The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-10-17
"STOP, DRUNKARD, STOP."

Our readers will notice in our CO.
umns to-day an advertisement of d.
Beers, of New York City, who is th
editor Of "Beers' Medical Record,
"deyoted TO the highest interest o
those who suffer from diseased appe
tites." We have read his paper ant
must admit that his proposition tina
"Intemperance and Opium Habit
are diseased conditions that can only
be successfully removed by medica
ton. The many testimonials of hi.
success are evidences that his phil
osophy is the correct one. We copy
the following from the "Medica
Record"
Generally the masses believe olco.
holism to be habit. Science, how.
ever, demonstrates it to be diseased
condition of the stomach, affecting per.
SONS of varied temperaments in widely
different ways. If the public general
~, and particularly the immediate
friends of the inebriate, understood his
true condition, how powerless he is in
the embrace of this terrible malady
the condition of families and indiyidu.
ais would be changed; where the an.
fortunate husband, father or son, now
exeites abuse rather than sympathy
on account of his appetite, he would
if his condition was distinctly under
stood, be treated with The same kind
nese and attention as he would be il
fever, or acute rheumatism, or insanity
were the disease. One object 10 issu-
ing this Quarterly is to enlighten the
masses on this important subject, and
save many noble-hearted man from
being driven to still deeper degrada-
ton by the daily infliction of 'lec
tures,h or TRADES, which are CONSTANT
ly making him worse, taking from the
victim what little self-respect he may
have left. I claim, and l intend to
prove, that the inebriate is no more
blame-worthy for being what he is,
than Others are who have brought dis
ease and death upon themselves. 1t is
as preposterous to think that any man
or woman ever intended to become in
temperate, as it would be to think that
a beautiful blooming girl, or broad
shouldered robust youpg man intended
to become prey to bad associations
and disease, that will bring them to an
uutimely grave; and l am confident
that the inebriate is less blameable
than Others for being what he is. You
ask, Chow can that beg" For the last
fifteen years have been daily, and al
most hourly, meeting and conversiug
with the inebriate, or his friends, and
| know him to be possessed of certain
characteristics that elevate him above
many of his fellows, and these noble,
generous traits of character are the
snares in which he becomes entangled.
and which cause his ruin. Associa-
tions have much to 90 in bringing
about the same results. Not one up-
fortunate in ten thousand ever takes
the first glass of his own free will as
q rule, he is urged to do so against bis
wish, and through association, these
potations become frequent, until the
disease is fastened upon him, and then
the desire for the stimulant becomes
his master, and rs a master rules him
with hand of iron.
While time and opportunity are de
velopiDg new aud wonderful improve
ments in art, science and mechanics,
which astouish the world, shall it be
said that Medical Science is less pro-
glessive than the others That God
in His Providence should forget to
open way through it's means where
by the victim of Intemperance, should
DO cured of his appetite for strong
drink, and the slave of the Opium
Habit saved from the Calling chains
into which he has been allured, and
almost helplessly bound lin majority
SSeases not by his own fault; but by
The advice of otbers,) thereby lifted
out of degradation, clothed anew, and
In bis right assert his manhood Shall
is be said that The Father God has not
provided among other displays of His
goodness, something in His herbal
kingdom for tue permanent cure of the
demon of Intemperanee- something
that shall break The chains 10 which
the Opium Eater is bound, body and
soul? Never be it said that any dis
ease that is sending so many TO I'm
timely graves, and multiplying so
much suffering and misery IN this
beautiful land, is uncared for by Him.
1t has only been through the mis-
takes of science, reason or prejudice,
that We have been taught to believe
that Drunkenness is not a disease, and
therefore is not to be cured; aud as q