The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-04
THE wHrsKY-DRINKER,s GAUGE.
The Ingenious and Wonderful Instrument
Invented by MIR. Trudgein.


Mr.. Otto Trudgen of this city, has just COM
pleted an instrument which threatens to disturb
the liquor traffic and, if the inventors expecta
tions and plans are realized, make public drunk
enness a scandal of the past The work of Mr..
Trudgein has been so we'll guarded that only two
or three friends Of some scientific knowledge
know anything of its mechanism. While / am
unable to give any technical description of the
new discovery, short sketch OF the inventor,
the causes that led I'D to- his work. and the scheme
for bringing his instrument into use may not
prove uninteresting to the readers of the Dis
patch.
Otto Trudgein who is not yet forty years
old, spent his younger life in Germany where
he served an apprenticeship with the firm of
Erfurt 81 Bodenhamer, makers OF instruments
for the medical profession and after serving
his time" he acted as assistant foreman for
few years In the same mandatory During
this time he became an expert workman and an
adept in the uses and possibilities of delicate
mechanism applied to the organism of the hui
man body. With respectable sum of money,
saved by his industry and frugalitv, Mr.. Trudgen
and his young wife came to America, where
he hoped to rapidly increase his modest CAPT.
tai. He first marked in business in Balti-
more Unfortunate investments soon exhausted
his finances. TO make a long story short, his
misfortunes distressed him so that he took to
hard drinking, becoming almost common
drunkard and an outcast before he realized his
peril and the folly of his conduct Being man
OF strong character and more than ordinary in
tellectuallty, he soon recovered himself, and to-
day, as he puts it, enjoys the luxury OF abstl-
nence." Three years ago he came to the oil re-
gons, and now holds responsible and lucrative
position in the Eclipse Oil works. During the
time Mr.. Trudgein so sedulously applied himself
to the consumption OF rum, he studied the effects
OF alcohol upon himself, and from this came the
idea of the invention he is now preparing to put
before the public. His observations are not new,
but the application of them he is about to make
is certainly original and of the boldest
nature. He reasoned thus The first effect of
alcohol is to quicken pulsation and increase the
temperature Of the body. This is stimulation,
excitation, exhilaration The secondary effect
is to decrease the action of the pulse and lower
the temperature. This stage is a certain symp-
tom of coming drunkenness-a muddled brain
and an impeachment in the legs, and means that
it is time to stop the supply of liquor II the
physician has to ascertain the condition of the
pulse and body in order to intelligently pre-
scribe for the patient, why not adopt the same
physiological signs to tell when man has reached
that stage in drinking where more liquor would
be harmful.
Thousands of men can stand continuous
course of irrigation" without displaying, by ex
preston of face or form, the inevitable collapse
into utter helplessness and imbecility. This Mr..
Trudgein proposes to regulate. With his new
instrument he will call halt to the youthful
citizens Jerry" racket 'jamboree," or ex
cessive drinking under any name, keep the
rounder in state of respectable sohrietv, and
lous citizens, the periodical drinker, from stray
ing too far-at least in public.
I have said Mr. Trudgein's work has been
carefully guarded. 1t will be until he has Sc
cured his patent beyond all danger. From what
little knowledge have obtained, judge the
new invention is comparable in some respects to
the sphygmograph, fine instrument now used
by the medical fraternity, and for want OF a bet
ter term-Mr. Trudgein has not decided upon a
name yeti will call it sphygmograph. 1t is
so small that it can be fastened conveniently
upon the vest near the arm hole, and so delicate
in construction that it will faithfully perform its
work of registering the various effects of alcohol
upOn the system without interfering with the
movements of the person or causing any disar
rangement of the clothing, and so fine as to be
positively imperceptible to the wearer. The &C
ton of the heart as understand it, is conveyed
by the auxiliary artery to the sphygmograph, and
from that to the indicator by set of delicate
springs. When che sphygmograph is first attached
the body must be entirely free from ali extrane-
GUS influences. The physical condition is regis
tered on small inner circle, like the seconds on
a watch dial. The changes from the normal
condition are indicated upon another and larger
circle. If the sphygmograph is disconnected or
tempered with the indicators drop to a zero
mark, thus preventing any possibility of decep-
ton.
Mr. Trudgein claims, and his claim is backed
by the opinion of his scientific advisers, that his
instrument will unerringly tell the point at
which liquor ceases to be mere stimulant and
becomes positive injury That by it the most
ignorant barkeeper can tell upon examination
the proper time to quit selling liquor to his Gus
toner.
The invention of Mr. Trudgein is the work of
mechanical genius, but it is not the most i'm
portant factor in his scheme The question in
volving the money side of his labor was yet to
be met. No man will voluntarily wear any
thing-excepting his confined legs and redolent
breath-tnat will reveal whether he has drunk
more or less liquor. To overcome this difficulty
%I,oc of he +an,Y lox,o
been successfully invoked. In Warren county.
where one of the strongest temperance organi
cations in the State exists, and in Venango,
Crawford and Mercer counties, he has found
able and willing allies. With this force
and the aid of several members of the
Legislature already promised, move will be
made on the Pennsylvania Legislature to pass
an act to compel every person demanding drink
of liquor at public bar to wear the sphygmo
graph or be refused. bill has already been
drafted and will be presented early in the ses
sion by Representative Rulings. 1t has been
prepared with great skill and after faithful
consideration of all the possibilities of evasion.
1t provides fines and penalties for barkeepers
who allow men to become intoxicated upon their
premises and seeks to compel them to sell in
accordance with a knowledge obtained by an ex
animation of Mr. Trudgeins instrument. Sena-
tor Lee is non-committal regards the new
law, but says he will not oppose any legislation
which Pre- misses to decrease irrational drinking.
The more practical temperance people profess to
see in the sphygmograph the means of lessening
liquor drinking and consequently decreasing
the number of saloons in every community.
The Womans Christian Temperance Union will
be brought into action through series of meet
ings to be held in the interest of the new de-
parture
Mr. Trudgein says that if men prefer to forego
the fancied pleasures of drinking at public bar
rather than wear the sphygmograph, decided
good has been accomplished, even if they keep
private bottle. Next year he proposes organic
ing syndicate to push the matter in every
State in the Union
A Bit of Florida Landscape.
From Late Letter.