Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1886-08-21
FOR VICTIMS OF ALCOHOL
THE METHODS USED IN A PRIVATE
HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN.
Drunkenness Classified as a Disease
How Patients are Treated-A
Striking Peculiarly.


said the manager of quiet, unobtrusive
private hospital in the neighborhood Of
Central Park. From the 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
institution" continued the manager.
"There is only one disease treated here,
and that is drunkenness. Drunkenness
a disease2 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 whc
works in a white lead factory for any
length of time. The patients are all
wealthy here, and, coniidentially, 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 tlke 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
lily 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 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
tlammation of the stomach caused by
alcohol has been removed Fresh air
botbs evorc;se I;oht food and agreeahIs
mental occunation do the work f n cure
ia noss;bIe Tbcre Is a cIass of nat;ents
Who do not want IN ston dr;nk;ng Tbev
snend a fow veeks with no get PATCHED
~, somoybo+ and M hocLp e +bo;r ax
cesses with the vioor of vonthfuI indnl-
gerce All the natients are benefited
6v treatment unlpss there ia too great
On organic deronoement of the k;dnevs
and iiver know of some ahsolnte
cures bnt tbev arc but n con,narot;voIv
snaII ,,orcentooe of those trooted Tbyo
t,ombla | ia tbat whom tbev ieovo bero M as
coon az there ia reaction bowsver
slight from the cessation of ionic thev
feei denresced and take a l;ttIe st;mnIon}
70 dr;ve o,vavt tho dnIIness and conntaroct
tSe low v;taIitv When this ia dono @
once II is onIv a ouest;on of time when
st;vunlonts are +olran in 1orro n,o,t;t;os
for everv IittIe aiIment IRIS sets nm an
;uaonmot;on which ;s tba consa ~ +ba
oran;nn for oIcobol and tha hoh;t ;s
formeJ have had nat;en+s % unJar I, ~, %
cbarne whose relatives would w;II;rGa,iy G
nav snv amount of money n have M
baI;t broken II ;s not nrest;on
Of money at all Millions cor1d moi
o,,ro a ,,or.or ,yho d;d not havo stror1.o'
das;re 70 ston dr;nE;nr tban 70 dr;nt
Th;s ;s tba rpol secret e. rad;nol om.o
.sTho nat;an,s oonno. nc III =,
.r,sted The will I;a ohort tba;r oon
J;.;"n rata +honsaIros an,oan ~ y.
asIJ anoil and | s,rorn onIv thot " tbo ro.t1o;u.
thor are pndo- nov he roIoxod 90 that
they nav have a chance to not son,oth;n" oo ,M"'
20 jr;nL ~ Evo,, ,.,han tbo, &c hso,.i!Ss
horo ,ahro;oaI wracLs troni,,;nO % ,t;.h
eo ahattapo3 3 norras III LID oras and 1S.nS- %lun
80 ,~;nds tho1 Ill, SaoIa~o th"t III
hayo hos no. d,onL n month. ana cio;,, E ~, .ha,
tLnr aro ha;rr, na-eao,,tod h. tn,;i;as ;ua
t,SoOdS Thaso HasN a.o 80 ~ snS Ia os my.
rhara ,bo bab;t Of dr;nI;1o I hos aSU, haon
formed inrocantIv and norSsns "I ma, DSea
~ od,,;oo 20 ,Sbvs;o;on 1r6o,, 49,.
will usually be an honest effort to break
away from the grip that is tighter than