The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-03
The Diseased Passion for Ardent
Spirits.

or inchrcty rs disease, we give the result
OF our Investigations among The sufferers,
their physicians, friends. and relatives.
That drunkenness is "A disease recurring
medical treatment il, we believe, generally
admitted at the present day 10y all int,lli-
gent and wcll-iuformed people. But that
the habit of drinking is. in most cases, the
result of disease also Is not so generally
understood. We are convinced that this
is the case, both from observation of the
victims OF inebricty and from their con-
tldcnccs. The latter, however. are very
hard to obtain; for not one druukard in a
thousand will he truthful ON this subject.
even when his word can be depended upon
IN every other respect. As soon IN ght we
expect un insane man to confess that he
was dcmentcd, rs to expect dfunkard to
admit. i'll the incipient stages of his NAL
ady. that he i, So afflicted. Even when his
condition and habits are no longer Il secret.
he will often deny the fact. even to those
to whom II would seem useless to deny il.
But men who will not admit their condi-
tion to their most intimate friends or their
! physicians viii rcpose confidence in al
/ cdltoi and ii l. IN Response 10 these conf
dcnccs that we now write, and also with
| the hope that what we are about to say
may reach thousands Of sufferers.
When We come TO consider the utter
want Of charity shown 10 the confirmed
drunkaid by society in general. and even
! 10y those who by virtue of liberal
education would be supposed to stand
above the narrowuess Of prejudice, we
forget to blame. III the depths of our
! pity, the unfortunate victim Of n vice which
he himself knows is justly regarded with
horror No wonder the hapicss inchriatc
cannot make known his dangerous iufatua-
ton even t. his dearest friend. That friend
would in all probability be totally iuoon-
pctcnt To give him any advice and would
in nine cases ont of ten think that he could
control himself if he would Nay. even
those WHO are drunkaids themselves are
| litilc,sly Ccusoriuus Of others, who are.
| perhaps, only a little further advanced
subjects Of the disorder. Again, no ply
sician who is addicted to his social glass or
his private alcoholic stimulmt is q safe
adviser; ana ana TINS tine intelligent hut IN.
latun;,d m christie knows. ~ ould hCwritc
TO hotc-idDnt physician Of any mchrut
"a ylum, hc will be promptly aI>i.cdt to hy
y
hospital Bat how many men, pbsorhcd
In the active .siuC,- Of life. ana charged
with the cue aud support oi family,
can pare the tiWc ana money for such an
experiment; lnehrGtc hospitals viii not
Doe t.. ortod a.. save by ouuilmOG m,Nl'-
atcs They have douhti,~s dour much
good. Bat tL,J cannot rcaoh tnr ttou-
sands who are IA need ot the most iuot.
ci,u, and hmrdntc treatment. Those.
who are on the outer edges of the maol-
/ stIom know the dreadful danger tl,, an.
/ in vet cuunot cNtrIcatc Ives from il
without a rope thrown 10 t,.cm ~ Soma.
sur, and stead, hand.
1t will. pcrhaps. sunrise our r,.tl,r- ,o
know thqt the minority Of medical mon
with whom we have CONVEX "a have ,y-
pros sod uttcritcre,hilityH 90 tue norma
nont cure formation Of confirmed inc
hrintos nv medical treatment or ,thei.wi.c.
Some even 20 so far as To saw that tho
.ounor a drnknrd drinks himself 10 donth
| the better il /. for society. That. i'm t,.t
| il costs more time Intlellcc. ANA waste Of
feeling on the part # their nearest rrla-
| tivc., not 10 speak of the outlay of money
that could he better eNb,ud,d. tiiau tho
reformed inelniate H. ever worth. This.
we believe. il "A grave mistnkc; but il IS
certainly true that very largo propor-
tiCn Of those DISCHARGED from rluu> and
from the care Of private plncttioucrs do
relapse. and have to be treated for tho dis
49,, go ,''' l'"' ~ "'0
was r,eortod TO; and 81, nudlv. H.. inn