Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-01-03
AN ISEBRIATE ASYLUM.
A Visit to the Institution at Bing-
hampton, New York.

A Visit to the Institution at Bing-
hampton, New York.
Correspondence New York Times.
With the exception of q few of the
cOmers, there is nothing whatever in
the appearance Of the eighty-five gen.
tlemen who are at present residents
in the Asylum, which, at a cursory
glance, would distinguish them from
the bOarders or transient guests Of a
New York hotel. They are well and
neatly dressed, quiet and gentlemanly
in their department, and apparently
sociable with one another. In fact
there is q decided resemblance to q
hotel throughout. The parlors, halls,
reception rooms, billiard and smok-
ing rooms, corridors and bed rooms
are all arranged exactly like those of
q. modern hotel and when the in
mates are seated at the long rows of
tables in the dining rooms at their
table dhote dinner, and go out one
by one as they please, to stroll with q
cigar through the halls and corridors,
the illusion is complete.
The term Of residence in the asylum
varies from three, six, nine, up to
twelve months, according to the needs
of the PATIENTS case and the time he
can afford to spend on his cure.
They may, of course, leave at any
time, unless they are COMMITTED
patients. The latter always leave as
soon as their term is up, and hurry
away to their old haunts, to make uR
for their enforced abstinence by long
extended jOllifcation. DR.. Dodge is
Of the opinion that much good, often
q permanent cure, may be effectedin
three months but in all cases, he
recommends patients to remain six
months, term which he considers
ample. In the cases of elderly men,
however, where the disease is of ten,
fifteen or twenty years growth, he
thinks 1t advisable that they should
remain in the institution for nine
months or year, or even for longer
time.
asked the doctor what he thought
was q fair estimate of the proportion
ofpermanent cures among those who
had left the Asylum. He says that it
Is difficult 10 form q trustworthy esti-
mste, but that from all the data they
can collect On the subject, they think
from sixty to sixty-fVe per cent. is by
no means in excess Of the reality.
One word about the exact eapabili-
ty Of the Asylum as q refOrmatory so
far as understand Ii from DIR. Dodge.
1t does not assume the power of so
curing a man Of the love Of liquor
that relapse is improbable. As soon
as a man puts his foot into the Asy-
lum he is regarded as a patient seek
Ing hospital treatment for a eurable
physical disease, brought on by con-
slant introduction inte the system Of
alcoholic poison. The first thing is
work away the pernieious
influence on the brain and internal
So soon as this is af-
fected the patient is restored to the
mental and bodily condition in which
he was before he betrayed his love for
alcohol. But no treatment can Grad
Ieate the tendency, and it is precise
ly that which the reformed drunkard
has to fight against. One drink of
whisky may at any time awaken that
tendency, just as some
.ri6ing incident viii resuscitate a long
forgotten love, If certain circumstan-
ses do not intervene. Many a man
las left it strong in the conviction
hat he is now possessed Of sufficient
strength Of will to drink to mOdera-
ion, has found himself back Under
DR.. DOdgeis care within three moths.
Those who have been drunkards, and
have reformed, must bear in mind
hat they have become drunkards be-
,ause they had in their composition
what their fellOW-u1el have uOt-in-
lerent tendency to love of alcohol.