The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-08-13
Is DRUNKENNESS DURABLE :

Panam,s Monthly for August discusses the
question of inebristy with practical originality.
We subjoin some Of the suggestions:
THE BEGINNING.
There is no "tspering off" with the devil.
Either he has got you, or he has not got you.
The first part of the medical treatment in this
physical disease requires the immediate removal
OF the patient from all disturbing influences, of
Whatever nature
There must be no noisy children about, no
quarreling women, no scandal.mongers pouring
out their distilled venom to jar upon his nerves
and disturb his spirit; he must have absolute
quiet and repose.
But to obtain this, there need not be recour SO
to an asylum
There is none so poor, who is worthy to be
saved, who has not a friend.
Let him then reach some such friend, trust
and confide in him, and obtain the required
shelter, rest, and attendance fo- few days.
Having gained this temporary asylum, we
will say that he drinks his usual allowance of
liquor, and retires to bed in his usual condition
OF inebrity.
He has taken care, in his steader moments, to
provide himself twelve twenty-grain powders Of
bromide Of potassium, which he will get at .
trst-cass drugstore, on presenting the following
prescription, which he can either obtain from q
VI WEltt nltn6clI Uub IL 10 Uo0b w
submit it to physician before presenting:
PRESCRIPTION.
r. POTASH Bromidi 3 il.
Sigma. vi. Pulv.
THE STRUGGLE.
He has given himself two-wseks' holiday,
and his friends have promised to ''ses him
through" and will keep their promise, for it il
sacred; and 30 he need not get out of bed at all,
and one horrible fear is removed at once.
Now he takes one Of his 20-grain powders of
bromide of potassium, and the internal conflict
begins. It is mortal fight with the foul fend
himself.
The patient has 10 cares, no thoughts. Some
one smooths his pillow, shuts out the bright
light which would torture his eyes, airs the room
to suit him, and he feels once more a. though he
were child again, nursed by his mother.
He does not want to eat, and he need not cat,
for he has nothing to do but to lie still and fight
All There is the point. And now he shall
| show of what stuff he is made.
For there is no sterner, 80 there is no nobler
battle waged than this conflict Of the sick man
| with himself and with the devil who has gotten
possession of him.
FIRST RESULTS.
At first the system, surprised by this move!
condition OF things, waits, patiently enough, for
| its usual morning corrective; but at length,
grown weary Of waiting, and becoming even i'm.
patient as the best regulated systems, not to
speak of ill.regulated ones, sometimes will, it
| begins to make itself heard.
There is a gnawing at the pit Of the stomach,
cold sweats crawl up and down the body the skin
is clammy, the head swims around and about,
the muscles become completely relaxed, the nerv.
Gus system is entirely unstrung, "strange dreams
perplex" the doing brain, he slumbers for an in.
stant and is awakened by spasm cramps assail
his limbs, and he kicks them out; if pin drops
it has the reverberation Of ten.pn spots, black
and white dance before his eyes, open or closed
hideous faces glare at him, and change like the
patterns of kaleidoscope out of the pocket of
his coat, hanging over yonder there comes q
wheel, which increases itself, aud whirls spirally
in the air towards him, till it vsnshes under his
very eyes, and still, behind all this phsntasma.
goria, he hears a soft, musical voice saying, "Be
I not afraid You shall win the fghtw
And by.and.by the sedative which he has
taken, and which has insidiously been seeking
out the enemys weak point all the time, finds it,
and the patient falls into sleep, the first natural
sleep he has had for years.
But he wakes again to find the conflict going
on harder than ever, and the craving stronger
and he takes a second powder, say three hours
after the frat, and third at nightfall; and SO
the day passes.
THE SECOND DAY.
The second day is worse than the first. The
fancies are intensified; the system is coming out
from under the alcoholic influence; and the re.
action Is the more terrible. But there must be
no ainching now! Keeping continually before
the mind, as it becomes clearer, the desermna
ton to crush out and root out, at any cost, thi.
vile enemy to health and progress, the saffere,
may also remember that each hour brings him
more and more under the influence of his only
friend, and each hour improves his condition
and increases his ability to continue the conflic,
successfully.
Food should not be taken, unless urgently de-
sired, and then it should be Of tho most nutri
tous character.
Broths Of fowl or beef steak, and such othe,
meats as are best calculated to preserve the ton,
of the stomach are to be preferred.
| THE VICTORY.
By continuing the powders the writer assure.
the reader that perfect success and glorious vic
tory are attanable. The desire for drink viii
be completely eradicated, and its return will no
be likely to occur.