The Republican., 1889-05-11
THE DRUNKARD,
opinion OF an export in Nerve and Brain
Diseases,

Diseases.
In recent interview with a re-
porter of the Indianapolis Und. Jour-
nal, DR.. William b. Fletcher, of that
city. said: at is an undoubted fact,
that the English-speaking world can
not use alcoholic drink without Gre
ating a diseased appetite. dementia
and death. IL is an undoubted fact
that drink kills more persons. directly
and indirectly, among English-speak-
ing people each year than are killed
BY all the plagues-small-pox. cholera.
yellow fever, diphtheria and scarlet
.ever-in the whole world"
What are the causes leading to
drunkenness"
''They are many. some purely acci-
dental. No sane person ever started
out with the intention of becoming q
sot Overwork, either mental or
physical, naturally calls for refresh
ment. The process of digestion of
solids is slow, but the influence of an
alcoholic drink is effectual in few min
utes to restoring one from the sense of
weariness. 1t has "a fascination about
it. The changes in mans condition as
worker during the past century has
changed him in his physical condition.
The greedy grasping for wealth. for
social recaGPitions,tor political or ed
ucatf6nal preterment has caused OVER
work. Where one man was an all
night worker one hundred years ago.
there are now ten thousand all-nlght
workers. Our railroads, telegraphs,
telephones, machine shops, mills, fur
naces and factories require all-night
work. These tens of thousands OF
night-workers are mostly men--over-
worked men-who crave a stimulant
to renew violated nature. Many OF
these men will be fathers of a nervous
and degenerate progeny, who will have
natural craving for stimulants. You
could rot expect the beautiful bloom
on the ripe peach if you plant the tree
in the cellar. 1t is the hurry-scurry
life, particularly of the American. that
is causing a flood of nervous derange-
ment to dcluge the land.
The manner in which the young
men of to-day are brought up is pro-
life of drink tendencies. They are not
taught to work nor are they taught
self-denial. nor to say no to wrong
doing in childhood. They have lots
of good teaching in the schools, per-
al 1nS St "a
home, but they have no physical train
ing that should go with mental cult
ure. They most frequently begin by
using tobacco. which causes a feeling
of debility which they soon find can be
relieved by stimulant. However il
begins the effect is the same. A stim.
ulant taken makes the drinker feel
more comfortable until another drink
augments the feeling, and so on until
mind and body surrender to The poison.
The repeated poisoning of she system
with alcohol produces serious effects
upon all the digestive and secretory
organs, and especially upon the deli
cate lining of the minute blood vessels
of the brain. 1t is the gradual chang'
going on in the brain which renders
the constant drinker, the tippler ant
the frequent social drinker alike OBJ
livious to the fact that they are be
coming changed in their whole natures
and greatly shattering that governor o
the man, the will power If the will
power be totally gone through disease
the man is q hopeless. powerless, in
durable. imbecile sol"
What would you advise in the
treatment of inebriety"
1.-The treatment is plain. 1t mus
start out with the full consent and de
sire upon the part of the individual
to be cured. If the man has stimu
lated within him strong belief thai
he is deriving power of will from God
so much the better. AS long as he hold
that faith he is cured. The moral nat
ure should be stimulated also by ;
change from former conditions. HI
should be removed to quiet retreat
good, clean. well-ftting clothing, nour
ishing food, clean associates, music
pleasing employment, which shoul'
never continue to weariness.
"How about the use of alcoholi
medicines, and the tapering-of proc
ess?"
mo alcoholic medicines should b
used. Narcotics give no refuge TO
the appeasing of the diseased appetite
but the patient may drink freely o
buttermilk, sirup and water; juices @
fruits and good well water or soda
water may be used freely. Lea,
meats, game, fish. poultry and egg
are good diet; and fresh greens, lei
tuce, salads, etc, may be used abun
dainty, while but little bread, potatoe
or starchy food should be taken. Th
taking of medicines as specifics is a
absurdity. Medicines have no effec
in creating physiological conditions
} or in building up will power aad mora
courage. The treatment is almost or
tirely hygienic. and the method of az
: plication would only vary as the ger
eral health and character of the ind
yidual is concerned"