Narcotic Addiction and Local Social Action: A Survey of the Legislative Campaign of the New York Neighborhood Council (Greenwich Village Association) on Behalf of Narcotic Addiction, July 1958- March 1959
Abstract
Background of the Study. Historically, narcotics addiction can be traced for at least 5,000 years, back to the Sumarian civilization in ancient Mesopotamia. In the 16th century before opium was widely known in China, the Europeans were well aware of its effectiveness in relieving pain and controlling diarrhea. Crude opium was refined into solutions and tinctures. The Swiss physician and alchemist, Paracelsus, 1493-1541 is credited with the development and popularization of opium in the form of laudanum, which was believed to be specific cure for various diseases. Due to the lack of knowledge about the addictive powers of many drugs the medical profession spread and maintained, though indirectly, narcotic addiction. People used drugs indiscriminately to relieve anything from a simple headache to angina pectoris. By 1863, at least 4% of the entire population in the United States were estimated to be drug addicts.
Subject Area
Social research|Social work
Recommended Citation
Ortiz-Cintron, Felipe E, "Narcotic Addiction and Local Social Action: A Survey of the Legislative Campaign of the New York Neighborhood Council (Greenwich Village Association) on Behalf of Narcotic Addiction, July 1958- March 1959" (1959). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI30557700.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI30557700
