The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-10-14

V;sw.3 from the pen Of DR.. w, B Car
penter. Of the numerous maladles to
which mankind are subject, none are
more affecting or deplorable than those
which disorder the brain, and thus i'm
pair those faculties which distinguish
anfrom the brute creation, and are the
highest and most precious gift of the
Deity. If it be the direct tendency OF
ANY practice to occasion this result, it
will; we conceive, be universally admit
ted 10 furnish valid ground for putting an
end toit. The subject is an exceedingly
important one, and we therefore offer no
apology for presenting the following CO..
pious extracts to our readers: 4
The article commences by observing
that
GOf all the diseases 10 which the hu-
man system is incident, there is none
that is regarded with so much apprehen-
sion, by persons of cultivated mind, as
Insanity. In proportion, to our estimate
of the elevation OF mans spiritual nature,
as compared with his material organism;
in proportion 10 our admiration Of the
mental endowments Of those heroes Of
our race who stand forth as examples Of
what it may produce in moral worth, in
intellectual greatness, in poetic beauty,
is our sadness at the idea Of it's degrada-
ton, as exhibited in those various phases
Of madness which present themselves 10
the observation Of every visitor to a lu-
natic asylum, and which are systematised
and described with so much painful mi.
nuteness by those who have devoted
themselves TO their study. There is
scarcely any one who would not shrink
from becoming the subject Of either of
these, more than he would do from the
sufferings and loss of power consequent
upon the severest bodily disease or in
jury; or who would not (if the choice
were permitted him) welcome death it.
self, rather than pass the rest of his DAYS
in the condition of the confirmed lunatie
or the dwelling imbecile. Of what he
Teditary taint are families so desirous TO
be thought free, as they are Of insanity ?
In what other case are relatives and
friends SO unwilling to admit the exis-
tence of 4 serious disorder? In what
other case is it so difficult to induce them
to take the steps which are necessary for
the patients welfare, no less than for
their own security?
'1f such be the feeling of the inteIli- /
gent part of mankind in regard 10 Insani-
ty, it is reasonable to suppose that if the |
artificial introduction of It in one indi.
vidual, by the voluntary act OF another, H
were possible occurrence, such an act |
would be treated by society as a crime
scarcely less grave than murder itself. /
and would be visited with the seyerest
penalties of the law; and it might be
further presumed, that the artificial in.
duction of it in any individual, by his
own determinate purpose, would be con-
'idered scarce less reprehensible than
suicide itself. Il
ut is not little strange, then, that in H
all ages of mankind of which we have
any historical record, and in nearly all
aces, a practice has prevailed among a
arger or smaller proportion of every
community, OfIaniicially producing a
condition of mind, which re-
'embles insanity in all its essential fea-
ures; the individual, when under the
influence of the peculiar poisons which
lave the property of thus acting upon his
higher nature, through his nervous sys-
EN-, being as completely destitute Of
'elf.cOntrol as is the raging madman, and
being, in consequence, utterly incapable Il
of taking care of himself, as well as (too
requenuy) prone to commit the most \
serious injuries to the persons or property Il
9t others. 1t is not only by the various H
liquors which become changed with aico.
1ol through their own fermentation. or Il
through the admixture of distilled spirits.
hat this dire effect is produced; for we
and that the misdirected ingenuity of
mankind has discovered similar intox-
eating properly in many other substances
1om."
Alter enumerating a variety of intoxi.
eating agents used by different nations to
produce transient arrangement, the wri.
Ter says: ...
"Such being the facts of the case. we
might not unprOftably inquire into theit H
IL. . 4 II