The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-01-24
pELIRIUM TREMENs.

Few of those who have read in the newspa
pers the verdict of coroner's inquest upon
the BODY Of some unfortunate son or daughter
of in;emporance, "dicd Of deirinm iremeDs,
know aueht of tho dreadful, the hellsh malady
described by the significant words. II ones
reason remain unclouded, he may bear extre'
me pain without Ainching; he may sustain with
furtitude tho bereavement, by death, OF those
pho were as dear to him as his own existence;
he may DO stepped to the lips in poverty and
and have to suffer contumely of the world;
still, if his mind retain sanity and forttude, he
will recover no will recover his serenity and
composure. But in the complaint called de
lirium tremens. there is such blending of the
unenrthly with the pains of life, that novice
in the hands Of of those as ignorant as bmself
has a very small chance of recovering. Death
is obnoxious in most of tho forms, but in de-
lirum tremeus it ia horrible and appalling
Delirium tremrns usually attacks those who
have been engaged in short course of reck-
less dissipation, and have been suddenly oblig-
ed TO discontinue the stimulants TO which they
had accustomed themselves, without an oppor-
tunily of ,tapering off, as the phrase goes. or
who are so blind and lost in the maze into which
they have plunged themselves, as to continue
drinking whom the system is unable to support
the unnatural excitement to which it has been
subjected.
Tho first symptoms generally consist of ex-
tromc nervousness aud dissatsfaC tion-and a
horror of sumo dreadful, impending evil. dre-
al Of having committed some hidcous crime a
gsinst ones friends, society at large. The
victim feels wretched in the extreme until he
has partakcn of remedy Of "a hair Of the dog
that bit him." suggested by some 'old hand"
A fcw of these hairs jndiciously taken AZ inter
wills might effect cure But, unfortunately:
tho sufferer finding immediate temporary ro-
lief continues to indulge until all reason is ov
erturned, while an indestroceblc. wakefulness
remains Night after nigh, the victim tres to
sleep, but finds it impossible. lie is like the
thirsty soul of the mythology whose lips tho
water touched, while he could not drind: The
victim feels sleepy and tries hard 10 sleep. but
the brain is in too great state Of excitement
70 permit of repose
Unless strong opiato be taken, and il is fre-
queuily dangerous 20 take one, this state OF
wakefulness confines for three or four days.
until the mind and body arc completely oxhau-
sted Then follows tho second stage of Tho
disease in which no allu-ion in nature can be
moro horrible Tho victim falls into kind of
sum Der surrounded by grotesque and monst-
rous animals who fall over aud around him.
III he awake affrightened, the animals disappear
and are succeeded by inhuman figures and
gnu "oNhhS 'b 'ho uh
fortunate inebrate If he now in his despair
tries to keep awake the figures become voices
suggesting to him all manner of blasphemy;
and urging him on to self-destructon Such
is the horror of these that he again has recou-
rse to sleep, to shut out his tormentors. Alasl
fresh troubles await him. Thousands Of fends
in shapes diversified, try to tear him to pieces,
or he is in the midst of pondrous machinery,
he irregular movements of which seems GER
tain of crushing him to death.
1t is one or the other of the states of the se-
cond stage, that the victim, If not carefully wa
tched, commits self destruction to escape from
the horrors which surround him. One nights
sound sleep and bracing tonics removes disea-
SO. To procure this sloep, the victims friends
should have recourse to physician familiar
with the disease, and in whose honor and abil-
ity they have confidence.
We might write volume on this subject
We believe, however, that we have said enough
to show that Temperance in all things is best.
NJ California certainlv exceeds any othor