The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1871-02-23
Incbgiates.

PIRATES, or dipsomnnlacs, there are un.
fortunately, number in the world
bo;h men and women. The word dip.
somapiac, though in popular use
does not correctly express what is
meant to be understood. II is derived
from the Greek words signifyng "to
thirst and Madness Kelptoma.
mia signifies mania for theft, and din
somania should signify mania for
thirst, which il obviously the reverse
Of what is intended. In no sense do
these persons drink because they are
thirsty as the native remarked, "
do not drink for drinkcc drink for
drunkee." A more appropriate name
for them would DO that Of Bacchoma.
MACS, since what thoy strcnulously
desire and restlessly geek is The sense
of intoxication in it's various stages
and to secure this they will swallow
most anything-laudanum, spirits Of
wine, tincture Of hemp, etc, provided
it is capable Of producing that condi-
ton; they crave for the excitement
the pleasure which they feel 10 it, and
above all, for tho train of happy
thought which il sets up.
These uniortunatcs may bo roughly
divided into two classes. First, we
have the habitual tipplers. These be
Gin carly in tho morning. A man
commences with brandy and s)dawa-
ter, or pale ale; woman with wine,
chloric ether, lavender drops, etc, and
they continue ut this kind Of game
all day. In the morning they expert.
enco trcmor, depression, and wretch
cd sensrtion Of sinking and exhaustion ;
they revive toward night, are never
quito sober, and, before they go to bed
they are commonly only one remove
from being hclplcssly drunk. Toward
the latter part of their lives they be
como a prey to various painful diseases,
chiefly affecting the liver, kidneys and
stomach. Sometimes hypochondriaqi.
of y very confirmed chara,ter declares
itself at other times they are attack.
cd by deiirium b'emeas, or brain dis
case. Suicide, or attempts to sui
eide, during the tho successive de-
precision which eusues after the first
named malady are not uncommon.
The second kind are those individuals
with whom the desire for iutoxication
is less a habit or a propensity than
madness and mania They are not
steady, constant tipplers they have
intervals long or short of sobriety, aud
during these periods they are often
the most amiable, friendly and agree
able Of moItals-at least we have
known such. Presently their time
comes, and either from some sorrow or
worry or anxiety, or often without any
apparant cause at all, they become ST.
lent solitary end moody for few
days or hours and then betake them
selves to haunts which welcomed
them before, and indulge in frightfuI
and incessant drunkenness for period,
varying from five days to three weeks
These persons are, as rglc, extremly
abstinont in their sober intervals, and
very guarded as to drinking anything
of an intoxicating nature in general
society. Occasionally they are re-
formed, or reform themselves, aud we
have know several who, under these
conditions, have lived to good old
age. and enjoyed fair health. But
when it is otherwise, their interludes
of temperance or of abstinence become
shorter; they suffer moro in the reac.
tion after each debauch, and are less
able to struggle against their craving
for stimulants. The effect of this is
often to make them shun society, and
when this is SO the downward career
is worry rapid. At last they lose all
discrimination, and will drink any
thing, anywhere, at any time, or at
Iany ones expense. if IL only promises
them tho pleasure oYintoxication.
Ultimately they die in ditch, or
work. k.house, or an hospital if they are
poor--in lunatic asylum, if they are
better of, or perhaps in prison,
Sometimes a man will jump out Of
the window and break his neck in q
state Of deliii1m tremeas. and some
rcasoners may say, I" And so best
As rule, tho greater crimes-mur-
der, bloodshed, and violence-are not
committed by these persons they are
too much absorbed in their own sensa-
tons to pay attention to anything
else aud, to use o common expression
ktar, aro rnhad.,a auamxr hut tha;r