Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-11-11

That purely physical causes have more to
do with intemperance than any innate or ac-
quired moral perversity is coming to be very
generally admitted by those who have made
study of the subject. The power of the hu-
man will, vigorously and persistently put
forth, especially when aided by the Divine
grace, frequently avails to reform the drunk
ard, and the instances of such reformation
are too numerous to allow room for further
question on this point. Such cases, however,
are those in which the abuse of intoxicating
liquors is in measure voluntary, and there
fore subject to control on the part of him
who has fallen under the influence of this
vice. Even where drunkenness has become
habtual, if it is merely habit it may be
broken off, no matter how strong the deprav-
ed appetite has become. This is only saying
that in all lapses from morality moral forces
within or without the man may be effectively
employed to bring him back to virtue from
indulgence in any vice whatever, unless there
are physical conditions in the case that re-
quire resort TO something else.
Where drunkenness is q disease as it GER
tainly is in many cases, it is as difficnt to re-
form from it as it would be to reform from
indigestion, rheumatism or any other malady
In instances of the kind supposed simply
moral appliances are not sufficient to effect
sure and permanent results. What may be
called the periodical-or rather, intermittent
-drunkard comes under this description. He
does not drink habitually and regularly, but
spasmodically, as it were. He will go for
months without liquor and apparently with
out desiring it. until all of a sudden he enters
upon a protracted and desperate debauch.
When this is over with he remains entirely
sober for another period of greater or less du-
ration, and then yields again.
This kind of drunkard, if he may be cor
rectly called such, is not led away by disso-
lutte companions He is not tempted from
without His first drink is usually taken
alone, and when the spell of his long absti-
nence is once broken he throws off all re-
straint and plunges into the widest excess.
He is for all practical intents and purposes
beside himself.
The sudden and imperious access of this
strange craving for alcoholic stimulants mys-
titles many people, and very few pretend to
be able to comprehend it. The dull, inert
condition that almost universally precedes
such attacks is a fact that needs to be noted
in this connection. This condition is said by
physicians to be owing to an inactive or tor
pid liver, and were it promptly corrected the
overmastering desire for liquor which super
venes would pass away without being yielded
to. To those who are afflicted in the way de-
scribed, and who will recognize in what is
here said an attempted portrayal of their sad
experience, a corrective is recommended
which will be found effective in a great many
cases, and which has the merit of being ex-
ceedingly simple. 1t is taking the juice of
half a lemon the last thing at night before re-
firing and the first thing on rising in the
morning. 1t can do no harm to try this pre-
scription PHILADELPHIA Record.