The North-Carolina standard., 1842-04-13
From the Boston Recorder
DELIRIUM TREMENS.-A SKETCH.


The dclirium tremens is one of the most fright
full consequences of intemperance When the
wretched victim of unbridled appetite, has indulg
ed to a certain extent in his accustomed stimulant
his reeling brain eonjures up multitude of fan
cies far more horrible than ever tantalized the
widest maniac The concluding scene with such
an individual is indescribably fearful. Death in
all its Protean variety, has never affected me with
such sensations as have experienced when stand
ing by the wretched incbriate, suffering with this
terrible disorder. One case to which my mind
reverts was marked with circumstances of painful
interest Esquire Lang was a wealthy gentleman
farmer of extensive repute He was worthy
member of the State Legislature, an excellent
neighbor, and in days when a periodical revel
was rarely accounted an evil, man of irreproach-
able moral character. Few, even in his own do
mestic circle, referred the bloated corpulency of
his naturally large system and the fiery flush of
his full face, to the legitimate cause. His daily
drams of Cogniac ana his regularly retiring to
bed every day after dinner, were tine only practi-
ces which the most scrupulous whispered to his
discredit. But abused appetite forces us sooner or
later to pay the forfeit. MIR. LING was arrested
in his Incorporate course by a fit of strong apo
plexy He had been partially recovered by the
energetic application of the usual restorants and
all stimulating food and drinks strongly interdict
cd as certain hindrances to entire convalescence.
His brain, now tortured with emptiness as it had
before been with plethora, giving birth to all
the wild and horrible imaginations of deliriumtre
mems. tied my horse under one of his ample
sheds and entered without ceremony. He sat bolt
upright in his bed, and his eountenance the
image of despair. His eyes were alternately fit
fully glancing, or farfully rolling in their strain
ed sockets as if in pursuit of ever changing OBJ
jects now advancing, retrcating, and now fit
ting with e ctric rapiditY over the fell of vision
Startls d at my entrance. he looked UP and vehe-
ms ntly exclaimed, "Wouh you rob me2' Again
recoiling from my proffered hand, he shrielled,
t'Yo ou would murder metz and sprang from the
opposite side of his couch with superhuman ener-
gy. The injudicious opposition of his friends to
his whims, had phrenzied him to an alarming de-
gree He utterly and obstinately refused ano-
dynfs, and was only retained by force from leap
ing from the windows of his apartment to escape
these visionary yet to him real tormenters. Grasp
ing the clothes convulsively as we replaced him
in bed he buried himself beneath half a dozen
blankets "EIa! there yet?" he mutered in stifed
tones, and flung the covering from himself to the
floor with startling su1ienness Soothing words
calmed him occasionally, but he seldom lost sight
for moment of the phantoms' dancing attendance
upon his unthroned imagination. Now terror
beamed from every lneament "Fiendsl' he ex-
claimed, shrinking backward and elevating his
head for defence. Again his. face exhibited every
mark of strong loathing and disgust "snakesi"
said he, "see them craw1p' "Seel they are ON my
bedl" 'sKeep them off" raising his voice with
each successive exclamation. Now his eyes ra-
pidy traversed the circumference of circle which
was rapidly lessening "See! they are on mep'
he exclaimed, when his person was embraced
.vlthin the narrowing limits. "Why don't you
keep.thern Off" The expression of his features,
his Intense agitations his motions were all those
of one upon whom ten thousand reptiles were
trailing their scaly bodies. 80. ~ :. D..
Again fixing his eyes upon retired corner Of
the room, he shook with an unearthly shudder as
if some new horror had greeted his vision. t'What
do you see thereP' inquired his anxious and dis
tressed wife. "TwoI' he whispered "Two
what2" said l. "Two horrid, horrid felloRsr
He shu1dered convulsively. aKeep them awayl"
said he family after another half hour of anxious 81
lence Our hopeless task of beating the air was re-
sumed with the usual success. Take them aw yl"
he groaned, "they are coningl they are comingr'
Il threw myself into a posture of defence. He
grew calm for a few moments Then suddenly
starting UP, he c1enched his fists, raised them to
his right shoulder IN boxing attitude, g1ared fear
ana fury from his bloodshot eyes, howlH in ago.
nv, "they com! !! they come!P' struck three seve.
raj times with appalling energy at the approach.
ing phantoms, and fell back upon his eouehA-.0
ghGstly corpse la s'.-- =. i*'szss'- : 9
September, 1870 "A fact s oH