The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-04-07
From the New York Tribune.

The Saturday Review, which delights
in dragging to light all diseases and
weaknesses in the feminine body and
soul, has fallen lately ON promising
cancer in what it delicately calls
drawing Room Alcoholization.n The
London Lancet, treating the subject
from the physicians point of view, ad-
mits that the increasing prevalence of
intempefance among educated English
women is becoming alarming, and as
serts that medical men fail to see and
act up to their duty in the matter. ga
careful practitioner" it SAYS, should
remember the peculiar sensitlveness of
women during certain portions of their
life to the influence of narcotics. Hence
il he prescribes alcohol for them at all
it should not be for trivial ailments
which are liable to recur frequently,
and for which the patient will only be
too ready to apply the agreeable remedy
which was found so efficaciOus before.n
The Lancet also urgently deprecates
the practice OF allowing young girls be-
tween the ages of fifteen and twenty
to acquire the habit Of taking a regular
and often large quantity of wine ON
account of supposed delicacy. 'grhe
practice" it averse, sis utterly un-
justified by any physiological need in
the absence of positive disease and the
results are most DISASTROUS
1t is worth our while to look at home
and see how this matter stands with
us. There is such a sense of chivalry
toward the weaker sex, and faith in I
fhaIr Iarrrffxy A
statement that drunkenness existed to
any appreciable amount among edu-
Gated women would be received with
disgust and incredulity. Yet there are
certain facts which it is high time
should be taken at once into considera-
ton by both the pulpit and the press.
To physicians they are, unfortunately,
but too familiar. Among these is the
too large proportion of female patients
in insance asylums, who have become
so from the use of stimulants. Inebriate
asylums for women have been lately
established in this State and Pennsyl.
vania, and are filled out of the high
ranks of society. The American fash
ionable woman, as We all know, drinks
often, at her own table, wines of a
strength which her European sistar
would not dare to touch. She "mixes
her liquors" toe; In her teens is a con-
nOisseur of champagne, delicately sins
sherry cobblers and Roman punches:
and all this with her indoor life, her
limp constitution, her bilious habit, and
under climatic influences which to the
strongest man make alcohol a poison.
There are certain quiet ''ladies' restau-
rants in all the sea-board cities, so
quiet and modest in appearance that
gentlemen are not tempted into them,
where respectable women resort for the
stimulant which is probably inaccessi-
bic at home. Deaths from n,uaiu-a-
pOtu have occurred this winter, and
that not in the debased lower classes
but amcng cultured, delicately rearsd
women; some ofthem young, generoos
lovable girls. This is an ugly and a.
most incredible story. II we did not
feel that the danger was imminent, we
would not drag such fOulness out from
its hidden corners into the public air.
So far, the women who have sinned
have done sounconsciously or ignorant-
ly. The hurry and struggle Of life In
this country have told upon their pby-
steal health far more than upon that of
men. The overwork, the haste to be
rich, the incessant effort to urge their
children, or themselves up to q higher
plane of social life, together with That
hereditary lack of bodily stamina and
the high nervous organization peculiar
to American women, all drive them
to the use OF artificial stimulants. The
baby at the breast is dosed nightly with
soothing syrups; the siekly school girl
has her "drops' night and morning:
while for the innumerable ailments Of
the married woman there is q manteI
shelf full of tonics, elixirs, and Litters,
German and native, all warranted 'sfree
from a drop of alcoholic mixture.U
Opium, in its artificial and crude state
is used to an extent of which only phy-
sicians and druggists are aware. We
have no heart to say one word of blame
in view of this disheartening record.
The sensation Of sudden relief,n saws
the Lancet, replacing acute pain or
nervous exhaustatiOn, Is exceedingly
grateful to tired and suffering women:
and it is no wonder that by swift de-
grees they come to seek with ayiditv
for this kind of oblivion" Whatever
words of warming we have to saw 10
this class ofwomen are offered with the
sincerest pity.
There is class of female tipplers.
however, for whom we have little com
passion and no respect; the would be
fashionable matrons and girls who
not only drink themselves because |
they consider it en- regle to do SO, but |
urge stimulants upon men, not know
ing or caring whether it may not be !
death for them to touch them. IntelIk !
gent people are learning more of the
physical effects Of liquor. In the best
houses in New York and Washington
none-was offered to The guests Oh last
New Years day-a significant hint,
which the vulgaser orders, let US hope,
will accept in time. Familiarity with
brands, we assure these as
piring matrons, will not Lift them into
the Brahmin class; and q young girl Is
never less attractive in the eyes Of men
t:san when she personates q Bacchante.
Every man had secret, pure gracious
ideal of o maiden and mother; and
a womanly zwomsD atr the wash-tub,
in the market place, or on the rostrum I
does not destroy that fancy. BIT the 4
belle Of the BALI room, wlIirling half
naked in an immodost dance, her face
red, and the smell ofliquor
Oh her breath--pab! "Give usan ounce
of cives, good apothecaTy, to sweeten
oLr irf1agiuatiOusu'