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

liViiunhteiv, numoer IN tue world.
both men and women. The word dip.
somapiac, though in popular use.
does not correctly express what i,
meant TO be understood. II Is derived
from the Greek words siguifying to
thirst and Madness Kelptoma.
MIA signifies mania for theft, and Dip
somania should signify mania for
thirst, which is obviously the reverse
Of what is Intended In no sense do
these persons drink because they are
thirsty ~ the native remarked, 81
do not drink for drinkoo | drink for
drunkee." A more appropriate name
for them would be that OF Bacchoma
MACS, since what they strenulously
desire and restessly seek is the sense
Of intoSication in its various stages.
and to secure this thcy will swallow
most nnything-laudanum, spirits Of
wine, tincture Of hemp, etc, provided
it is capable of producing that condi-
ton; they crave for tho excitement
the pleasure which they feel in it, and
above all, for tho train of happy
thought which it sets up.
These uniortunates may bo roughly
divided into two classes. First, we
have the habitual tipplers. These be
Gin early in tho morning. A man
commences with brandy and sldawa-
ter, or pale ale; woman with wine.
chloIic ether, lavender drops, etc. and
thoy continue at this kind Of game
all day. In the morning they expert.
cnce trcmOr, depression, and wretch
cd sensgtion Of sinking and exhaustion :;
they revive toward night, are never
quito sober, and, before they 60 to bed
they are commonly only one remove
from being holplcssly drunk. Toward
the latter part Of their lives they be
come a prey to various painful diseases,
chiefly affecting the liver, kidneys aud
stomach. Sometimes hypochondriasi.
of very confirmed chsra,ter declares
itself at other times they are attack.
cd by deiirium h'emens, or brain dis
case. Suicide, or attempts to sui.
eide, during the the successive de-
precision which eusues after the first
named malady are not uncommon.
The second kind are those individuals
with whom the desire for intoXication
is less a habit or a propensity than
madness and a mania They are not
steady, constant tipplcrs they have
intervals long or short OF sobriety, aud
during these periods they are often
the most amiable, friendly aud agree
able Of mortals-at least we have
known such. Presently their time
comes, and either from some sorrow or
worry or anxiety, or often without any
appsrant cause at all, they become ST.
lent solitary rnd moody for few
days or hours, and then betake them
selves TO haunts which welcomed
them before, and indulge in irightful
aud incessant drunkenness for periods
varying from five days to three weeks
These persons are, as ralc, 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 q good old
age. and enjoyed fair health. But
when it is otherwise, their interludes
of temperance or Of abstinence become
shorter; they suffer moro iu 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 very rapid. At last they lose all
discrimination, and will drink any
| thing. anywhere, at any time, or at
|any ones expense, if il only promises
them the pleasure oYintoxication.
Ultimately they die in ditch, or
work house. or an hospital If they are
poor--iu lunatic asylum, IL they are
better OF, or perhaps in prison.
Sometimes man viii jump out OF
the window and break his neck In a
state Of deiiri1m temms, and some
rcasoners may say, sand 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 common expression
lfhev ara nohodv's enemv but their