping hand is anywhere held out save in New York State. I have been somewhat disgusted--I am sure that is the word I wish to use--by the continual outpouring of sympathy and constant manifestations of anxiety on the part of good people in regard to the under-world, when these same good people regard with indifference or classify as criminal the involuntary victim toward whom the most intense and understanding sympathy should be extended. MENTAL ATTITUDE OF THE DRUG-TAKER AND THE ALCOHOLIC