The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-01-29

last induced to take the sleeping potior
that my troubles ceaaed. This gave m,
twelve houFs of fsound sleep, and when
awoke oil the strange sights had vanished
It was some time, though, bef4.e wa,
wholly convinced that some Of tho sight
seen were not real, end even now tbert
are things connected with those hours O
mental torture that have not been ex
| planned entirely to my satisfaction. Thi.
is but q small part of the experience
asked for, as in those few hours ] lived
like q person in dream, for years. But
you have moi time, nor have / the dispo
sition TO rehearse tho matter further. Il
you wish to ascertain any facts in relation
to treatment, inquire of DIR. Day, for he
has treated huudreds of cases of the
tremens, while have actual knowledge
OF only one."
INTERVIEW WITH THE sUPERINTEN-
DENT.
Thanking Fred for his experience and
! advice, the writer next interviewed the
superiniC lent concerning the disease and
treatment with the following result:
doctor, your patient seems to have
passed through sever, ordeal"
Eyes" he answered; "but such cases
are not unusual here"
"Did not the delirium continue longer
with him than with most oihers7" ven
tured the writer.
Considerably So" replied The doctor,
"but no longer than might reasonably
have been expected as his debauch had
been continuous and excessive for O
number ofmonths, and until there was
almost q complete suspension Of normal
functions by alcoholic poisoning"
"What is Il general result Of pro-
tracted period of dissipation 2"
"Great nervous prostratiol from the alb
sence of proper nourishment. The con-
dition of drunkenness is one of poisoning,
and to undertake to describe in detail ali
the phenomena of alcoholic poisoning
would far exceed the time at my COM
mand at the present. will state, how
ever, that the action of alcohol, when
used to excess, lowers the vital forces
and depresses the temperature of the
body, and thus produces o tendency to
death. Alcohol is only in small degree
stimuiant. Il Is the reverse. 1t il an
an@sthetic, and its constant use, even in
moderation, will produce q change in
nerve structure; and abnormal mental
manifestations will be the result"
'The impression seems to prevail that
delirium tremens is dangerous disease,
and that few survive the second attack.
Does this accord with your expe-
rience9" f
mo; the approach of del;rium jndi-
Gates q favorable prognosis. The dan
gerous stage is usually passed when the
delirium 1sgins, and If the patient is
properly treated he will survive rs mapy
attacks as from most diseases. There are
men doing business in this city to-day
that I have treated for delirium half o
score of times"
"What, in your opinion, is the prope.
course Of treatment7" asked the writer.
"That is hardly fair way of putting
the question:" replied the doctor. "No
physician can answer such inquiries in
reference to his patients, no matter what
their diseases, as there are NO two EN-.
peraments just alike. The question can
only be answered in q general way.
There are few facts that can be given,
one of which is, the total withdrawal OF
the producing cause, and in it's place
nourishing food substituted. The stom-
ach for time will reject food, but this
need not alarm any one. Vomiting is
the result of hrain poisoning, and its
reflex action on the stomach. As soon
as healthy blood begins to circulate in
the brain the vomiting will cease. After
treating nearly 700 cases of delirium tire.
mems, I am less than ever in favor OF
administering drugs. After the first
stage of this disease has passed away
(which is termed tho febrile stngel, then
hydrate chloral, combined with bromide
of potash, may be given, but great cars
should be observed in the presentment of
chloral. Itnever should be given, except
by the advice of C. skilful physician, and
he will never order it until after the
most thorough examination of the pa
tient. He will observe tbe action Of the
!: AaaE. AMI ii,a nerva force which nresides
over iia action. and, II found weak, the
drugs must be carefully given and in
sufficient quantity to produce sleep IF
this is not accomplished, the patient is
the wor5e for the use Of chloral. Form
erly opium was considered the "sheet
anchor in the treatment of this disease,
and twenty-five per cent. of the patients
died. its use is seldom employed,
and we lose less than one per cent"
"Does adelirious patient seem to crave
the accustomed stimulant 7n
"No; whenthe delirious condition ap-
proachcs the patient will usually volun+ !
tarlly cease drinking. Abused nature
comes in and bids the reckless drnnkard
to stop. and, although he has no will of
bis own oobey, there are bounds which,
he cannot pass. Hence the common er-
ror that delirium and other alarming
symptoms arc superinduced by these sud-
den abandonments of the habit is the re-
verse of tho truths
Upon further inquiry it appears that
the diseaseis not 80 prevalent IS in former
years. The work Of elimination 10 uni
versal among mankind. aud the weak
| and worthless fall out and are destroyed
! as chat, while the htzeng hea- .:p .he
pillars of human progress. If this is the
case, why may we not LOOK for continued
| improvement in this direction, and in
| therot far distant future may ne moi
hope that dipsomania will DO q dream oil
the past, and as rarely seen as leprosy s0l
any other old-time Affections.
Nor His DAaLIEG.-After o down.
town young man had been keeping com.
pany witha girl of the north end of Third
street for several months, her father sud.