The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-05
Early Stages OF Inebrioty.


There are found in all parts of the
country men and women who use alco-
hol regularly and in limited quantities.
To the casual observer they 90 on Tor
years in this state and are apparently no
worse, and finally die at last OF some
common disease, leaving the reputation
Of having lived what the inebriate would
call an ''Idcal life of moderate drink
ing. Why they drink is not clear. If
they have any reasons, it is always sus-
tanned by their unbounded faith in the
capacity to abstain at any time at will.
These cases are inebriates in every re-
spect, except in the prominence and in
tensity of the symptoms. There is no
difference between the chronic case of
the lowest type and the highly respect
able, moderate drinker, except one of
degree.
Both are suffering from a positive
physical disease. In one case the dis
order is developed, in the other it is in
the incipient stage. In the latter, from
some obscure reason, the case never
goes on to full development, but is al
ways on the border land awaiting
the action OF some exciting cause, which
may or may not be applied. A repen-
| ING power exists, which builds up and
neutralizes the injuries received from
alcohol to certain extent. 1t is not
will power which makes the difference
between the inebriate and moderate.
drinker 1t is physiological and patho-
logical conditions of the brain and
nervous system, which the possessor as
cribes to will power. Alcohol can not
! 10, i
juries to the nerve centers.
The moderate drinker is always dis
eased, although to the non expert there
are no clear symptoms or coarse lessons
that can be seen. A careful study will
reveal physically an irritable condition
of the heart, with stomach and digest
i've troubles, also changing and disor-
! dered functional activity of ali the or
gans, at times. Psychically the dispQ-
sition, habits, temper and mental state
slowly and gradually degenerate and
become more unstable. The higher
mental forces drop down or give place
to lower motives and ambitions. No
matter what his position of life may be,
or his objects or plans, the moderate
use of alcohol will alter and break
down both physical energy and precipi-
| tate destruction. Moderate users OF
alcohol always die from diseases pro-
voked and stimulated by this drug.
They always transmit a legacy of de-
fectiye cell energy and exhaustion,
which most readily finds relief in any
alcohol or narcotic.
But only q small per cent of moder-
ate drinkers remain so until death. The
disease goes on to full development in
inehriety in vast ma iority of cases.
! The boosted will power to stop at all
times is powerless before its peculiar
exciting cause. Those who never go
| beyond this modern use have simply
never been exposed to this peculiar ex-
citing cause. The moderate use Of
! spirits for lifetime is a mere accident
| in the order of nature, and the ability
to stop resting in the will power is
! popular fallacy. A certain number of
cases have signs OF incipient phthisis,
which may never burst out into the full
disease.
A small number of cases exposed to
smallpox, or any infectious disease,
never take it; but these are the rare ex-
captions, whose causes are unknown,
from which no deductions can be
drawn. Moderate drinking that docs
not go on to inebriety is also the eXcep-
ton. The chain of exciting causes that
4 bring on these extreme stages may or
may not be understood, but they
always break out sooner or later in the
history of the case. Practically the
study of this early stage OF inebrety is
of the utmost value in the treatment.
Here remedial measures can be made Of
the greatest avail in checking and pre-
venting any farther progress of the dis
ease. When inebriety is fully recog-
nized as diseased condition, requiring
study and medical care, this prodromic
period of moderate drinking will receive
the attention it deserves.
In the meantime, 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 termina-
ton can often be predicted with pos
tive certainty. -Jou,Bal Of Hlcbriety.
ALCOHOL is the living of those who
sell it, but the death Of those who drink
| it.