The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-07
The Case of Mr., Mines,

The pitiful ending OF Mr.. MINES In the
workhouse at Blackwell's Island on Thurs
day Will tend to increase the skcpticism az
to the permnnency Of the cure Of drunken
ness effected by the KEELEY method Of
treatment. It may also have the unfor-
tunate consequence Of weakening the faith
in their own cure which Is perhaps the
chief explanation of its efficacy with other
victims Of the terrible nania.
No patient treated at Dwight was more
confident than Mr.. MINES that the periodi-
cal insanity which had driven him to wild
excuses In drinking for so many years had
been overcome completely and finally by
DR.. KFELEy. Neither hns there been any
other who has celebrated 30 publicly the
virtues OF the remedy and sounded 30
loudly the praises Of its inventor us
one Of the great benefactors OF the
race. In order that he might benefit his
fellow sufferers and exhibit his gratitude to
DR.. KELLEY, Mr.. MINES made q full and
frank confession of his weakness In the
North American Rerier. and described with
particularly how he had been cured OF 1t
by the bichloride of gold treatment. He
declared that ut Dwight he had been rescued
from hell and translated to heaven. and
the story OF his experience, as told by q man
Of his prominence and literary capacity in a
magazine OF SO much weight. was copied
throughout the Union and doubtless guve
hope to multitudes OF the victims of dlpso-
mania. II an example Of the malady SO
desperate was durable. no drunkard need
despair Of overcoming his weakness and
fortifylng his will to resist the temptation
to inordlnate stimulation.
Hence the death Of Mr.. MINES in the
Blaekwell's Island workhouse after pro-
longed debauch. and only about six months
after he gloried over his permanent cure.
will do moro to bring the bichloride OF gold
treatment into dlsrepute than anything
else which has occurred since the establish
ment of the Dwight institution. From the
first the medical profession has evlnced lit.
tie or no respect for DR.. KELLEY and his
secret preparation. and no faith In It's
lasting efficacy. They have looked on
the treatment MS savoring OF gunck-
cry. or. at least. as nothing more than
an hypnotic device. dependent for It's
potency. not on any drug or combination OF
drugs. but on the faith or the Imagination
OF the patient. Such professional opinions.
however. have not had much weight with
the public. as compared with the testimony
OF drunkards themselves as to their actual
cure by the method. The question with
them does not relate to medical ethics. It
does not concern the professional stand
ing OF DR.. KELLEY. whether he is
quack or not, q regular physician or the
vender Of q proprietary medicine who Is
governed by business principles only, but IL
whether 1t is fact that he produces cures
Of drunkenness. That fact has been demon
strated undoubtedly. for there are few con.
siderable communities, In the Mississippi
Valley more especially. to which men for
merly known a. hopeless drunkards
have not returned from Dwight trans-
formed into patterns Of strict sobriety.
We have had many like examples
OF the efficacy Of tho treatment in New
York also. aud some OF them men conspic-
uous In society or husiness. who have been
ready ct al times to bear witness to their
own cure. The only doubt which has re-
NAMED In the public mind. therefore. has