The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-08-31
AMONG ALCOHOLICS.
Horrors of the cd. t." Ward mt Belle
HospitaI-Women in Strait-Jackets-Fs
the Miserable Patients Are Treateu'

increase. There is more drunkennesf
now than ever before. One seldom
hears of delirium tremens among tne
rich. Go to Bellevue Hospital If ydl
wish to see the effects of rum on re
poor of the metropolis. "A
The speaker was well-known pny-
stefan and he thus addressed reporter
of the Journal in his Office on, Flfth
avenue yesterday. Taking the sug-
gestion, the reporter called at the
ospital.
There are two wards in Bellevue In
which are confined those unfortunates
who. in the pursuit of drink, follow
that destroyer of happiness over we
broad highway which leads to delirlum
tremens and death.
The wards are isolated from the hos
pital prope", and, while commodious,
are often too small to provide accom-
modatiOns for the many patients ad-
mitted. The sexes are separated. each
having their own keepers. Mrs. Nor
rison presides over the woman's ward,
while two stalwart men care for their
less fortunate fellows
The warden courteously escorted the
reporter about The first visited
was the male ward. Here fifteeBt'i~1.
Tins of alcohol were impfisoned.A 6
pass served to open a massive door
which led into a neat little Office. This
was the keepers room. OFF this. with
in a dozen feet, sitting on wooden
benches, were the least harmful of the
alcoholics.
The scene was an interesting one
to the student of such things. The
mems eyes were no longer filed with
fire; they did not show any evidences
of that temporary madness caused by
excessive drink; they were docile, en-
ervated, mentally weak men.
There was vacant, idiotic ex.
preston on the face of each, while all
trembled as though with the ague. A
few had been admitted but the night
before. These had only been drink
ing heavily, and the chances of their
having the horrors were very remote.
One man, big, brawny fellow. sal
in corner. Keeper Donohue said he
had been broug mt in the week before in
an advanced stage of delirium. Al
first it was thought he would die, but
by treatment he has been brought to
such condition that after few days
more rest he will be in a condition to
depart.
One young fellow, the keeper said,
had been brought in the week before
in state bordering on imbecility. His
parents could do nothing with him,
and from the alcoholic ward of Belle
vue he will be hurried to the insane
asylum on Wards Island.
The cells in which the more danger
GUS patients are kept were left for the
last. In the first opened two men
were strapped to their beds. One was
unconscious, sleeping the sleep brought
on by the most powerful narcotics.
He moved uneasily and at intervdlss9t-
tered lnafJlCuldLo WOfQS.
The other case was bad one. He
had been brought in the night before
in raving condition. His hands, too,
were strapped to the bed. Although
unconscious, his eyes appeared wide
open. Now and then he would see a
specter and would try to rise.
THAT fellow was in horrible con-
dition when brought here" the keeper
said HE was overrun with vermin,
and his clothes. which, perhaps, he
had not changed for months, almost
dropped off him. In such cases we
give the patients a warm bath and
thoroughly fumigate their cells with
carbolic acid
The old-fashioned strait jacket is
seldom used nowadays. Its place has
been taken by ropes which encircle
the patients body and by which he is
tied to the bed. These do not hurt
the skin and are less combining to the
limbs. 1t occasionally becomes neces.
sary to use harsh measures with pa
tients, but there are few knock-downs
or beatings."
do you allow the patients any
liquor?"
Under no circumstances. We are
also careful TO keep water away from
them. Many ask for ice water. Water
will set a man off in the horrors lust
when he is about recovering"
Mrs. Morrison, in the female ward,
received the reporter cordially. She
apologized as not having many i'm
and was very glad to show her visitor
around. There were five inmates,
only two being bad cases. One OF
these was a young girl of nineteen.
with flashing black eyes and ptet:y
but bloated features. She had been
on drunk" for IA week, she told
Mrs. Morrison, during which time she
had neither eaten nor slept She was
in adreamless sleep when seen, caused
by the powerful narcotic given her.
'Violent characters become quiet
when they see NO." said Mrs. Nor
rison, II know women who have
taken three men TO bring them here,
but when they saw me would say;
Hello. I'm back again.
I'm your experience have you no;
i IL IL