The Medical Sequelae of Narcotic Addiction

Abstract

Article1 July 1967The Medical Sequelae of Narcotic AddictionCHARLES E. CHERUBIN, M.D.CHARLES E. CHERUBIN, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-67-1-23 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptAt the present time the social and psychologic aspects of narcotic addiction are receiving considerable professional and public attention. However, at the same time—perhaps because it is considered a social and not a medical problem—the clinical diseases of drug addicts receive relatively scant notice. There does exist a body of information, although not extensive or entirely satisfactory, on just this aspect of addiction, yet professional workers in the field and physicians in general are seldom acquainted with it.The present report is intended both as a survey of the material to be found in the literature and as a summary...References1. : A Follow-Up Study of Treated Adolescent Narcotic Users. Columbia University Press, New York, 1959. Google Scholar2. DUVALLLOCKEBRILL HJBZL: Followup study of narcotic drug addicts five years after hospitalization. Public Health Rep. 78: 185, 1963. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. O'DONNELL JA: A follow-up of narcotic addicts; mortality, relapse and abstinence. Amer. J. Orthopsychiat. 34: 948, 1964. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. MASON P: Mortality among young narcotic addicts. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 8 (appendix): 4508, 1966. Google Scholar5. PESCOR MJ: Follow-up study of treated narcotic addicts. Public Health Rep. 170 (suppl.): 3, 1943. Google Scholar6. RUDEN E: Zur sterblichkeit der morphinisten. Arch. Psychiat. Nervenkr. 193: 98, 1955. CrossrefGoogle Scholar7. HELPERNRHO MYM: Deaths from narcotism in New York City. Incidence, circumstances, and postmortem findings. New York J. Med. 66: 2391, 1966. MedlineGoogle Scholar8. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Courtesy of Dr. Milton Helpern: Records examined by Dr. Florence Kavaler, August 1965. Google Scholar9. DAI B: Opium Addiction in Chicago. The Commercial Press, Shanghai, 1937. Google Scholar10. TREADWAY WL: Further observations on the epidemiology of narcotics addiction. Public Health Rep. 95: 541, 1930. CrossrefGoogle Scholar11. : Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs for the Year Ended Dec. 31, 1955. U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., 1956. Google Scholar12. : Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs for the Year Ended Dec. 31, 1962. U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., 1963. Google Scholar13. WINICH C: Narcotic addiction and its treatment. Law Contemp. Prob. 22: 9, 1957. CrossrefGoogle Scholar14. : Vital Statistics of the U. S. U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., 1965. Google Scholar15. SIEGELHELPERNEHRENREICH HMT: The diagnosis of death from intravenous narcotism. With emphasis on the pathologic aspects. J. Forensic Sci. 11: 1, 1966. MedlineGoogle Scholar16. TROEN P: Pulmonary edema in acute opium intoxication. New Eng. J. Med. 248: 364, 1953. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar17. SILBERCLERKIN REP: Pulmonary edema in acute heroin poisoning. Amer. J. Med. 27: 187, 1959. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar18. OSLER W: Oedema of left lung—morphia poisoning. Montreal Gen. Hosp. Rep. 1: 291, 1880. Google Scholar19. MCNALLY WD: A case of heroin poisoning. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 2: 570, 1917. Google Scholar20. KACZANDER PV: Morphine-Vergiftungtodliche (Selbstmord). Arch. Toxik. 2: A177, 1931. CrossrefGoogle Scholar21. PRESCOTT AB: Alkaloidal poisons, in Legal Medicine and Toxicology, vol. 2, edited by PETERSON, F., HAINES, W. S., WEBSTER, R. W. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1923, p. 416. Google Scholar22. BURTONZAWADZKIWETHERELLMOY JFSHRTW: Mainliners and blue velvet. J. Forensic Sci. 10: 466, 1965. MedlineGoogle Scholar23. SOLLOMAN TE: A Manual of Pharmacology, 6th ed. W. B. Saunders Co. Philadelphia, 1942, pp. 461, 1046. Google Scholar24. FULTON CC: An analytical study of confiscated samples of narcotic drugs. Int. Microfilm J. Legal Med. 1: Card 2, C-1. Google Scholar25. CLEMMESENLASSEN CNA: Treatment of circulatory shock in narcotic poisoning, with special reference to complicating pulmonary oedema. Danish Med. Bull. 10: 100, 1963. MedlineGoogle Scholar26. NORMAN B: Tetanus after hypodermic injection of morphine. Lancet 1: 873, 1876. Google Scholar27. MELDON A: Death from tetanus induced by a hypodermic injection. Brit. Med J. 2: 709, 1879. Google Scholar28. OSBURNE CA: Tetanus due to puncture of a hypodermic needle in a drug addict. Brit. Med. J. 2: 75, 1892. Google Scholar29. PALMER JF: Tetanus due to puncture of hypodermic needle. Ibid., p. 164. Google Scholar30. DOANE JC: Tetanus as a complication of drug inebriety. JAMA 82: 1105, 1924. CrossrefGoogle Scholar31. FOUNTAIN EM: The early symptoms of tetanus with review of 22 cases. Canad. Med. Ass. J. 64: 58, 1951. MedlineGoogle Scholar32. MULROY RD: Tetan