The average addict must support himself and his family. His physical well-being and economic efficiency should be considerations in the welfare of the community in which he lives. Legislative and other investigation has shown that we are entirely unequipped both institutionally and professionally for the successful immediate withdrawal of opiate from even a small proportion of our present census of the opiate addicted. In view therefore, of the practical impossibility of immediate successful withdrawal treatment, and in view of what is known and can be demonstrated and taught in the accomplishment of final withdrawal, I do not hesitate to state that, until we are prepared and in a position to skillfully and competently handle the stage of final withdrawal to assured successful issue, it is much wiser to supply to the addict who is not a public menace the drug of his addiction to the extent of his physical needs, and to teach him how to use the drug of addiction in such a way as will maintain his physical and economic efficiency, than it is by enforced reduction of dose to deprive him for a long time of working ability and his family of his support. Furthermore, the addict who is insufficiently supplied with the opiate of his addiction, turns in desperation to the use of things far more harmful to him than the drug of his addiction. This he does in the vain hope of obtaining mental and nervous and physical stimulus and support and some surcease of his misery. The many wrecks of addicts to be seen trying through insufficient supply of narcotic drug, self-poisoned with other drugs which they have purchased, alcohol, bromides, coal tar products, cocaine, and of late hyoscine--their addiction disease unrelieved and undiminished--are sufficient argument against mere reduction of dose, below physical body need. The personal attitude of the physician towards opiate addicted patients is of great importance. The medical man who is to treat a case suffering from addiction-disease successfully to the end of relieving this condition, or who is treating addiction-disease as an intercurrent condition complicating another disease, must first of all make his patient realize that the physician himself knows something about addiction as a disease. He must never give his patient any hint or reason to suspect that he regards opiate addiction as a habit, a vice, a degrading indulgence which can be to any curative or even therapeutic extent, combatted by the exercise of will-power.