The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-03-19
STIMULATING THE BRAIN.


Fallacy Of the Theory That AlcsAol Ele-
Yates the Mental Capacity.
The casual drinker sometimes con-
sumes alcoholic liquors with the object
Of elevating the standard of his mental
capacities The impression is very COM
mon that the use Of alcohol will add to
the power, the scope and brilliancy Of
intellectual operations. An inquiry into
the actual condition of the mind when
1t is under the influence of alcohol will
very clearly determine whether thisidea
Is correct or not
There is no question but alcohol makes
. very decided impression upon the pow
ers Of the mind. In truth, ii operates
on them in way peculiar to itself, and
with force that is irresistible. Alco-
hol controls every man who partakes Of
1t as long as he remains under it's inffu-
ence. But it 10 essential to q right i'm
depreciation Of the phenomena of mind
when under the power Of alcohol to re-
member that the benumbing effects OF
the poison permeste the whole organ
ism. While they impress and modify
the mental faculties separately and. in
detail, they also throw an underlined and
immovable glamour over the mind as, .
whole; so that 1T is quite incapable of.
judging correctly OF its own condition..
1t is more difficult to enlist the inter-
est and engage the attention Of man
when intoxicated than it is when he is
sober. The reason Is that, his nervous
sensibilities being erfeebled, he is not.
thoroughly alive to- ordinary sensations
and impressions. Whatever thoughts
may happen to be- In his mind remain
there, in stubborn and stupid possess
sion. Nevertheless, hs often imagines
that he is in q turmoil Of active mental
labor. The drunken man, in truth, has
no right conception Of the passage Of
time. He is always surprised when
told how late 1t is.. The reason of this
is, also, the dullness Of his nervous
sensibilities. He ID deprived Of his
ordinary experiences in sensation,
whereby he is admonished Of the exist
ence Of time. For the succession Of
IDEAS through the mind, as 1t is rapid or
slow. gives to an individual some no
ton Of times flight. To have the
common or average conception Of the
passage Of time. therefore, . man must
be in possession of his natural SENSIBLE
tiles, so that the habitual impressions
Of common events may bear their nat
ural relationship with the habitusl ex-
periences Of other persons. Sound
minds have an approximate notion.
common to them all, Of times flight. Il
is reasonable to infer that in . person
whose sensitive capacities are obtunded
there can be no regular or normal suo-
session or procession of ideas.
Ideas therefore become fixed; that IL,
they are changed with difficulty in .
person who is drunken. Such man il
pertinacious and tiresone. The lead
ing idea is not readily modified or
abandoned, for the formation Of new con-
ceptions is prevented by the difficulty
Of obtaining new facts for rational con.
temptation. The drunken man will re-
hearse some stosy or jest for half day
together, making himself nuisance to
each and every one he meetA II en-
ragged, he stays, enraged and hunts his
enemy with doggedness often out Of
all proportion with bis. alleged griev.
ance. He loudly proclaims: II won't
forget it." and he truly will not for a
good while; for he has not sufficient
mental vigor to supplsnt IN old idea by
the adoption of . new ome. There seems
to be an inconsistency in holding mind
whose instruments are dull, brokena OF
misled responsible for the strength and
perfection of work in the same degree
As mind that operates by means otTin-
struments keen, brighs and ready at
hand.
The wonderful e0otisns Of the drunken
state exposes the inebnate to contsmpt
as we'll as riaioule. It betrays him into
sll manner Of absurd and unpleasant
situations. Even the geniality and
good.naturs of new amortization afe in
tensely selfish. They are manifesto
tions Of sInorbid graAdeur andloonde
scension. An effort. 70 guide orModify
the vain-glorious dibplsy will Ae me-
with abrapt and H.sitive oppOsition
Drunkenness is usually an enAibitio-
in which an imbecilt and pitiaAle weall
ness Of character 10 joined to - imagi
nation filled with illusions of magnia
cence and power. Affection. love, n
gard mr. others, hove really little par
in thsmH&ives actunting adraaken m IN
Yet bi1e annoying, and Extensively NJ
ronixihg airs Of ne drunken state.ar
the hast troublesame of its.asual mani
festatiDns. For. quite likely, the am
selfesteem will b shown by q. oor
temptuous and oven ruffianay treamen
OF ohAsrs-as though they were reall
thsinferior andlinsignifcsnt parsonage
that they are l,sld to bes BY . dNnke
man 4s4t
Bat the deception pracaiced by alcohs
upon the egotistic feelings Of one undo
its influence are sometimes really anna
ing. The casual drinker when intox
Gated, especially II he happens to ocoap
s0me responsible station in. life, cite
becomes impressed With an sxceedingl
acute sensitiveness with respect b b
social position as compared with the o
clal position Of others. He claims pra
t'cally 10 occupy . station of tie hiRl
4 ext possible eminence, and desires TIL
every body shall approach him or b
' family hat in hand" L. is worthy
: note that his punctilio In this matt
+ grows more exacting in the precise rat
!, Of the increase In the number and ma
d nitude of his drinks"