The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-30
Drinking Among Fashionable Wo-
men.

new 1olh souh.
The coroner's inquest in the Bravo case
in England brought out many startling
facts concerning the manner and life OF
family which moved in high circle OF
English society and enjoyed all the adj
yantages and luxuries of wealth. The
revelation made of the moral character
of both Mr.. and Mrs. Bravo is of sort
TO awaken thought, if not to excite great
surprise, in any one who knows some
thing of the tone Of modern fashionable
society.
But there is only one of the facts dis.
closed, skeleton snatched from the closet
of the Bravo household, to which we shall
now refer. 1t is that which concerns the
drinking habits of Mrs. Bravo. 1t seems
that she was An inordinate consumer OF
intoxicating liquors, and was not strsn
ger to actual drunkenness. On the night
OF her husbands. poisoning she was so far
gone under the effects of a bottle OF sher-
ry, to say nothing of drinks between
drinks, that she was unable to comPre-
bend the exact situation when it was ex-
blamed to her. Nor was this an excep-
tional experience with her. She was in
the habit of getting into that condition
and the fact was known to all her SER
wants. Yet she was lady who frequent
ed the country houses of the English no
bllity, and previous to the poisoning OF
her husband, spite of her lntrigues with
DIR. Gully and her drinking propensities,
was welcomed in high society and bore a
character which had not been reproached.
The fact regarding the drunkenness OF
Mrs Bravo suggests the inquiry whether
there was not some truth in the declara-
ton of London newspaper, few years
ago, that fashionable women were too
much given to tipping. The evidence,
indeed, accommodates that the statements
then made were founded in fact. The
tendency of fashionable women to get
into the habit of using stimulants is some-
thing of which every physician in large
practice is aware, and the deplorable re-
suits which come from it, hidden from
the knowledge of their acquaintance, but
necessarily known to their doctors, are OF
a sort to warn all women against seeking
to gain the artificial excitement to be got
out of alcoholic stimulants. 1t is I'M
doubtedly true that many OF our women
who indulge in the dissipation OF fashion,
able society are given to drinking cham
payne and even spirituous liquors. The
practice also is growing, and its balelul re-
suits are apparent to any one who Is well
acquainted with the lovely creatures who
sdorn our gay saloons of fashion. Not
long ago II young girl, who had devel-
oped a charming capacity for music and II
happy social tact became so hopeless .
victim of dipsomsnla that she was taken
to an asylum, where her appetite could
be restrained, complete and shattered
wreck nj the opening OF womanhood. This
is only one case out of many. The habit
starts with the experience OF the stmulat-
ing effects of liquor after the exhaustion
OF fashionable dissipation, or when 1t IS
desired to start gaycty that does not
come spontaneously. The stlmulant soon
and easily becomes necessity, and be-
fore she herself Is aware of it the woman
is a topper Within she last twenty years
the freedom with which women drink
wines and other liquors has become
greater and greater. There are some OF
them in fashionable life who really seem
to have stronger heads than men, and to
lie able to carry their wine, brandy and
liquors with steady gait and tongue In
no wise thickened; but the more delicate
nervous organization OF woman causes
the effects OF the strain to be more serious
than in the case Of a man. A woman,
too who once acquires the habit of drink
ing is apt to consume an enormous
amount OF liquor of all sorts. If our ply
sicians who practice among the tashlona-
bic people OF the city would reveal their
knowledge on this subject, it would as
found the public. OF course we do not
bring this charge of dipsomanla against
our ladies generally. 1t is in truth only
in exceptional cases that it exists; but we
deploro the circumstance that more or less
of drinking is growing to be looked on as
a yenlal otfense in fashionable women. Ii
Is a dangerous vice, and in Its train are
likely to follow others still more danger