The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-12-08
noston Inebrlate A,,lnm.

The Thirteenth Annual Report of the
Washington Home, Boston. Mass, IS a
document OF great interest The Home,
II is known, is an institution for the treat
ment Of patients suffering from alcoholic
disease, and the Boston house Was, we
believe, the FIRST Of the kind in the coun'
try, and possibly in the world. During
the l3 years of its existence Il has treated
8, 600 patients-during the last year 2I6
have been received. Mr.. Otis Clapp, the
President of the Corporation, aays ;
with limited means and inadequate
accommodation, the work Of the Home
has been perseyeriugly carried on with
increasing energy, and its efforts for
good have been acknowledged, not only
IN our own State, but throughout the
Union, and even In other countries.
Mr.. William c. Lawrence, the efficient
Superintendent of the Home, states the
encouraging fact that 81 eases Of deiirium
tremens have been treated during the
last year, and that not one has been lost
Over one hundred outdoor patients have
been treated with gratifying success,
About one-half the indoor patients have
reRained only fortnight the remainder
for various periods from two 10 six
months Mr. Lawrence says I'VE have
no doubt, from present appearances, that
We shall have more thorough reforma
tons than in any previous year. The
plan adopted by the Home is mainly a
moral one 1t is supposed that every
applicant is desirous OF reforming bis
habits, and Of ridding himself OF disease.
There is no restraint worth mentioning,
except such as is necessary for the pre-
seryation Of good order In the Home.
The patient pledges his honor 90 rflrain
from alcohol whilerestthng IN tire hume,
and he is not only expected but desired
TO exercise the most perfect freedom IN
regard 10 his personal movements. There
is, in cases requiring il. medical treat
ment, bat after few days this is rarely
necessary. The mind is the chief pbsHi-
cian. BY every cheerful encourage
ment, by undertaking personal kindness,
by advice, and every possible assistance,
the reforming man is encouraged 10 rely
not upon Others. but upon himself
Gradually, che good habit takes the
place Of the bad one The ereStoTcd will,
before heads,rong in thssSroagdirechen.
becomes inhexible in the right one.
Seeing With new eyes, and thinkingFlth
a new mind, aDd feeling with nes
heart, Ii often happens that those who
have been deemed the most hopelessly
incorrigible become the most immoyable
and resolnte in a course Of EUbTiely'
The officers of the institution point with
a pardnnable pride 10 a great many men
now h0kling positions -oflbonor, nsefnl-
ness, and eInolument. who owe the fact
not alone that they are prospering. but
that they are living At all, 10 the in
iluenccs of the Home. OF course. the
institution sometimes fails. IL cannot
select les patients, and il necessarily re-
ceives some who are probably beyond
the permanent influence OF any treatment
whatever, except that OF physical re
straint But wherever there is vill
enough remaining 10 second tho moral
effort, the best hope may % entertained;
andit is taken for gTAptea Mat no man
is deficient in these, until be has been
tried repeatedly and always found want
ing. But the Home does not pretend TO
offer refuge for those who are absolute
ly incurable This is no part Of its un-
dertaking nor, in justice Ia those under
It's care, who are struggling In hittcr ear
nest, could !. be permitted "a become
merely the temporary resort of those who
desire nothing except 20 be rescued for the
hour from the consequenccs Of a debauoh
which may at any moment be renewed.
The Home "means business, and those
who manage il are in earnest. They hold
that for the incorrigible--for those Who
have passed the fatal point, and become
mere children so far as the power of The
will is concerned, other meaps OF re-
straint like those rcsorted 20 in other
cases Of insanity, must be provided. either
10y the State or by private hberality.
Az the sanla time, these chronic eases
would diminish in number as society be-
comes more and more abstinent The
Washingtonian Home. undertakes 20
solve only pnn problrip, and that is to
restore the enfeeblcd will 20 a moral aud
effective muscnlarity.