Evening journal., 1888-07-10
DOING A GOOD WORK.
THE ONLY WASHlNGTONlAN HOME
IN THE UNITED STATES.
1T il Located in Chicago, and 20 the
Earnest Endcavors of Its Promoters
Many a Reclaim Man Owes His Pres
ent Good Character.
IsnecIal Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondenee1
CHICAGO, July 9.--There Is no more inter
esting place in this city that l know any |
thing about than the Washingtonian home |
Chicago's Washingtonian home is, / be-
lieve, the only one in the United States.
At our home a new departure was taken
late last year An Industrial department in
the shape Of a workshop wherein the inmates
may be employed at manual labor has been
added, and the result OF this experiment will
be watched with interest In fact, this homo
is full Of curious interest from one end to the
other from the reading room, where the re-
formed man sits at his book to the den Of
horrors, occupied by whisky maniacs, who
gnash their teeth like wild beasts and rend
the air with their outcries.
Not less interesting than tho home itself
was its beginning twenty-five years ago
The man who planted tho good seed was
Rolla Law, nm editor. Fitting up a little
room in the rear OF his Office with two beds
and strong lock on the door, he placed in
that humble hospital two drink victims Of
his acquaintance. He kept them there thirty
| days, and when he thought they had re-
formed he asked them to take the pledge and
told them they might go. They signed the
pledge, and one Of the men took some money
/ WDlcn MI LAW EhNd Aillii 1lh 70 u
store near by, passing and repassing saloons
on the way, and came back with his pledge
unbroken. Tor twelve years before that day
the man had not passed saloon with a dime
In his pocket without stopping in for liquor.
He never broke his pledge, but lived up to it
all the remainder Of his life, and became
successful business man. The other patient,
alasl did not withstand the crucial test. He
fell at the first temptation. Glad to save
even one man, the friends of Mr.. Law be-
stirred themselves and started the Washing
tonian home. After time they got public aid
In the shape of a share Of the revenues from
liquor licenses, and now possess a handsome
homo which cost Sio0,O and with room for
100 patients.
The first thing that is done with a patient
arriving at the homo is to put him in the hos
pital was at the home ono day when a
patient came in the patrol wagon. Three
policemen had all they could do to get him
up stairs. He fought like madman, de-
clared that his captors were going to hang
him, and his cries and cursings wero fearful
70 hear. At length he was calmed into tract
ability and confined in the strong room at
tached to the hospital This room is in
reality q Jail The door is Of heavy iron. A
few years ago the walls were padded to pre-
vent the occupants dashing their brains ont
against the walls, but the leather upholstering
has been removed and the walls are now
bare. 1t was found impossible 70 put on an
upholstering that the delirious man could not
tear Of. Often an inmate would stand half
; the night picking at the leather or endeavor-
ing TO loosen a null head One prisoner man
aged to reach the head of nail with his
toeth, and in five minutes there was not a
, scrap Of leather on tho wall. These strong
, rooms have no windows they are as dark as
the mammoth cave.
1T would never do to put a delirious man
in a lighted CELL y says DR. Smith, tho stew
ard who has had many years Of experience
H. handling such patients. "The light ex-
cites his imagination If there is the small
est crevice in the wall he viii see in it tho
most horrible things. Complete darkness
Z ana isolation from sound are the best. The
common notion that men suffering from de-
lirium tremens SEQ snakes and vermin is
correct Fully 90 per cent. OF them are af-
0icted with snakes and rats. Some Of them
see owls. Even in their more quiet moments
= nearly all Of the patients think everybody is
ia a conspiracy against them They iD-
: agine that somebody is pouring water on
q them, or trying to burn them with hot irons
/. or stab them with knives. 1t takes nerve tC
( handle some Of these men, and have been
4 called to the hospital in tho dead of night to
find it in possession OF two or three madmen,
!. and the nurses fleeing for their lives
Occasionally we are compelled TO use
n the straight jacket. A man in de
lirum from drink is more difficult to cOntro
!. than n maniac. The attendant of madlnar
quickly gains an influence over him, or learns
the methods by which ne can be controlled
: NOT so with the man crazed by liquor. III
2 IS full Of moods, and there is no telling wha'
Z he win do next. He may. start out OF a deeI
e sleep ana commit deeds Of violence befor,
o the attendant can summon assistance. Beel
Is cases are worse than whisky, and the opium
Y victim IS the worst Of all. He is tricky nnS
y treacherous even after he has become ra
= tional. It is a motto with us to never trus
4 an opium eater. Our opium patients an
I. kept apart from the Others. Not one opium
victim in a hundred reforms"
I 'What proportion Of the inmates are sut
: fering with delirium trcmens on their arri
- val hercp
zone in fifteen or twenty, though man.
more are bordering on it. If violent a pa
tient Is put ia the dark room for few hours
4 but IL merely prostrated from alcoholism b
is put to sleep In the hospital We dare nc
of deprive them OF stimulants at once, an
A. hence It follows that drunkards do get liquo
y, in the Washingtonian home itseh. But fo
!. this fatal results would follow in n large prC
portion Of tho cases. The men have bee
y without food so long that 20 instantly tai
* ali stimulants from them would be dange
le Gus in the extrome. NO two cases are ahk
90 but In general the treatment is to adlniniste
nerve sedatives, give hight, nutritious FOO,
OF such as milk and eggs, frequent baths ar
." opportunity for plenty Of sleep. After al
,s, sleop is the great restorer, and some Of Of
I'M patients will sleep for two or three days at
x. stretch, and then become themselves aga
NJ almost Immediately aud without any 9TH
!, medicine. You saw that poor wretch con
=, up the stairs few moments agoi Two
three days from now you would not kno
=, him. A good sleep usually brings hack
,es the patient tho craving for food, which
ne has not tasted for a week or two, perhaF
and with returning appetite comes color al
strength. A majority Of our patients cou
Il leave the home in three or four days, so f
as their physical health Is concerned
But the patient is not permitted to 60
the end Of that time Tbs home now tak
av hold OF him and endeavors 70 build up
~ moral character, in much the same way
! - his body has been won back TO its norm
q. condition The hops is to send him for
- into the world braced to Withstand the TEN
1ne tations Of drink A patiant must remain
N the home thirty days, whether he wants
u or not, though he is not under tbs same
ion straint as when in hospital. He may so Q