The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-03-29
CURES FOR DRUNKENNESS.
Popular sfethods for Reforming Inc
briNtes and Their Dangers.
New York sun.

The methods, both popular and profess
sional, proposed for the cure of Drunkenness
are rs many and varied as tho phases OF the
disease itself. But marked increase in tie |
number Of its victims-as shown in the
yearly returns of causes of death proves
plainly enough that there is no royal road
out of the captivity of alcohol.
The treatment adopted by most physic-
ians is to entirely withhold the exciting
cause, 10 give nourishing food, nervines and
tonics, and to allow the system free field
for tho action of its msrvelously active re.
Operative powers. OF the popular reme-
dies for the Observation-Disclosures for the most
part by the wives, mothers or sisters
of the sufferers few achieve any permanent
success, though they may appear for
time to be working well, All these
systems of cure are peculiar 10 their action,
the doses being intended to influence the
moral or intellectual nature of the drunkard,
while others are expected to cause the stom-
ach to reject liquor or compel the nervous
system TO abhlr it. The more ambitious
popular remedies are designed TO intimidate
the patient and create superstitious fear of
alcohol. The latter is the most illogical rem.
edy, rs it tends through its severe action upon
the nerve centers TO develop the very excite
ment which it is the aim Of all treatment for
dipsomonia TO allay.
These popular methods are often ss harm-
less as they are ineticacious, being of the
| kind Of which it may be said that If they do
no good they will work no injury. A certain
| class Of them are, however, far from harm
Ia - ga
ular Of these means is attended with great
| danger.
Perhaps the most hazardous Of all the
popular remedies for drunkenness is the one
to which the female mind has become most
largely attached; probably because its sd.
miuistralion comes directly within her own
province, 1t is the idea of mixing alcohol
with all of the patients food and drink until
both body and mind repel it, or he becomes
so thoroughly disguised with its taste and
odor as to remain thereafter forever weaned
| from ii.
That this method ia extremely dangerous,
and that it is frequently followed by brain
affections and loss of life itself, is unques-
tionsble. Where death has superyened, it Is
oftener attributed to the previous drunken.
ness than to the remedy, and this is probably
the reason why the method has not yet lost
its popularity among those who are unable to
trace tina course of diseases induced BY
drunkenness.
DR.. L. ID. Crothers calls attention TO the
fact in a. recent paper upon the subject,
| that he received y letter irI m an Ohio phy-
sician in which il is related that lady 10 his
| neighborhoot had tried the plan ofssturatinE
the food with alcohol upon sn ioebriate hus.
band. The result was to develop serious
mania after five days Of treatment, and the
man'a commitment to an insane asylum Is
dangerous person.
DR.. Beike, Sweedjsh physician, las given
an account this plan os tested in Stock
holm several years ego, although no accu-
rate knowledge of its result appears thus far
to have reached the popular mind through
our periodical literature.
A Clergyman 10 Sweden, was also ply.
sic AZ and a man of wealth, obtained per-
mission from tho authorities 10 receive iuebri.
alea In his home for treatment by this method
Three chronir cases were put under his
charge. The paticn were given brandy 10
all their food and drink, and were not al
lowed to tako any form Of food that WIS not
saturated with some form Of alcohol. Each
patient was given tho kind Of spirits he had
used commonly, ia addition to brandy. Ia
the course Of two months Xix patients were
received and treated on this plan. One of
the died in two weeks after ,admission, of
apoplexy or cerebral hamorrhaga; two devel-
oped into dangerous cases of dGrium tro-
mems and were sent to the hospital; the
fourth patient became delirious and des rue
tive ia his mania, and was commit ed to M
, insane asylum: tho other two seemed TO have
gone on quietly, in n condition OF semi-stu-
por or alcoholic narcoIism, The authorities
interierred, and tho Clergyman was forced
10 move away to oscape prosecution from
the indignant friends OF the patients.
la the year 1860 DR.. Blown wrote 10 tho
London Times that he had tried this plan of
treatment Tor two DAYS Ia three cases. but tho
effects were SO alarming that he gave il up.
Other physicians, successors to the clergy
man ply sicisns of Stockholm have, here and
there, approved Of the plan, for De- Crolhers
tells lis that be WIS once Informed by n
physician that tho treatment was successful
IN ineb,iety. Ii is not likely that either DR..
Crother or many other physicians agreed
with him, for successful treatment by these
means are very seldom reported, and there is
not particle of evidence to shop that the
;; Same result might not have been achieved
without employing them, The evidence
showing the great danger Of such treatment
Is clear and conclusive. 1t will be perceived
that this mothod, If used by really COM
pet-nt physician, would not DO 30 likely to
result in danger 10 the patient as II certainly
is when used by the average houiewife. No
really competent physician would continue
r the treatment after tho hrst indication of u
, bad result; tho wife would not understand
what conditions constituted danger.
On, the whole, this means of reforming
\ dtunkards should be carefully lpt alone. 1t
4 may DO added tnat tho advice not intro.
quently given inobristes to change the form
I of tho drink used. Is stated upon the hghes.
medical authority 10 DO Improper. ny such
q aclicn is always attended with danger