Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-07-14

THE patients here arr all women, said the
manager Of n quiet unuhtrI~Ivr private hos
pital in the neighborhond If Central park
From the outside Of the building nothing
could be secm Ia Indicate the character Of thr
occupants, and ii could easily have is,n taken
for the home of IA business man If means
What arr the special features Of the InSti-
tutionr continued the manager There is
only one disease treated here, and that Is
drunkenness. DRUNKENNESS disease Tn
doubtedly, the same as any other dl>urdrr'd
condition Of the bOiy Alcohol Is a poison,
and people who take 1t habituulIy suffer from
chronic poisoning, just rs the man DOES who
works in white lead factory for any length
OF time. The patient. arr all wealthy here,
and cOntidentially. this place Is nothing moro
than high toned incbriate asylum. 1t
would never do 10 call it 50, rs it would ruin
the business entirely.
1t Is a peculiar thing about many of our
patients that l.. those who come willingly,
that If there Were anything said about this
being a retreat for .runkardS they would
never come here. They are sensitive on this
point, although they know what Is the diff
tCulty with them. The hospital Is always
full, and, i'll fact. patients have to lie turned
away every day ani understand that places
similar to this have been started further down
town, to take care of the inCrcaN. in the bust
ness. | cant say that drunkenness among
wealthy women is on the increase, but there.
is no doubt that the number Of people seeking
treatment i iGT-,r tan it was II year ago.
Some of the ca,ts are had. and the women
who have formed the habit of taking NOR
phine To quiet the nervous condition induced
by alcohol are the worst Some are brought
here in the widest paro1ysms of denrIum
tremens after the treatment of the family
physician has ceased to be of benefit.
THE PLAN OF TREATMENT
Are the patients Curedf 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 substitute for the alcohol Medicine
to take away the appetite for alcohol Is non
sense, for by giving something for this pur-
pose another habit will usually he formed
equally as bad Whatever tends 10 strengthen
the body is used, and no patient Is safe 10 dis
charge until the inflammation Of the stomach
caused by alcohol has been removed Fresh
air, baths, exercise, light food and agreeable
mental occupation do the work il "a cure Is
possible. There Is a class Of patients who do
not want u stop drinking. They spend II
few weeks with Us, get patched up somewhat
and 20 back to their excuses with the vIgor
of youthful indulgence. All the patients arr.
benefited by treatment, unless there Is too
great an organic arrangement of the kidney ;
and liver. | know of some absolute cures
but they are but comparatively small per
centage of those treated
The trouble is that when they leave here,
As soon there Is IA reaction, however slight,
from the cessation of tOniCS, they feel depressed
and take little stimulant to drive away the
dullness and countcraCt the low vitality.
When this Is done once, it Is only a question
of time when stinIulants 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
have had patients under my charge whose
relatives would willingly pay any amount Of
money to have the habit broken. Ii Is not a
question Of money at all Millions could not
cure person who did not have a stronger de
sire TO stop drinking than TO drink. This Is
the real secret of n radical cure