Worcester daily spy., 1859-05-10

The PREVALENCE OF INEBRIETY.-The re-
cent efforts to establish and endow an Inebriate
Asylum at Binghampton, N. Y have attracted
the serious attention of the public to the evils
it processes to cure. An address issued by its
proprietors and friends alludes to some of the
marked and melancholy examples which have
fallen under their observation:
A clergyman suffering from physical mala-
dy was recommended by his physician to use
coholic stimulants, which were taken in large
quantities, and for long period. The result
was that this prescription, instead of benefit
ting the patient produced the more fearful dis
ease of inebriety The patient lost self-control,
and became a burden to his friends, who made
every effort to restrain him, but IN vain. AT
length, conscious of his inability for self-con-
troll, he voluntarily surrendered himself to the
custody of the superintendent of the Aims
house on Blackweil's Island. He remained
there but short time, as his better nature re-
volted at the deprayed surroundings. Finally,
as last resort his friends have sent him on
sea-voyage, from which he has not yet return
ed.
Another clergyman of high position in the
church, became an inebriate, and in a fit of de-
lirium tremens, actually attempted to kill his
own child, and would have succeeded but for
the interposition of his wife.
Within the past two years only, the State of
New York has lost by death two of her Su-
preme Court Judges, and one of her County
Judges, all of whom died by inebriety, and all
of whom were applicants for admission to this
asylum.
Within three years there have been two ap-
plicants for admission to this Asylum, who af-
terwards committed suicide while laboring un-
| der delirium tremens. One of these was an
officer in the United States Navy, who distin-
guished himself in the war with Mexico. AT
| ter he had returned from a cruise, he began
| to stimulate to excess, became diseased by al
cohol, and lost selfcontrol. He told US, when
he applied for admission to the institution,
that he should soon die, unless controlled and
treated in an asylum. On being informed
that the edifce was not built, he left in depair,
and, three weeks after, while suffering under
an attack of the delrium tremens, he threw
himself from the third story window of his
hotel, killing himself instantly
The other case of selfdestruction was
young man of wealth and position He was
accomplished in mind. polished in manners,
benevolent in heart and universal favorite
with his associates, both young and old. This
painful disease in him was hereditary. His
better nature revOlted at the idea of being an
inebriate and dying an inebriate. When we
told him the asylum was not completed, he
turned away in despair and said, ''Then must
| die" Six months had scarcely elapsed when,
| while in delirium tremens, he took bottle of
laudanum, which closed his unfortunate career.
The New York Evening Post, alluding to
these sad revelations, makes the following sad.
der comments
1t is too true that it is not men alone
for whom an Inebriate Asylum is wanted
Women are subject to the same calamity, and
need the same remedy. There are numerous
cases of wives and mothers, women brought
up in luxury, refined and well educated, who
have been degraded through the influence of
stimulating drink. We know that these things,
though the facts are generally kept quiet, are
too true Every house, they say, has skele-
ton /; but what skeleton can be as dreadful
what int1iction to fond family as terrible--as
that of drunken mother, wild and delrious
without the exciting cup, and drugged to stu
pidity by its use when she can get it In
Charlotte Brontes remarkable novel, the great
mystery on which the story hinges is the mad
woman, imprisoned in the old country house
But there is moro than one home in this city
that has quite as terrible an inmate as the de-
Grious maniac that Rochester so INCREASINGLY
guarded, and whose existence and actions it is
quite as desirable and as difficult to keep Sc
cret as it was to retain from Jane Eyre the
knowledge of the crazy prisoner. We could
mention several estimable clergymen, as well
as men Of secular professions, in whose fami-
lies the wife and mother is an inebrated ma
niac-a disgrace to herself and her relatives.
In one instance, prominent clergyman was
recently prevented, by such domestic afiiic-
ton, and by that alone, from accepting prof
fered ecclesiastical position of the highest rank.