The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-11-03
INEBRIETY in AMERICA.


Americans-EvolutionA Applied to Disease
"A Problem that Is Solving Itself.
At the recent meeting in Philadelphia
of the American Association for the
Cure of Inebriates, DIR. George M.
Beard, of New York, read a paper on
"The Causes Of the Increase OF Inebri-
ETY. in America" which is given in alb
stract below.
The habit of drinking to intoxication
was defined as partly vice and partly
disease. The inebriate is one who
drinks to excess against his will, and in
spite of resolutions to the contrary, and
when there are no external temptations
to do SO. Inebriety resembles other
nervous diseases in its hereditary char
acter, and in its periodicity. 1t runs in
families, and in many cases the attacks
come on like attacks of neuralgia, at
mathematically regular intervals. During
these intervals the inebriate is perfectly
self controlled, and may not be tempted
by the presence of stimulants. The
inebriate desires to recover as much as
the neuralgia sufferer. The commonly
accepted cause of the increase of inebri-
ETY. in America is the increase of intem-
perance but this is great error. For
fifty years the better classes have been
growing more and more temperate
There never was time in the history o.
civilization when there was so little ex-
cessive drinking in proportion to the
population as now.
The fundamental proposition of the
speaker was that inebriety was increas-
ing, because the higher classes-the
brain working classes-were becoming
more sensitive and nervous. That func-
torial nervous disease and nervous SEN
sitiveness on which inebriety depends
has been ON the increase for many years
in all the great centers of civilization,
but especially in America. This is
proved by four methods of investiga-
tion
a. By comparing the higher and
lower classes of the present day. The
majority of the cases of drunkenness
(Which is vice and may be cured) are
among the lower orders-the abjectly
poor and ignorant. The majority of the
cases of inebriety are among those men
and women who are more or less culti-
waited. In both classes, however, the
vice may lead to the disease. 1t is found
by observation that not only inebriety,
but all allied nervous states, are incom-
parably less frequent among the literary,
professional and business classes than
among those who live by manual labor.
Hay fever, for example, is unknown in
the tenement-house population OF New
York.
o. By q comparison of the present
time with a quarter or half century
ago. There is pretty general agree
ment among good observers that our
fathers did not suffer as we do from
variety of nervous symptoms. We are
more susceptible to drugs, to tea and
coffee and tobacco, as well as to alcohol
when unadulterated.
49, BY a comparison of the present
time with the middle ages and the few CEN
turies preceding the nineteenth century.
The medieval epidemics Of Mysteries and
st. Vitus dance were psychical not physi-
cal, the result of superstitious and un-
trained minds acting on strong bodies,
and not of nervous exhaustion. That
form of trouble yet survives in the So
called servant-girl hysteria. Insan-
ity as well as inebriety has certainly in
creased since that time, making all al
lowance for deficient observation of
those ages and the more extended phi
lanthropy of the present. They have
increased during the past fifteen years,
and out of proportion to the increase of
population.
a. BY comparing the nervous
status of woman with that in past
time. The child bearing and child
rearing capacity has diminished. Fe-
male inebriety, though not so abundant
as reports would have us believe, is yet
not infrequent both in England and
America. Inebriety and all functional
nervous maladies and symptoms are
more frequent in the northern part of
the United States than in Europe. This
is explained partly by the degrees of our
climate and violent alterations of heat
and cold, partly by our free institu-
tions, and partly by the pressing neces-
sites of pioneer life.
1t is true that BRAIN workers live
longer than muscle workers, and that
longevity has increased with the pro-
gress of civilization, but for variety
of reasons nervousness is an aid and
friend to longevity. While inebriety
may shorten life, yet nervousness, on
which inebriety depends, and of which
it is the expression, may protect the sys-
tenn against acute and fatal disease. In
ebriates are to be kept away from alco.
hol, which is the exciting factor, by
confinement in an asylum. This may
need to be supplemented by positive
tonic treatment. Not an uncomfortable
proportion of cases are permanently
benefited by this system, which origi
mated in America and is now introduced
into England. BY successive elimina'
tions a thoroughly acclimated race may
be developed. This process appears to
be already going on. II this view be
sound, then the problem OF inebriety
and of allied nervous states is being
slowly solved for us by forces in com
parison with which all our organlza-
tions and institutions are but as the
chips and the foam on the surface OF the
ocean tide.
A Bride Not I'm Her Teens.