The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-09-08
FOR VICTIMS OF ALCOHOL.
THE METHODS USED IN A PRIVATE
HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN.
Drunkenness Classified as n Disease
How Patients are Treated-A
Striking Popularity.

HOW RaCtentS are Ifeabeu-h
Striking Popularity.
'The patients here are all women"
said the manager of quiet, unobtrusive
private hospital in the neighborhood of
Central Park. Fromsthe outside of the
building nothing could be seen to indi-
cate the character of the occupants, and
it could easily have been taken for the
home of business man of means.
"What are the special features of the
institutionm continued the manager.
'"There is only one disease treated here,
| and that is drunkenness Drunkenness
diseased Undoubtedly, the same as
any other disordered condition of the
body. Alcohol is poison and people
who take it habitually suffer from chronic
! poisoning Just as the man does who
works in white lead factory for any
length of time. The patients are all
wealthy here, and, contidentially, this
| place is nothing moro than high-toned
inebriate asylum. 1t would never do to
call it so as it would ruin the business
entirely. 1t is peculiar thing about
many of our patients, that is, those who
come willingly, that if there were any
thing said about this being a retreat for
drunkards they would never come here.
They are sensitive on this point, although
they know what is the difficulty with
them. The hospital is always full, and
in fact, patients have to be turned away
every day, and understand that places
similar to this have been started further
downtown, to take care of the increase
in the business. / can't say that drunk
enness among wealthy women is on the
increase, but there is no doubt that the
number of people seeking treatment is
larger than it was year ago. Some of
the cases are bad, and women who have
formed the habit Of taking morphine to
quiet the nervous condition induced by
alcohol are the worst. Some are brought
here in the widest paroxysms of delirium
tremens, after the treatment of the fam
ily physician has ceased to be of benefit. "
"Are the patients cured2 That is hard
to tell The object of the treatment is
to break the habit Patients have been
sent home seemingly strong and all
right, who after a time come back worse
than ever. But little medicine is given
in the plan of treatment, and no substi-
tute for the alcohol. Medicine to take
away the appetite for alcohol is nonsense,
for by giving something for this purpose
another habit will usually be formed
equally as bad. Whatever tends to
strengthen the body is used, and no
patient is safe to discharge until the in
tiammation of the stomach caused by
alcohol has been removed. Fresh air,
baths, exercise, light food and agreeable
mental occupation do the work if cure
is possible. There is class of patients
who do not want to stop drinking. They
spend few weeks with us, get patched
up somewhat and go back to their ex-
cesses with the vigor of youthful indul-
gence. All the patients are benefited
by treatment, unless there is too great
an organic arrangement of the kidneys
.. and liver. l know of some absolute
cures but they are but a comparatively
small percentage of those treated. The
: trouble is that when they leave here, as
soon as there is a reaction, however
slight, from the cessation of tonic, they
feel depressed and take little stimulant
to drive away the dullness and counteract
the low vitality. When this is done
once, it is only question of time when
stimulants are taken in large quantities
for every little ailment. This sets up an
: Inflammation which is the cause of the
craving for alcohol, and the habit is
formed. l have had patients under my
charge whose relatives would willingly
pay any amount of money to have the
, habit broken. 1t is not question
of money at all. Millions could not
cure person who did not have stronger
desire to stop drinking than to drink.
This is the real secret of radical cure.
: ''The patients cannot as a rule be
trusted. The will lie about their con-
dition, make themselves appear to be
well and strong only that the restraint
/, they are under may be relaxed, so. that
l they may have chance to get something
to drink. Even when they are brought
here physical wrecks, trembling with
9 shattered nerves, wild eyes and wander
: ing minds, they will declare that they
s have not drank in months, and Gain that
$ they ere being prosecuted by their families
I or friends. There are many sad cases
, where the habit of drinking has been
y formed innocently and perhaps under
the advice of a physician. Then there
will usually be an honest effort to break
|, away from the grip that is tighter than
band of iron, and the mental torture
! induced by the effort to keep straight
O and the lack of confidence in the ability
to do so is something horrible at times,
y and can only be appreciated by those
Is who have seen cases frequently or under
y gone the agony themselves.
''There is one striking peculiarity
about alcoholic patients. They will
agree with every statement made con-
cerning the injurious effects of alcohol,
: and will acknowledge that drunkenness
y is the worst habit that could be formed.
,e ,e They will deliver temperance lectures to
N each other by the hour, and weep freely
as they recount their misery and suffer
II ings. Give the most earnest protestol
among them a chance to get bottle oi
! whisky, and she will seize it eagerly
~ The thought of whisky starts the ma
~ ~ chinery Of desire going so strongly that
8 g. nothing can resist it, and usually, until