The Indianapolis journal., 1888-05-25

The Downfall, Ruin, Resistance, and Fia
Cure and Rehabilitation CO Drunkard.

Habitual drunkards are found in all ranks Of
society. Men of education and intelligence, OF
culture and scholarly attainments even Of great
ability. swen the number of idebriates or Dip
secrecy, would willingly open their hearts and
minds to those who are striving to do them
good. 1t is under such an impression that the
present article is written. and trust that my
experiences and opinions may help TO solve
question on which it Is most desirable there
should be no doubt.
My maternal grandparents, were remarka-
bly, temperate, and Similar description ap
plies to my patcrnal grandparents. My
mother had always been NEARLY . teetotal-
ler;' my father what is called a "eood liver
On the other hand. my fathers two brothers
and my mothers two brothers ell died prema-
turely through excessive indulgence in alcoholic
drinks, and my nearest relatives Of the same
generation myself uea-Iy alishow the same
sad propensity. One cousin died by his own
hand while suffering from derium tremens be-
fore he was twenty-five years OF age, and there
Is only too much reason TO believe that one of
As for myself. although at home, / seldom, If
ever. tasted intoxicants in my youth, yet the
use of them else where was habitual with me
from very early age, and during my "tesns'
the excessive use Of them was not an infrsq usnt
occurrence.
Indeed, before was twenty-one years. OF age the
latter practice caused such irregular attention to
business that the career for which had been
trained had TO be abandoned. then ca mo to
London aud determined to start life sfresh. and
by associatipg with but one friend. a total alb
stainer, / was able to be teetotaler for
nearly two years not, however lit is important
to remember). intending to remain one always.
but simply adopting tho plan as q matter of
prudence until l recovered my lost position.
With a return Of prosperity came . recurrence
to the old habits, and during the next five years
. succession of appointments, was sooner
secured than lost. At the end of the period
mentioned l went to a tropical coun-
try. and for the fifth time in life of only
thirty years duration, began once again with
fair start and splendid prospects- Alas! the
same sad results followed Hitherto hadsonly
drunk in company. and to soue extent for the
sake of eonvivial companionship. Now, how
ever, drank alone. and sometimes secretly.
My annual salary reached nearly four figures
best socisty, though certain exclusive circles
we're closed to me in consequence OF the noto-
riety of my mania for intoxicants. At last
lost that appointments. and, as every door seemed
closed to me, / came 70 England once more.
My former friends rallied round me.
They constantly forgave my deficiencies. but
at last, wearied by my oftrspeated irregulari-
ties. cast me of. This happened, not once, or
twice. or thrice. but many times. sank lower
and lower. that is, became poorer and poorer,
until at length ruin became inevitable. and
starvation stared US 10 the face.
The habitual drunkard drinks not because he
likes drink or likes to get drunk He often de-
teets the one and shudders at the thought of
the other, but he drinks because he has an nm
controllable and morbid impulse to swallow in
toxicating liquor. He may surround himself
with every conceivable restriction, but in vain,
as shall show in the sequel, until ct length
ishmsnts Of habitual dsbauehery paralyzes all
the efforts of decrepit will, and he ceases to
think seriously on the subject He docs not
dare to think on it, for if he does it produces a
melancholy that sends him all the sooner 10
drink again.
Ruined in every way, Iobtained means to pro-
ceed to one Of the European capitals. where
bad remnant OF q professional connection. /
imagined that new associates and new associa'
tions would be perhaps a sort Of strength or as
distance TO me. But, alas. in less than month
! was a. bad as ever. became starving Deg
in the gay and brilliant Streets until at LAST
l was sent by a mendicancy organization back
to England to my starving wife and children.
no food. In 1875 had dined with the Prince of
Wales: in 1881 dined with Duke Humphrey;
In 1876 ] lived in o mansion with spacious
grounds, kept my own carriages, horses and
servants; in 1881 was mendicaut. The sole
reason for this ''foul defeat and overthrow was
simp ly that ] had become-an habitual drunk arj.
It was now that resolved to call in outside
hep to support my hitherto single efforts.
dslermined to cure myself by some means or
sother. My first step was to consult acknowl-
physician and an authority on dipsomapia wrote
to me:
'If you cannot place yourself for . year in
some retreat where IL would be out of your
power to get drink hardly know what TO advise
you As for hopelessness mai y men in quite 80
selves. Your ono chance. however. is to give
up every kind of drink, from small beer upward.
to steer clear of those conn panions with whom
you have been accustomed to drink, and to 60
in as largely possible for teetotal friends who
will assist you in your efforts at reform. You
will say that this is very trite and commonplace
advice. but there is no royal road to sobriety,
and the utmost that can be done for you, were
you able TO place yourself under treatment,
would be to place drink out of your reach until
you had such a start Of testotalsm az would
render further abstention comparatively easy" I"
My experience teaches me that haunts and
companions have little to do with leading the
dipsomaniac to the fatal cup, although good
compansionship has great influence Ia keeping
the convalescent away from it. As q rule the
habitual drunkard avoids companions. drinks in
solitary communion with his own bitter
thoughts, building castles in the air, .cursing
every glass he drinks, and inwardly resolving
that each particular debauch shall be his last
may add, moreover. that have seldom met .
dlpsomaniac really desiring to be cured, who did
not surround himself with far more stringent
restrictions than the simple avoidance of
haunts and companions. / have myself left
nome Ior LONDON, q distance or nvo miles, with
no more money in my pocket than would pur-
chase a railway ticket for the return journey, so
as to make il reasonably impossible to buy
drink. What has been the resultl / have pre-
ferred to walk both journeys in order that
might drink away the money. This has happened
not only once or twice, but On many
occasions no matter how inclement the wealth
er. or how important the business upon which l
was engaged. On one occasion, during my ter
ribe sojourn in the continental city already re-
ferred TO, was three days without food. Moth
ing passed my lips but water. aud my head was
full of thoughts of suicide. On the fourth morn
ing discovered in my pocket-book five cartes-
postales sold them for eight sous. intending
to buy bread with the money, and surely. one
would think, my circumstances and condition
were sufficient TO prevent any miscarriage OF
my intention But on my way TO the boulsngerie
came to . wine shop. and three sous went for q
glaes of vim rouge; second wine shop took other
three sous. and must now believe that had
possessed still other three sous they would have
been similarly spent but a. the remaining two
sous would not purchase drink they were in
vested in roasted chestnuts / have known
similar occurrences in regard to other persons;
and the advice to avoid, old haunts and
evil companions. however well inten,ioned.
is therefore of little or no avail 70 q dipsoma-
mac do not think that any one who has not
slave TO morbid craving tho bona fde habitual
drunkard really is.
OF the advice given to me- then, there re-
mains but the ''sffort Of the will" Bat the ef-
fort of the will is . physical phenomenon and is
not entirely under the control OF any man. IL
obeys fixed law. Its strength or its weakness
consists of the impulses which act upon it. There