Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-10-26
VICTIMS OF ALCOHOL.
The METHODS USED IN A PRIVATE
HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN.

U
HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN.
visit I" Hish-Toned Incbriate Asylum.
The ilan of Treatment Adcptca--Dan-
ger when There is y Eeactiou-Pecr-
liari,ies of Patients.
"The patients here are all women. said th'
manager of "A quiet, unobtrusive private ho5
rital in the pcirhborhood Of Central pall;
From the outside of the building nothing
could be- seen to indicate the character Of thu
occupants, and it could easily have been taken
for the home of business i.an of means
What are the special features Of the inati
:utionl' continued the manager There Is
only one disease treated Ecre, and that K
drunkenness Drunkenness disease! I'm
d0uhtedly, the same as a:iy other disordervl
condition of the body. Alcohol is poison,
and people who take II Eabitually suffer from
chronic poisoning. lust as the man does who
works i'll Whit lead factory for any length
of time The patients are all wealthy here,
and contldentidlly, this place is nothing more
than a heightened inehriatc asylum. 1t
would never do to call it SO, as it would ruin
the business entirely
1t is peculiar thing about many of ouI
patients, that is, those who come willingly
that if there We're anything said about this
being Il retreat for drurkartis they would
| never C"Cle here. They are sensitive on this
point. although they know what is the diff
ticuity with them. The hospital Is always
full and, III fact patients have to be turned
| away every day ard understand that places
similar to this have been started further dow
town. 10 take care of the increase i'll the bust
| ness. ! can't say that drunkenness among
wealthy women Is on the increase, but there
| Is no DOUBT that the number of people seeking
| Treatment j. larC.r than IT was Il wear ago
Some Of the cases are bad, and the womc,
who have formed the habit of taking nor
| phine to quiet the nervous condition induce
| by alcohol are the wort Some are brought
| here in the widest paroNysms If dcliriuT
| tremenS, after the treatment of the family
| physician has ceased to be Ut benefit.
TIE pLAT or TREATMENT
| Are the patients cured! That is hard II
| tell Tie object of the treatment Is to brcat
| the habit Patients hsvS been sent home
seemingly str1nG and all right, who after {
| time come back worse than ever. But httif
medicine Is given i'll the plan of treatment
| and no substitute for the alcohol Medic1ns
| to take away tine appetite for alcohol Is non
sense, for by giving something for this pur
pose another habit Will usually he formcC
equally rs bud Whatever tends to strengthen
the body Is used, and TO patient Is safe to is
char,' until the Inflammation Of I'll" stomach
.au1d %. alcohol has been removed Fresh
| an. L,tls exercise, light food and Agreeable
mental occupation do the work ii Il cure i
posalble There Is = class Of patients who tic
net want t. stop drinking. They spend 8
| few week with Us, set patched up somewhat
| aud 70 back t. their excuses With the viCoI
II Youthful Indulgence al the patients are
benefited hV treatment, unless there is toe
great an rTg,uir arrangement Of the kidneys
and liver | know OF some absolute cure
but tIev az. hrt a comparatively small per
c"ntG~e uf hn,r treated.
Tn. trouble = that when they Ieavc here
a. soon = there is u reaction, however SLIGHT
from th- cessation Of tnpi,- they fee, dcpr.'SSr
and axe Il httls stImulant 10 drive away the
iulln.s, and couuteract tho low vitality,
| When this Is done unCc it IS only question
OF lluo when stimulants are taken III large
| IN az inflammation which Is the causr Of the
| cravir. tor alcohol. and the habit l. formed
| | l.a-" had Patients under my charge who's,
relatives would willingly pay any amount Of
money 10 have the habit broken. II is not a
| question of money at all Millions could not
| cure "a ls.rsor who did not have a stronger de-
sire 10 stop drinking than to drink This is
| tine real secret Of . radical cure.
PECULIARITIEs OF PATIENTS.
The Patients cannot, As a rule, I've trusted
| They VIII lie about their condition, make
themselves appear to be well and strong, only
| that the restraint they are under may be re
| Taxed 81 that they may have a chance to get
| something to drink. Even when they ART
| brought here, physical wrecks, trembling
with shattered nerves, wild eyes and wander.
| ing minds. they will declare that they have
| not drank IN months, and claim that they are
| being prosecuted by their family or friends
There are many sad cases where the habit Of
| drinking has heeE formed innocentIv and pnr,
| hapS under the advIc. of Il physician. Then
| there will usually he an honest effort to break
| away from the grip that is tighter than a
| band OF iron. and the mental torture induced
| by the effort to keep straight and the lack o;
| confidence in the ability to do so Is something
| horrible at times and eau only he appreciated
| by those VIII" have seen eases frequently OF
| undergone the agony themselves.
"Ihere i one striking popularity about the
! alcoholic patient They VIII agree with every
| statement made concerning the injurious Of
| focts nf alcohol. and will acknowledge that
| drunkenness is the worst habit that could bc
| formed They viii deliver Temperance
| lectures to each other by the hour, and weaI
| freely as they re- cunt their misery and suf
| terinGs Give the most earnest protest or
| among them chance to get bottle of whisky
| and they viii seize it eagerly The thought
| OF whisky starts the machinery of desire 90
ing 30 strongly that nothing can resist it, and
| usually until Il patients stomach Is healed, She
VIII drink whisky if she can get it until in
| scGsibllity X produced. New Work Tribune
Steering Ivy AZ Alarm CiccI,
yachting party In tho sloop William
Henry met With i IS i,,ht Glishap down the
river q few dayaago The beading spirits Of