The Portland daily press., 1867-09-11
Asylum for Inebri 4te,.

/
We have wondered, sometimes, amidst all
the legislation that has been enacted of late
years, for the prevention of drunkenness, and
the crimes and miseries which flow fromit, that
no temperance societies or other philanthropists
have moved upon our Lawmakers for The es-
tablishment of an asylum for the reformation
and care of inebriates We have humane in
stitutions we'll endowed and in successful oper-
alton for the cure of insanity, for the education
OF the blind, off idiots and deaf mutes, and Re-
form Schools for Juvenile offenders; but did it
never occur to any one of our Governors, or to
our Legislators, that men made insane and
criminal by rum-a greater cause of crime and
wretchedness than anything elseA-are as nro-
perly the object Of paternal care and dicipline
OF the State, as other unfortunates? There are
such institutions in Europe, especially in Swe-
den, in which drunkenness, or the evil appe-
tite, is treated as disease, and the physic
employ all their skill, and ply their profess
sional arts for its cure. We believe that such
an institution amongst us would do more than
any maine-Law for the suppression of intem-
perance. Let every drunken husband or son,
on proper representations being made, be COM
mittcd TO such an institution, apd made the
subject of suitable experiments and proper me-
dical treatment, in special reference to his
effectual and thorough cure. 1t is said that If
the alcohol is mixed with every article of food
or drink of which an inmate of such an estal =
hshment partakes, it will in due time create
such loathing as to make him ever aft6r
revolt at the smell or taste of the demoniac
poison How this may be we cannot say; but
such system has the sanction of some of the
best medical men in Sweden. We recollect
that, many years ago, there was celebrated
medicine much talked of and widely adver-
advertised called Chambers Medicine, for the
cure ofdrunkenness. It claimed to be sure
thing. The secret of its composition was not
disclosed, bnt it did have rood effect upon all
who were persuaded to take it. We rAcoIlect
that the keeper of the Jail 10 Kennebec coun'y
procured a quantity of this medicine and gave
it to some of his prisoners who were brought
to jail drunk. 1t had effect and cured all such
as could be induced to persevere in taking it,
Its curative power, we suppose, consisted in a
quantity of pecac or antimony, added to the
compound, the chief portion of which was a.
cohol. 1t produced nausea, and this effect a.
ways accompanying the alcohal partakep.
soon begat a permanent loathing that made
the inebriate revolt thereafter at the very taste
or smell of alcoholic liquors 1t is well known
that stomach once nauseated by anything
eaten or drank will long loathe the article, and
seldom, if ever again, can be made to relish it.
1t was, undoubtedly, on this principle that DR..
Chambers medicine met with so good success.
five had amongst us an Asylum ior Ine-
brintes, that and other medicines could be tried
till some practice was secured which, adapted
to the physical appitite or mental errors, should
emancipate them from their subsection to q
vicious lust and send them back to their fami-
lies and friends re.ermed, to be thenceforth q
blessing to society. Meanwhile, they could be
employed within the Institute in something
which might be useful and self-sustaining.
There are, we believe. one OF two Drunkard's
Homes in the State Of New York, which are
in successful operation, and have proved
great blessing Something of the sort, we be-
lieve, as mere Charity Institution, exists in
Boston. We wish there was one in Maine. 1t
would be worth more to the State than the In
sane Asylum in Augusta, the Reform School
in Westbrook, or the State Prison in Thomas
ton. TRAxI