The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-05-01
DELIRIUM TREMENS.
What 1t is, and How it affects different
Individuals.


induced by the excess and prolonged use
of intoxicating liquors" Whoever has
seen case of delirium tremens, has nc
ida of the intense suffering, and fearful
reality which crowds itself upon the hal
luclnated intellect of the sufferer. -
Strange as 1t may seem, the person so af
filcted is deeply impressed with the idea
that be is perfectly rational, and that all
which appears to his diseased mind is true
and real but to the same mind it is the work
OF disordered imagination His misery
no pen can paiut in worGs-It is horrific
The senses are terribly alive-the brain,
the ear, and the eye-in rapid succession
conlurc up some new aud varied halluci
nation, creating wheel upon which the
physical system is broken, and exhaust.
ed nature kept continually on the rack
Sleep he cannot, eat and drink he will
not. If he would recover, sleep must en-
sue, and consequently nourishment, to
stimulate exhausted nature, which has
been destroyed by the power of strong
drink. II alcohol has utterly broke o
down his constitution, even though sleep
occurs, he cannot recover, for there is
nothing left upon which to found recu
peration. \ man may recover from one
single attack, possibly from two, but new
er, or rarely from the third. The delu
slons assume various phases in different
iudivluals. The sluggish and good hu
Gored person is sometimes violent aud
dcmoustrative the violent and passionate
partake Of the humorous aud ludicrous.-
We can best illustrate this by giving one
or more incidents.
1u the Juniata Valley lived w. NJ,
who IN disposition was passionate aud
hasty IN h:ic rational moments he was
Of social turn of nir5i, but too fond Of
the glass. OF course, his bibuous pro
rensities iu time brought on delirium tre
mems. In his paroxysms he would seek
to destroy himself, and had to be carefully
guarded. liz would attempt no injuries
upon others. One day he eiuded the care
Of his watchers, and succeeded in getting
into the garden. Here he was contr0n ted
by buffalo robe, spread upon q clothes
line, for the purpose OF summing out moths
After scrutiniZiUg the robe for some time,
he went down Oh "ai fOurs," and eau
tiuusIy approached the object Of his wrath,
muttering to himself, Il see you p
When within a few feet Of the aim Of his
puenacity he made a terrible spring,
grasped the robe, drew it to the earth,
when ensued a most ludicrous combat
Sometimes the robe was on top, and some
times under-all the time receiving heavy
blows, with cries Of 'd-n you, I've got
you now ~ Getting possession Of a ra-
zor, he came near destroying himself af-
terward. Recovering, for many years he
abstained from ardent spirits but in a
fatal moment he again partook of the imp
in the wine cup. fell and died most
horrible death, rendering the room quite
on the verge OF hell.
c. p. was a man Of kind, genial, and
social dispOstion-possessing very excel
lent talent-was widely known in this
valley, and had something of a State re-
putation in short, he was loved for his
many good qualities. He became in
iatuated with strong drinks, which even
tually brought him to delirium tremens.
He came into the bar rooms Of public
house one morning and took a scat by the
stove. Presently he called the attention
Of parties to "the grass growing out OF
the stove" and next to that Odd
chicken cock growing on the window sill J"
These expressions plainly told from what
he was suffering. He was undemonstra
tive in his hallucinatiOns, and after be
ing confined to his room though not a
military man. he amused himself by com
manding an immense army OF soldiers
Il still had other harmless alterations
during intervals He recovered but CON
tiuued drinking to IA greater or less ex-
tent as circumstances afforded, and finally
died a wreck Of his former self. lie was
one. of those kind of men that were born
to grace society, and do good to his fel
lows, but, alas rum was his bane, and
the world was bereft OF the services which
would have made it better for his having
lived in it.
j. l.. was one Of your easy, going "hail
fellow well met sort of chaps-of dila
tory proclyities. He was more aceus-
toned to long and violent sprees rather
than regular drinking habits, which
gradually, but surely, made havoc with
his vigorous constitution, and finally
brought on au attack of delirium tremens.
When 10 this condition he was in mortal
dread all the time, pleading for some one
to care for him, having more of the char
acteristics of the child than a man. His
first attack was very serious one, aud re-
ouired the utmost skill Of physicians to
enable him to weather the storm. Upon
his recovery, he abstaned from his cups
for several months, but, unfortunately,
relapsed into his old habit. A second
attack Of mania followed, and when con
fped to the room he became very violent,
demolishing furniture, windows, and
everything of breakable Character
Contrary to the expectations of friends
and his physician, he recovered from this
attack, to be informed by his skllliul
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