Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1851-08-19

Oinomana or insanity for wine. is the SUBJ
ject of late article in the "American Jour-
nal of insanity The object of the writer
is to show that drunkenness in many of its
phases is mental disease, sometimes hered-
itary, and sometimes arising from other caus-
es He divides the disease Of drunkenness
into three classes-shuttng out occasional
inebrity, and all cases evidently controlable
by The drunkards volition, from the classifi-
cation. The three varieties Of oinomania.
according to the writer in tho Journal, are
acute, recurring and chronic.
The acute generally occurs after vital
prostration produced by fatigue, excess or
other excitement, and is the form OF the dis
ease most easily cured. The patient feels
an irresistible desire to indulge in intoxicat-
ing drinks. He is generally alive to the i'm
propriety Of his condnct, but finds /. mpossi
BILE to resist the mania for liquor if there is
any possible way ofgratifying it. If he can
be prevented from taking intoxicating fluids
until the vital powers rally, the disease dis
appears for the time being, and in some in
stances forever. 1t is alleged that this
phase of oiaomdnid, like the recurrent and
the chronic, is sometimes hereditary
The recurrcnt form of the disease is more
frequent than the acute. and more difficult
to cure. II comes on 10 paroxysms. Pa
tients SO affected. says the writer referred
to, may abstain for weeks or months from
all stimulants; and may even loathe them;
but, at last they become uneasy, listess,
depressed and irritable. They feel restless
they are incapable of exertion. They are
conscious, all this time, Of the impending par
oxysm, and generally struggle against it till
tho impulse becomes irresistible, ard then
they plunge suddenly into the widest ntox
icaion. imbibing quantities that would be
thought sufficient to kill ordinary men. At
Ter an interval of few days the paroxysm
passes off. The intense longing for ardent
spirits. and the patient returns to his ordina-
ry mode of life The victim of this recur-
rent form of Onomania, frequently before
the paroxysm comes OH, leave their families
seclude themselves in distant taverns, and
there drink TO intoxcation till the attack pas
ses off: others shut themselves up at home,
denying themselves TO all visitors; and 9TH
ers again wander about the streets, till ar
rested or picked up oy some friend. Physi-
clans unite in pronouncing an Insane Hospl-
tai the only fit place for such persons until
cured; and the cure usually requires not less
than two years. The victims Of recurrent
Oinomanid, except during their paroxysms,
are in all respects same, which render the
dealings with such cases delicate, and fire.
quently shuts the eyes even of intimate
friends to the real insanity of the patient.
The worst most common, and least man
ageable form of the disease is the chronic -
The victim here is tvrmented necessarily by
an almost overwhelming impulse to swallow
stimulants. Comfort, decency, tho prospects
of life and even the happiness of his family,
IL o.;6 hv ha ttio-
tim of chronic Oinomdnid. Too often the
world censures, when 1t ought TO co mmlser'
ate such person, for he generally derives
no pleasure from his potations and even bit
terly laments the uncomfortable impulse of
which he is the prey. An awful depression
of spirits, forever tempting suicide. and some
times leading to it, is to be appeased only by
inordinate stimulants, and then merely for
season: for soon the mental horror returns,
and with it the diseased thirst; again he
drinks, again he finds momentary Lethe,
and again the hour of torture comes back
more terrible than ever. And so tho miser-
able victim goes on, unless rescued by some
friendly hand until he becomes manical, or
imbocile. or dies. Nor will any rescue avail,
unless il is that ofa physician. The pledge
cannot save such men, for their disease is an
insanity. Nothing but seclusion in Hos
ptal will ever work permanent cure, and
even this cannot always be effected.
Such is the view taken of the subject by
writer who appears TO have studied it pretty
thoroughly. We do not wholly agree with
him. That the confirmed drunkard is insane
wo are not prepared to deny; but we think
his insanity is not tho cause but the result.
of hisldrunk enness. We cannot believe that
it is not in the power of any man to resist the
inclination for strong drink a, the outset
A contrary doctrine would exonerate every
man who is classed under the "acute," chron
ic," or '.recurrent" head, from ell moral or
legal responsibility for his actions. This
would be a dangerous doctrine. In the he
reditary transmission of an appetite for liqu-
or we firmly believe, and it should be the
strongest of all arguments against even mod
crate drinking with every young man who
expects to become husband and father
N. Y. Star.