Evening star., 1883-06-06
AID FOR WOMEN DRUNKARDs.
society Women, Actresses and Others
who have Become Victims OF the Ap.
petite for Strong Drink-The Taste
for Opiates
From the New York Sun.

dwelling. and called the Christian Home. for
women who suffer from an inordinate use of
Intoxicating liquors or narcotic poisons and
wno are not strong enough to break UP the
habit without medical aid. Dr. and Mrs A. p
Neylert are in charge Cor the WOmen's Chris
Tan temperance Association. The late VIM E.
Dodge gave the building to the association.
anu stipulated that only women who could give
references OF good moral character should be
admitted The Institution is sustained by the
gifts OF charitable people. and patients are not
required to pay for support and treatment
unless they are known to be able to do SO. DR..
Neylert said:
I'm the two months existence of the institu-
ton we have had here for treatment many
Ghfistian women and women who move in the
BEST known circles of society and it was for the
benefit OF such as they that the home was start
ed DO not imagine. though. that such women
come mere OF their own accord. Their friends
get their consent TO be brought here Ofcourse
such consent is not easily obtained. for they will
not acknowledge that they are drunkar,s even
10 their dearest friends They differ from men
III this respect. Their friends come to me- how
ever. and ASK me to receive the inebriate when
she goes on her next spree. for after her spree
she Is willing to go anywhere to get relief
There are exceptions tothis rule Here is one''
Dr. Meylert turned to his desk and picked up
Q letter lii the handwriting of n woman
II cannot give you her name." he continued
"She Is one of the most prominent and talented
actresses in the city
The letter. which DR.. Meylert read aloud.
emitting the names in the reading said that
the actress had concluded to 90 alone to some
place where she could be watched and treated
medically. She had Just recovered from what
her manager believed to be a serious sickness.
out IL was simply a solitary debauch. The
manager had not the fantest suspicion of the
cause of her sickness. for he had Just signed
with her for new engagement. She had found
nerself unable to get rid of her unfortunate
troubles her curse" She added:
am willing to endure ANYTHING suffer any,
thing, to conquer this appetite. / had sunk into
low despondency before resolving to seek
heip- i have lost confidence i'm myself An
irresistible power has hold of me.
Now, that woman has dipsomania" said the
physician. as he folded the letter ''She has
periodical fits of insanity. and it is utterly i'm
possible fOr her TO reform by her own strength
OF VIII. She has tried twice TO commit suicide
ana was prevented by her maid. She would get
hIuor when she Graves it, even it, as Jefferson
says in Rip Van Wrinkle she had to cut off her
leg to get it, But this poor woman is franker
shan any ever knew Most women patients
deny that they drink at all. Press them with
questions and they Will grant you with hesta-
tiOn that they take glass of wine at dinner. or
that. feeling i'll or faint in the street they went
20 dru@ store and asked for something. which
Unexpectedly proved to be gin. But they did
not know what the drug clerk was preparing
certainly not In fact. we cannot believe what
The women say. We are guided by their fri ends
statements.
ga LADY FRIEND
"A Boston lady of great wealth wrote TO me
recently. describing at length the symptoms of
cher lady friend and asked if the lady could he
received as patient. learned that she was
The patient herself. You would be astounded
u i should mention the names of some we'll
known women in society who have been TO the
institution for treatment tor inebriety Their
ldehtfty mas been so carefully concealed that
not one OF the thirty or more officers of the as
sOcatlOn knew they we're recovering from their
excesses here am the only one outside of the
families OF the patients who knows their names
They come here looking fri~htfully and after a
treatment OF few weeks YOU would not recop-
nze them. The doors are kept locked inside
and outside. of course. for if the patients could
go out they would 30 straight to the nearest
liquor saloon. No they do not ask me for
liquor They know they won't get that But
wien they come TO he and beg for relief from
The pain in their stomachs-mind you.
not one was ever known TO admit
that the pain is simply craving for
alcohol never turn them away. but pre-
sci1be beef extract or rich milk. and when they
are unable TO sleep from the craving for LIQUOR
give them sedatives. In two or three weeks
they beciG to mend, and their appetites are en-
ormous. Many OF their arrival have not eaten
any sold food in three weeks. / give pepsin.
tOhlcs. brOInides sparingiy. and electricity
especially. with the best results WHY. that
electrical battery on the table would tell an OK
to the floor when Its strongest current is used:
but delicate framed intoxicated woman will
stand it and ask for more. 1t sobers her and
gives tone to the nerves.
'The patients rest and sleep for two or three
weeks, and when they begin to improve and
lose the craving for drink they are given light
occupations. such as music or light reading
The rule OF strict seclusOn is not an unchange-
able one. When think can trust a lady LET
her go out. but it is necessary TO add when |
give the permission that they are put on their
nOnor A lady was in this way recently sub
Jected to a great temptation. She called on
man down town on business concerning her
property and they ate luncheon together i'm
restaurant. The gentleman ordered wine and
was greatly surprised when she refused it, She
had never refused il before He did not Know
that she was patient in an inebriate ASYLUM.
AMI he was kept in ignorance. He finished his
wine alone"
HOW Do WOMEN ACQUIRE THE HABIT"
"oiten to drown great sorrow. One of my
patients iIi good circumstances, and never
known to take any stmuant stronger than tea
or coffee, was called to her kitchen one Gay by
the shrieks of her little girl. The little ones
clothing had caught fire from an exploded lamp.
and the Child was burned to- death before the
mothers eyes while sne was unable to save if
She took brandy TO relieve the shock to her
feelings, and continued drinking it to excess
That was thirteen years AGO. and she said to me
the other day: MY child burning alive is ALWAYS
L
have not been able TO endure it. My only safety
now is not to touch a drop After the first
glass keep on and drink to insensibllity' She
has not touched drop in four months. and
believe she will be cured
Another lady lost her only son suddenly. and
was so overwhelmed with grief that she could
not rest day or night. Morphine was given
EyIodermically- That was several wears apo
She came here for treatment the other day. and
there is scarcely spot on her body which has
not q hypodermic syringe scar. She does not
want to be cured, but her friends have sent
her.
There is one cause for drunkenness or opium
eat NJ among women more common than many
suppose. mean disease and pain. The won
der TO me Is that more women who suffer great
ly are not ruined by alcohol. 1t is a blessing to
them that they never tried it and found tempo
rary relief, for when the habit is fixed they find
1t impossible to shake it off, / have in mind
now beautiful woman who was noted for all
that ought To become a woman. Her husband
was several years ago prominent man i'm New
York. but now he has given up everything to
wait on her. More than ten years ago she was
given chlOradine by her physician TO relieve