Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-05-29
PRIVATE RETREATS IN DEMAND.
Places Where the Victims OF Opium an


Places Where the Victims of Opium and
Alcohol are Cured.
The alarming increase in nervous and
mental disorders, consequent upon the
habituai use of stimulants and narcotics.
has resulted in corresponding increase
OF private retreats" within the last year,
says the New York Mail and Express.
Though given the less offensive title of
retreats and ''homes' these places are
really nothing more nor less than mad
houses, where patients are placed under
medical surveillance. They flourish in
the rural districts, but pay best when
near to some metropolis. New Jersey
has many of these homes, where the un-
fortunates from New York, Pennsylvania
Delaware and Maryland find refuge.
Connecticut and Rhode Island offer like
accommodations to New England,,patrons,
while Nebraska is the favored state for
victims of diseased minds in the west.
The south is as yet comparatively I'm
provided in this particular, though it is
a noticeable fact that this section of
the country sends as many patients to
the New jersey institutions as any other.
Although all classes of patients are ad-
mitted to the ''refOrmatories," the ma or-
ity of them are treated for chron c alco-
holism. Opium and morphine eaters
come next on the list, while the ''hope-
lesslv insane receive 20 treatment at all.
The young man about town, who has in
dulged his appetite to excess, .'goes to
Europe for his health Europe in his
case, khowever, is oftentimes retreat,
where he remains with his tongue hang
ing out of his mouth in anxiety for one
drop of whisky until it is time for him
| to return from his trip abroad. This
usually takes about six weeks.
''There are as many ways OF treating
confirmed drunkards and opium-eaters
as there are physicians TO treat them,' .
said physician to reporter. eff a
little judgement is used they can be
cured, and that, too, quite thoroughly.
They imagine they must have their fav-
orite stimulant, and if possible they will
get it. Some physicians use the padded
cell. The poor inebriate is brought IN
suffering with delirium tremens. After
large doses of bromide Of potassium have
been forced down the poor fellows, throat
he is thrown into the padded cell, where
he means and groans, for days some
times, in despair. Oftentimes the poor
wretch beats his head against his cell
walls in his frenzy. Such treatment is
positively cruel, and the patients many
times are seriously injured. The theory
Of stop mans whiskey and he won't
get drunk may be very good as a
theory, but it does not stand practical
test. To suddenly stop anything to
which the system has been long accus-
toned is serious thing. The most
judicious and humane plan is to gradual
ly decrease the amount Of patients
stimulant until he can do without il al
together. This accomplished the treat
ment proper begins. The drunkard is
not cured when he finds he can exist
comfortably without his glass. Neither
is he ready to be discharged. Unless his
impoverished system be built up, six
months after he leaves the institution he
will be as bad as before lie entered. He
requires tonics until his system rallies
from the shock caused by the poison of
the alcohol. Morphine patients should
be fed ON the drug regularly. The
doses should be decreased daily. This
can be done by substituting some inoc-
uous white substance, SO as to keep up
the size of the dose in appearance, until
finally the patient, instead of taking
morphine, is taking regular doses of
some effective tonic, and he is soon in a
condition to leave the institution.
"Women addicted to the opium habit
are the hardest class of patients to treat.
They are naturally more delicately Or
ganized than men, and it requires a
much longer time to cure them. I'm
like the men, however, a woman once
cured seldom has relapse"