Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-02-10
Inebriate Asylums.

The New York Eue,aing Mail announ-
ces that the inebriate asylum at Bing-
hamton has proved failure, both fnan-
cially and as a reformatory institution,
and has been closed. This is unwel-
come news, as it was hoped that it would
prove successfulin the great and humane
work for which it was established. The
Mail, in connection with the announce
ment, says that there ought to be an in
ebriate asylum for women, as we'll as men !;
that "not only base women stagger,
drunken and foul-mouthed, through our
streets, and lie scottish and wretched in
bare homes made squaid by their vice,
but homes that to the casual eye are
comfortable and happy are made abodes
of misery by the tippling habits Of
women who should be their cheer and
moral center"
This is not a pleasant picture of fash
ionable life, says the editor of the Eve,a-
ing Wisconsin, but there is reason to
believe that it is too true, not only in
New York, but of other large cities. He
who shall inaugurate method of treat
ment that shall prove successful in cur
ing drunkards of their terrible malady
will confer boon upon society second
only to the removal of the possibility Of
drunkenness. The number who suffer
directly or indirectly from this scourge
is appalling to contemplate. The num-
ber given to habitual or periodical
drunkenness is far larger than the num-
ber of the insane, the blind, and the
deaf and dumb, while the injury to So
ciety is far greater than would result
from all these latter unfortunates put
together, were there no care for them ex-
tended blythe State. The drunken prey
upon the peace and bounty Of their
families and society in one way or an
other they fill the criminal docks in
our courts !; they swell the list of pau
pers and block the wheels of business,
but the State builds no asylum for them,
and takes no steps to save them to their
friends and society. May not the solu-
ton of the question as to the disposal Of
the drunken be found in building asy-
lums for them and in their enforced con-
fnement therein until they exhibit evi-
dence of reformation2 There might be
enough of restraint about its manage
ment to make consignment thereto a
matter of dread, and this would exert q
reformatory influence upon those on the
road to drunkenness while those con-
fined might be so treated as most effec-
tually to promote the work of recovery.
One reason for the failure of Bingham
ton asylum, we think, was the almost
total lack of restraint upon the inmates.
They were allowed to come and gopretty
much as they pleased, if we have been
correctly informed. 1t could scarcely
be expected that under such circum
stances reformation would result. What
the drunkard needs is to be put beyond
the reach of temptation until he has re-
covered mental and physical strength to
such degree that he can resist tempta-
tion.
We throw out these suggestions in the
belief that the day is coming when the
work of preventing drunkenness and
reclaiming drunkards must be system
atically undertaken, if the race is to
be perpetuated in mental and physical
vigor, and the industrious and moral re-
ieved from the burden of taxation which
is now constantly increasing.