“FACE OF AN ADDICT” 1968 DRUG ABUSE & ADDICTION AMONG MEDICAL DOCTORS EDUCATIONAL FILM XD46574

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This short film takes a look at addiction and whom it affects, specifically those in the medical profession. It was sponsored in the interest of the medical profession by Winthrop Laboratories Limited (:12) and produced by the Canadian film production company, Crawley Films (:29) founded by Frank Crawley and wife Judith in 1939. The film uses pseudonyms in order to protect the actual identities of those a part of the true story. It opens with the office of the man whose story is to be featured called Dr. James Carter Stone (:41). The title screen appears shortly after (1:08). Robert Wright narrates the film and points out Canadian doctors have a history of addiction (1:18). Dr. Stone approaches his office and new practice as he was to be full partners with a Dr. Kelso (3:10). Film then shows Stone meeting with various patients who more often than not are not suffering from emergencies (4:07). The pressures of being a doctor are explored as Stone struggles to measure up to his own and to his partner’s standards as well as competition from other doctors in the area (5:57). While working 70-hour weeks he also must keep up with the ever-changing developments in the medical field (7:07). He visits more patients (7:30) ending with a woman who loses her baby during the birthing process (8:36). Although this incident affects him, he must continue to work and is seen checking Xray’s of a man’s chest (9:03). The doctor is then pictured in bed unable to sleep (9:26) even though he had already taken barbiturates. He then succumbs to pressure and sticks himself with a syringe pulled from his own medical briefcase (11:18). When the phone rings in the morning the man is left groggy from the drug use though he must return to work and keep going (12:51). As his partner becomes more absent, Dr. Stone continues to use in order to maintain his pace at work (13:23). He writes a prescription for the same narcotics he himself had been taking for another patient to whom he dictates that they must not take more than he had prescribed (13:48). In between visits, he shoots up and the needle falls breaking on the floor (16:25). In order to keep his own supply of narcotics he takes fake prescriptions to out of the way drug stores (17:00). While a patient is in his office, Stone begins to experience withdrawal symptoms and cannot focus on the patient (17:25). His behavior becomes more erratic and irritable (18:01). Dr. Kelso appears to inquire about an inquiry into their office by the Health and Welfare office over the rise in narcotics (19:02). As Dr. Kelso seeks to solve the problem immediately, Stone slips into further withdraw and inevitably falls into his seat (19:43). Dr. Kelso notices the syringe in Stone’s open desk drawer (20:21). The narrator returns to inform viewers there is no such thing as a ‘stabilizing dose’ and that continued use will inevitably lead to addiction (20:45). While Stone did break the law, the courts did not prosecute him to the full extent of the law and he is able to receive psychiatric treatment (22:14). He is then pictured a year later, sober and heading back to work (22:41). In the office he receives a call from the same woman whom had lost her baby while giving birth in the beginning of the film (23:18). The pressure and trauma from the first incident which led him to drug use return and the doctor pulls out his briefcase and relapses (24:30) this time over dosing and dying in his office chair. The film had been a representation of a true case (25:51).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com