The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-24
CONFESSIONS OF A TOPPER.
ENPERIESCE Avn SUGGESTIONS or
4 PR.ICIIt.IL DRTNh IRD


ToId -AbIincucc the Only Cure-Ncrvc-
Food aud Church Membership.
To THE Error OF THE SUN-Sir: |
have taken more than ordinary interest In the
discnssion Of the phenomena Of drunkenness.
which has been carried on IN luE sun for some
ye "a past. Hnvlng made subj jet STUDY,
er erimout lily AS well a. the1retically, have
concluded to give your reader, tho benefit vi
NV servations.
] an A. yeifs Oh. and have been drukard.
Of moro or less Ell 'iency, FOR tniity wears NJ
that time. never kLcw the time didn't liks
the taste " whlsk v; an !, HAVING inherited
constitution peculiarly snscrptljo TO alcohol
ISM. t. required les. indulgence than generally
the cass to iastcn tho hiuit on IN. Almost NV
entire life has been u const mt struggle, q sue
cession OF sinnings and repsutauces. come Of
AN indOmitabls race. am possessed OF the ability
to insure SUGGEST and vet this one weakness has
kept me steadily poor AID often degraded. and
always passing for less than am worth. Whils
could thrust my right arm Ia the fire and hold
1t tn re without nlnchinG, II there were any
need for IT, have been unable to resist the
subtle influence which impes me to drink.
Believing that there Is no cure for drunken
ncss-that once a drunkard man will die a
drunk ri, unless he happily dies m one OF mis-
ieriodical spells OF sobriety-1 know that the
for the benefit Of fellow sufferers will give them
my experience.
Twelve years ago the habi, eliminated In my
case. About every two or three months I would
20 Ona bender" drinking day aud night Tor n
week, until the system became 50 sodden with
alcohol th.t fur'het drinking was a physic i Inn
po sihiliiy, then would qu.t AMI spend three
OF four DAYS In such horn Die torment rs battles
description. A strOnx physical organization
carried M through these terrible debtuches.
aud out Of each teh4uch would come weighed
down with a terrible burden Of remorse, ana
ashamed tn lHOk my friends in the face. have
often sneaked thrYns9 "a uaik meY 20 aVo,d
meeting fItend Realizing thht there was no
choice save between suicide and reform. de-
tcfmined t. make more earnest ehDrt tnan
had heretofore done toward the Latter.
The nist useful lesson | learned wa, not to
give IN entirely II er sllY. n only managed
t. extend he intorv J. Of sObrietV. but shorten
eued the Duration Of the dentuc res, and miti-
gated their severity by taking smaller drinks,
wht-keY. lne longest period II total ats inouce
was Two wears and iOur months, Dut Uf lite
yenrs my sprees have been toned down 10 very
moderate ind llgeuces 81 two or lhree DAYS.
Formerly lost all cunsciJusnc dunng de-
bHuch. and On coming out OF one was In con-
accused md convicted Of larceny. robbery, or
murdOr; tut latterlv have never lost conscious.
n'--. ana have managed 10 Keep myself out OF
pnbnc view more tnan drunNen men generally
do. tetl that am ou gaming ground ana
thank God Tor ".
Incic /, no cure for drunkenness save total
abstinence; tut one Of your currespJndents
mas advanced n theory witch l.. at least I'M
pregnatcd with ttutn-that OF giNinG tue patient
nerve food. Drugs are Useless, exec. a. tempo
raty eXptdients, tut Whatever tends 10 rehaDiii-
tate the shat cred nervous system Will give tho
patient strength to resist, aha streug n to re-
cover from fat without gong 70 the cotton.
Tie Use OF tobacco IN any form Is "A bar To re-
form from inehuety
Personally derived more lasting benefit from
a ia wees cour-e If treatment at tue Hot
Sp1ugs ui Arkansas than { ON auything else.
arrived there At tue close OF dreadful drank,
80 hlOttrd ana AIRED that my nc irezt fueud
would not have recognized me but after three
day ui treatment cooked Lac "A tempcraLce lee
turcr ia good standing win his lodge. ihc
NApnr baths rtlluly eliminated the alcohol from
NY s,s'em ana NE water proved powerful
tone. While under treatment quit the use OF
tobacco to WIN was immodera'eiy ad-
al ten ana nave never resumed NJ IN
TO iiis TACT attribute m, Improved
health and strength. Tor the cure Of
ur'uic alcoholism think the toi springs
+ hatl j. a specific. and he patient leaves there
wit hs .cci-Lp ncrN Gus ~ rn and an llNigO-
r.trI vii THAT ui,kr- -tIurhcV ea~, unit, ia
some rlort M ,ftcu purlr> iunacy. he Yields to
the "hl-pftlus- az o." trnpiins u'Ni.
lnc KY. Mr.. rapott. the temperance lecturer.
wnl rtld q tine close II one Il his debaurue- ia
III, .ar. Ind, tuid dtutt tllt Of being II. Ted
ON nis la.l spree ny slnciltng a -lumberns
druukar Psi hr ..lh 900 a 80. ui.s coach lie te-
sisted fnr tWu hours. enduring sweat Of
agony rom sac intensity VI uis desire; aud
d. ur,uh. .ue Niciucd. Puur Iaiu0u j. DEAD, aud
Sc mus. saN ot.ins nui . 1d "l tine DE- d; OUT
au HttlIi h' UiIu. STICK closely to the TRAIN
~ .he narrative. II tAeie Is ala, .hin- mat wal
-tr,tg ucu go .b.tuiutng drunkIfd 100 Iis rneotl-
% %. rin % tue breath OF al nciiNt uiuilh-
ard LutNtr heIs"u an 'lnel 60 q ,cnl leci lei'
whose spree, occur about once tstrN ia months,
tells ilc tNAt flr weeks tetore rc Yields he sui
icr- n,A 81 SONY, d', ana nigat' oi'en walk
ll- his room all ni-ui uAe hh uniuus hNent.
uue ~ toe TEST ueils TO total abstinence j. a
church cvnurc tom. have neN o Vet iuund
courage cough 10 avail myself Of tLl, prutec-
ton, and yet know ~ Is tuc most potent
me- tu- 81 restraint b NANu iu uN mind lst
D. uuW three pro sat .ltIL as ut this &c Nn1
have come up from the deep beyond the lover
/ urrli 20 ttaukrNu. ly tNr lIt ul ra.trI lhNu-
tnc.-. ON of "a aiu Ia. rot tl4cntl drop IA
twelve years. lhe otlei tWu have q e.. had Two
lhpsrs in ia q iu hut qui hN recovered. IRE
/ Nous 10 lheir rrl'. nHtl-n t"e1 "o7o.NteD wal
/ wed ~ the gutter.
From drums rds and drinking men mus, come
/ III ohl shssv 'tiihf M.lch i"u assist ia euttt-
d ins "A cure i.r iu'emuttdnce. Nou-drinhlng
] temuclducr people aio USUALLY marrow uiuutd,
+ bic ted tools, VINO saw away upon lneir small
- Mo drOn- ui au lri~h ragplpr. Many of
tn IN are bIlOdlcs- creatures Who have 40
capacity Tor thi- particular riu, aud hence are
inrapauie of understanding II. iheN fancy
iuat % druu,ard DitNeS ligupr a. a hungry man
f Graves foo1 wherea, tue seal II appetite Is Ia
+ tue uraiu aud nervous system.
II u easier TO prey mt Tue nah ing Of drunlSards
thanl O., t0 reform them. piulNdr = sIe made
/ ~ the want ot kupNled9e 10 to the effects OF
] hquur dfluking uung men should 10 Taught
/ tndt excessive drinhiug breaks down their urain
/ cells, ana enferhle- the VII TO -uch am extent
! tnat 10 o. impossible u refrain alter lIutr is
| ohcc tasted.
Drinking before breakfast is the deadnest
/ Ittctce of whit Americans are CAVITY. AlcO-
. hot upon an empty st0m ch l. terribly desfru'-
I i've. II people VIII driuk theN should also make
! ltu potut to eat aS they driuN. -, Germans
understand tins, and you ulwhi find them mo
! tiug cheese, prrtzels. caraway seeds, aud SAT.
J salt seems To be a corrective ~ alcohol.
pcrodicn drunkards should encourage the
/ hHhii of ttkiIg SIN % DRINKS while un spree
me PROPENSITY Is TO get II alto III the si.--. u
/ matter II u I, as DIX a. cuurn. Bul spoonful
satisfies just as wuh, and al tine end OF a nights
dcOauch tne difference viii be PLAINLY manifest