The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-10-28 00:00:00

HABITUAL DRUNKARDS.

7'he, Times has published the following letter :

Sir,—The evidence which you have republished to-
day, and which is daily afforded by our police courts,
clearly supports the conclusions arrived at by the
Select Committee of the House of Commons which
was presided over by the late Mr. Dalrymple—viz.,
"that small fines and short terms of imprisonment are
worse than useless" for the repression of the
"habitual drunkard." A large portion of the time of
the police is taken up by a necessary attendance upon
those poor unfortunates, while criminals, who should
be carefully watched, are enabled to perpetrate their
burglaries undetected.
It has always been the pride of the Englishman that
a radical cure is to be adopted in preference to a tem-
porizing policy. It does appear to me, and to those
who are acting with me in the formation of "The Society
for the Purpose of Obtaining Legislation on Behalf of
the Habitual Drunkard," that the time has arrived at
which it becomes absolutely necessary that the powers
asked for should be accorded, and that prevention is
to be aimed at as well as cure by impeding the growth
of the class on whose behalf we plead. We ask that
power should now be given to detain these poor
unfortunates under proper supervision, for a time
long enough to effect a cure. This power is asked,
not for punitive purposes, not in a vindictive spirit
for the punishment of wrong-doing, but as a protection
for the patient against himself as well as for the safety
of society, and also as a means whereby he may recover
his position and his power of self-control. It is not
proposed that he shall be kept in idleness during the
time of his detention. The work to which he has been
accustomed must be provided for him, so that he may
be able to support himself until the time arrives at
which all the tissues in his body shall have been
changed, and a new tissue (formed out of a more
healthy kind of food) be laid down in its place. Thus
his nervous system may be restored to healthy action
and self control obtained again.
A still more important result will also be obtained
by such legislation. The propagation of a race of un-
fortunates and ne'er-do-wells whose existence has com-
menced during or soon after an attack of dipsomania
or drink craving will be impeded. The legislation
asked for would assist to diminish the number of
inmates in our lunatic asylums, prevent some of the
increase which is now calling for new idiot asylums,
and decrease the tendency to hysteria which is
yearly becoming more manifest among all classes
of society. This would be effected by the
separation of the sexes when it is most neces-
sary in the interests of humanity that such
separation should be effected, and would be a great
benefit to posterity itself. Those who are watching
these matters know that the progeny of the poor
creatures for when) we plead are weaker than their
parents, and are more liable to become victims to the
disease in question; or, if they escape that disease,
they.assist to fill our gaols with criminals of the deepest
dye.
Is It not time for us, as practical Englishmen, to
provide an efficient remedy for a growing evil, and
not to let the bugbear of "the liberty of the subject "
continue to undermine the prosperity of our country by
allowing the uncontrolled increase of those who, at the
least, must have a very defective judgment.
lsa It is also useless to disguise the fact that the pro-
oeed alteration of the law is required, not only as a
elms whereby our police may be relieved of the neces-
ity of apprehending the same individuals more than a
undred times for teing drunk and disorderly, but,
leo, to meet an evil in society which is not visible to
he public eye. Surely, Sir, the ability of our Legis-
ature would not be overtaxed in having to provide
gainst the abuse of such a power? The power exists
9 regards lunatics, and, except in the imagination of
he novelist, it is not abused. The power also exists
regards children who have been convicted of crime.
he alteration of the law which is now asked for—
amely, that habitual dirmkards may be detained incase
or a long period—is not a vital change. It is only an
xtention of present arrangements so that they may
lauds another class of persons.
The deputation which waited upon Mr. Cross in 1874,
le action of the British Medical Apsociation at the
vat meeting held in Edinburgh in 1875, and still more
ceutly at Soeffield, has shown the almost unanimous
Anion of the medical profession as to the necessity for
oh legislation. It cannot be made a political cry.
arely there is reason, therefore, why the Government
tould take the matter up, and not leave such an lit-
Sant question to private individuals? —I am Sir,
:ur obedient servant. ALFRED CARPENTER, M.D.
3roydon, October 6.