The Wilmingtonian., 1885-07-18

from acute traumatic meningitis, the result
of savage blow on the head inflicted some
time previously by her drunken mother
This was eventually one of the few recov-
cries in such an advanced stage of that
most fatal of all the diseases of childhood,
acute meningitis, that we have met with in
the course Of long and sad experience.
During her rawlings in the course OF the
disease, and even during her convalescence,
this poor child babbled repeatedly and
crayed earnestly in her ow words for "a
drink of porter from the gallon"
We subsequently ascertained that from the
time she could totler under its weight she
was sent out to the public house every day
by her mother for can Of porter, out of
which she was accustomed to help herself
to a little on each occasion.
CASE IV.-We have now another child
in the hospital suffering from injuries con
sequent on her parents alcoholism In this
case the little victim is girl about three
and half years of age, whose right leg has
been factured by furious kick from her
intoxicated mother.
CASE V.-In the same ward is also a
wretched infant similarly injured by kick
over the hip-iont from the drunken brute
who claims to be it's father.
Cases such as those just referred to, which
are but few of the many instances of the
same kind which have come under my care
in the Children's Hospital, within the past
few years, are, think, proof that alcohol
ism demands greater consideration than it
has received as prolific cause of disease
and death in childhood.
In the majority of ease of juvenile alcohol
ism that have thus come under my notice,
this tendency appeared to have been in
| herited, and was most marked in those
children whose mothers were confirmed in
ebrates. Some reference is therefore
necessary in this connection to intemperance
in women as bearing i'll many ways on the
diseases treated in hospitals for childlen
where its effects are strikingy evinccd by
the moral and physical deterioration of the
offspring of the drunken, and by their
special tendencies to strumous, tubercular,
and other constitutional taints,
In many of these instances of alcoholism
in women, the tavcologial effects Of which
are transmitted to their children in the
manner just alluded to- the craving for
stimulants is traceablo to some of the dis
orders which came before us in gynecolog-
cal practice. Oftentimes it results from
the too general habit of admDisteriuh
alcoholic Stimulants for the relief OF
dysmenorrhca. In such eases, "this unkind
neponthe' is frequently employed in gradual
increasing doses to produce the same effect,
until eventually, and often unconsciously,
the victim of dysmcnorlhcal alcoholism
may become an habitual and incurablc
drunkard, and possibly the future mother
of children cursed by the Inheritance of the
same awful procliyity.
In this matter our profession is directly
concerned and can do much by its influence
to lessen this source of hereditary alcohol
ism. Even yet, however we have hardly
sufficiently emancipated ourselves from the
influence of those eminent authorities who.
some twenty years ago, in leading the reac
tiOn against the antiphlogstic treatment
then in vogue, went to very undue
extreme in the opposite direction. Under
any circumstances Tie use of alcoholic
liquors should be rcsorted to, MS Other
narcotic stimulauts are, only when thera'
peutically required, and in doses regulated
by the special exigencies of each case. Had
we, therefore, TO deal with the hale and
happy inhabitants of DR.. Richardson's idea
city of Hygea, we might with great advan,
tage adopt his views as to the total prohibi
tion of all intoxicants Unfortunately
however, we live on earth and not in Utopia
and in our profession have to consider the
condition of those enfeebled by disease OF
age, and too often those who have been
prematurely broken down, mentally as well
as physically, in sustaining the battle of lift
with sinking heart as well as failing thought
In considering the cause of the increasing
tendency to alcoholism now noticeable
amongst the Young, it must be borne in
view that as already mentioned, this pro
clivity is, in the majority of cases, Inherited
and results from the prevailing intemperancC
of women as well as of men in all classes
For although persons of good position III
longer drink as much wine after dinner al
formerly, still even amongst those of thC
highest ranks, as well as in the middle an(
lower classes of society, vile habit o
tippling, or ''nipping," ardent spirits c.
liquors in small quantities throughout the
day has become generally plevalent ant
this is productive of far more injuriou.
consequences than followed the post pran
dial excesses of our forefathers Nor cal
it be wondered at that the children
of such generation shoult
even in their earliest years manifest thu
proclivities and diseases of alcoholism.
TeeYiis thus arising from intemperanc
in young and old should at least suffice t,
come habituated to the use or taste of an,
intoxicaut. The custom of giving wine tt
: the children of the better classes or strongo
stimulantS even to infants among the poor
as a JoRne J0uchG, is So universal in III
practice and SO calamtous in its conseQuen
, ces that it is full time that the voice of th,
profession should make itself heard in NJ
uncertain tone in reprobatiUn of this source
!, of incalcuable ills. Many years ago, in
work which has since passed through severa
editions and has been rcpublished in Amer
lea as in England, l discussed this subject
and showed that ''under no circumstance
should stimulants be given to children
except when required therapeuticaliy, ant
then only in the form and definite dose
of other medicines" Since then lergthen
,