Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-11-29

III
There are found in all parts Of the
country men and women who use all
coholTegularIy and in limited guam
titles. To the casual observer they 20
on for years in this state and apparent
~ no worse, and finally die at last az
some common disease, leaving the rep
utarion of having lived what the inc
briate would call an ideal life1 of
moderate drinking. Why they drink
il not clear. If they have. amy reasons
il Is always sustained by their UNI
bounded faith ia the capacity to alb
s.ain at any time at will. These eases
are inebria ties in every respect, except
in the prominence and intensity of the
symptoms. There isssno difference be-
tween the chronic case of the lowest
type, and the highly respectable. mod
crate drinker, except one of degree.
Both are suffering from positive
physical disease. Ia one case the ply
sicial disorder is developed, in the 9TH
er it is in the incipient stage. l. the
latter, from some obscure reason, the
ease never goes on to full development
but is always Ola the ''bOrder land, "
awaiting the action of some exciting
cause, which may or may3nOt be APP
piled. A repelling power exists,
which build up and neutralizes, the
injuries :receiYed. from alcohol to q
a In fcTNf 4 10 VNnf will
that makes the difference between the
inebrinte and moderate drinktr<s 1t Is
physiological and pathological cOndi-
tions of the brain and nervous system,
which the posessOr ascribes to will
power. Alcohol cannot be used i'll
nIoderst ton without grave inju ries to
the nerve centers. g ~ el
The moderate drinker is always dis
eased, although to the non-expert
there ar e no clear symptoms of coarse
lislOns that can be seen. A careful
study reveals physically an irritable
condition ofthe heart, with stomach
ami digestive troubles, also changing
and disordered functionaI activity Of
all the organs at times. Pysehically
the. .dispositio habits, teInper, and
mental state slowly and gradually de-
generate and become more unstable
The higher mental forces drop down OF
give place to low er motives and ambi-
=.tions. Ne matter what his position
sofilife, may be- or his obj 4cts or plans,
tlte-moderate use of alchOhOl will al
ter and break down both physically
and pysehicaI energy and precipitate
destruction. Moderate users of alco-
hoI always die from diseases provOk-
ed and stimulated by this drug. They
always transmit a legacy of defective
cell energy and exhaustion, which
most readily finds relief i'll any alco-
h0l nurcotic. ,-.aiss ur.,.-.l.s 49,
But only q small percent of mOder-
atecFrinkelss remain so until death.
The disease goes on to. full deyelope-
nent III inebriety, in II vast majority
OF cztats The Toasted lWiii power to
STOP at ali TIMES is powerIess before its
peculiar exciting cause. Those VINO
never go beyond this moderate use
have simply never been EXPOSED to
this peculiar exciting cause. The
moderate use OF spiIits for u lifetime
is mere accident in the order of ma
tufe. and tie ability to stop, resting in
| tile will power, is popular fallacy.
A certain number Of cases have signs
of incipient phthisis, which may neY-
er burst out into the full disease.
A small number of cases exposed to
the smallpox or any infectious disease
never take it; but these are the rare
exception, whose causes are unknown
from which no deductions can be
| drawn. sIoderate blinking that does
not go on to inebriety is also the ex-
ce ption. The chain of exciting
causes that bring on these extreme
stages may or may not lie understood,
but they always break out sooner or
later in. the history of the case Prae-
tically the study of this early stage of
inebriety is of utmost value in the
treatment. Here remedial measures
can be made of the greatest avail in
checking and preventing any farther
progress of the disease. When inebri-
ETY. is fully recognized as a diseased
condition requiringstudy and medi-
cal care. this prodromic period Of
moderate drinking will receive the at
tention it deserves.
In the mean time as scientific men,
we must continue to call attention to
this early beginning of inebriety, so
full of indications. and hints OF the
march of disease, whose progress and
Termination + can often be predicted