Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-07
AN INEBRIATEs, HOME.
Interview with the superintendent
of n Drunkards' HOspital-The
ssWashingtOn Homer
of Chicago.

VI OhhCstkOs
There are only four Washlngtonian
Homes in the United States, and this one
is the most successful OF them all. 1t is
the only one in which reform is attempted
by the combined influences OF bodily
care, physiological. teaching, and religion.
This Home not only cleanses the pa
TENTS body of alcoholism and its effects,
as far as it may be possible, but it teaches
him, in striking manner, the certainty
of horrible death If the use of intoxi-
cants be persisted in. The old "soaker"
or the veteran periodical" may know
too well how his head, stomach and gen.
eral system feel after debauch, but Sup
erintendent Wilkins goes his experience
one better and shows him how his liver,
kidneys and stomach appear. A swelled
head is q source Of annoyance, but the
picked stomachs and livers OF drunkards
which DIR. Wilkins displays to hundreds
of drunkards every year are things of ter
ror. In the beautiful chapel, the walls
of which are ornamented with appropri-
ate notices, and the ceiling with hand
some frescoes, Superintendent wilkins
gives a lecture every Thursday evening.
"What kind of men come here, as
rule ?" a reporter asked Superintendent
Wilkins.
"The best kind, but for their drink.
Some OF the brightest men OF the world
gather around our tables every day at din
ner. We get very few Of the low class.
Six out of seven men who come here are
periodical drunkards, and as rule the
periodical drunkard is bright man. He
is n man OF strong emotions. lie
loves well, learns quick, works fast, be-
comes an expert, likes sociability, does
everything with his whole heart. After
years of observation and study l have
been able to diagnose the case OF the Pc
riodical satisfactorily to myself. For
years it was mystery to me why 80
many of our inmates were periodicals. l
studied them, and their traits. Finally |
classified their emotions and desires, and
made chart which used in talking to
the men. You would be surprised to see
how quickly can make them understand
me.
spirits while in health, and strong animal
emotions. Ii he suffers disappointment,
bodily pain or discomfort, or from loneli
ness or lack OF application, the desire for
relief is stronger with him than with men
less sensitive and emotional, and he
rushes into drink. Once started he is Il
slave. Being man ofintelligence, pride
and fine taste, upon becoming sober he is
greatly chagrined and mortified. His
| better self again assumes control, and for
n time he is good citizen. But the fur
ther he gets from his last debauch the
less his pride and chagrin aid in holding
him up, and soon he falls again. With
many the beginning of u periodical is n
matter OF sudden temptation or opportu-
nifty. Sunday is always bad day for the
man who is trying to reform. Holidays
are always dangerous, and we dread every
election as we do plague. 1t never fails
to send back to us some of our men,
whom we had hoped were permanently
reformed. The constant drinkers are
usually, though of course not always, of
more stolid disposition, and from the
lower walks OF life. Most of the men
sent us by the police justices are steady
drinkers.
"Men with finely organized nervous
systems are peculiarly liable to become
periodicals.. They overT ork, or lose
sleep, and their sensitiveness to pain
drives them quickly to the use OF stimu-
lants. Night work Is ono of the most
frightful causes of intempcrance. Rail
road, telegraph, and steamboat men,
physicians, editors, reporters, and print
ers not having regular habits and meals,
and sleep, are frequent victims to drink.
They may have time for sufficient sleep,
but they do not take it. A railway presi-
dent told me the other day that most OF
the employees OF his company discharged
for intemperance were on night runs.
Their nervous systems break down, and
intemperance claims them for its own.
Bookkeepers who work long hours, and
frequently take their books home at
night, or so weary the brain that restful
sleep is impossible, are also liable to
drink. Travelling men, from their irregu
lar habits and habitual sociability, Otter
become drunkards. Lawyers, being gen
orally highly emotional, by excessive
brain work destroy their nervous systems
and fall easy victims, Why, of the 70(
men admitted TO the Home during tn,
last year nearly one-third were OF tn,
classes have Just mentioned. Let's sc,
there were 80 bookkeepers, Is railwa,
men, IA newspaper men, % printers, 2.
, lawyers, o physicians, 60 statesmen anC
travelling men, and telegraph men.
"To prove my assertion that periodical
/. drinkers are usually bright men, who be
; come expert in some profession or trade
or engage in business requiring TIN
. energy and tact which emotional mel
nearly always possess act me give yo
some further figures. sides the ones
mentioned, we mad ll' the year
i board of trade men, .ru is, hotel
keepers, @ insurance ny jewelers.
matters, 4 lumber dealers. maUl.ni q
molders, millers, 8 man. lcl ers,
photographers, plumbers, 3 professor
in colleges, and real estate men. w