The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-07-28
DIPSOMANIA.
THE WAGES OF WHISKY DRINK.
ING

N~~A+ . NAaS~ SOPaS VI sDOt<sAAStc 40
far back in the dim past as we have
knowledge Of time. Still the evil
grows. You may say man cannot
be forced to raise the glass to his
lIps of that liquid poison which makes
beast Of him. But stop, aud study
-think-you of strong nerves. steady
head and healthy liver. Yes, think
what the matter is. In our streets,
and in society, we are familiar with
the various phases of drunkenness,
and the different grades of drinkers.
The morning dram-drinker, with iron
i',sioIes; the jolly, social drinker, and
the one who knowingly, and inten-
tionally, goes into q regular debauch.
Many hard drinkers can exercise a
wonderful control over themselves,
selecting the time to drink and the
time TO keep sober, and can dis
charge all business-social, and even
religious duties, SO far as outward
appearances 90. This class, in the
eyes of our advanced civilization, of
our boasted culture and morals, are
our principal men-leaders in Church
and State. However, there is an
other class whose nervous and san
guine temperament and constitution
"a condition in which vice is trans
formed into q disease, the vicious
habit into an insane, impulsive pro-
pensity, and here the drinker be-
comes Dipsomaniac. The frequent
disturbances Of the mental functions
from fits of intoxication, remorse
and attempts to drown conscience
by deeper libations. creates a spe.
cies of insanity termed Dipsomania
Ia positive disease. The victim
loses entire command over his will,
has no power to resist the burning,
craving appetite for alcoholic stimu-
lants, and when once started on n
spree, would sell his soul FOR drink.
The precepts of morality and relig-
ion, the ties of the nearest and dear
est kin, have no sway over him; in
deed, no power, human or divine,
will interpose in the way of gratify-
ing the propensity when fred up.
He does not drink now with real rel
ish, socially or convivially, but away
from society-alone-as If be was
taking some nauseons drug, viii he
swallow spirits, until he secures that
state of insensibility of mind which
prompts that Unsuitable desire. His
moral feelings become more and
more blunted, and his intellect per-
verted, and when under the influence
of spirits he become wasteful, iras-
chile, mischlevous, resentful, vindic-
tive, and annoys and torments those
around him. Now he is decidedly
insane.
In lucid intervals, when free from
alcohol. with feeble limbs and tremu-
Ious voice. with pale visage and sod
dened eyes, the character above de-
scribed, with sad heart, wishes he
could be transported back to the
days of youth. when q cool drink
from the gnrgling spring could allay
any thirst which summer suns or
youthful exertions could stir up in
his blood. How gladly would he re.
turn. Can he do it? No, his stom-
ach rejects it. That which refreshes
innocence, only makes him sick and
faint. He returns Immediately like
the "dog to his vomit."
The great question is-at least for
these unfortunates - cannot some
thing be done? Throughout the whole
country, towns and cities, sanitary
measures are being adopted to pre-
vent disease, and the results have
been happy. Longevity of life has
increased wonderfully in the last GEN.
tury through the measures recon-
mended and enforced. Moral sua-
sion has been q failure. Secret so
cieties are humbugs, because, in o
majority of cases, The officers and
leaders are persons in whom the CON-
munity have no confdence-no re-
spect for their integrity, morals or
mental acunen. The law can't pre-
vent q man, diseased from alcoholic
stimulants, from drinking. It has
been said that if the punishment for
drinking liquors was declared capi-
tai, by the law-making power Of the
land. that in less than one month,
one-third of the people of the United
States would be hungl What
thought The law would assume
tf.,t a man drinks voluntarily--with
his eyes open to the consequences /;
but such il not the case, for he drinks
without any reflection to ultimate
consequences, for he il unable to ez-
ercise his reason or govern bis viii.
Observation-Disclosures him bound.
hand and foot.
The only sensible view Of the case
presented to the writer is total ab-
sence = not abstinence; +; something
after the plan Of local option. Keep