The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-05-15
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
AMONG THE UNFoRTUNATEs.

Tins of Acute Alcoholism.
"Give me some whisky! For Gods
sake, whisky"
In one of the wards of Providence hos
Pital this plaintive cry rang out after
che lights had been lowered andusemi-
darkness prevailed. 1t came from the
ward reserved for mania a potu pa
tients. Noiselessly there glided to the
cot young woman, the embodiment
of goodness, righteousness and hope,
and, glancing down into the wild,
hunted face of the man who had drained
the Intoxicating cup to its bitter dregs,
she smoothed back the unkempt hair
and cooled his burning brow. The
erazed patient soon quieted, and sleep
again came to him.
This was not the first time the young
man had been patient in the ward.
He was the son of a wealthy physician
and a wretched victim of the alcohol
habit There are many such cases, and
the sisters at the hospital know what
treatment to pursue after patient has
been there once. No two cases develop
exactly alike. The full blooded, mus
cular men fight their imaginary battles
and seldom die; but the delicate men
who have overtaxed their brains before
seeking solace in the cup seldom make
more than two visits to the hospital
They are physically unable to stand
the strain.
One of the attendants said to the re-
porter: I'VE have many more delir-
Ium tremen patients than people
suppose. Some are very desperate
cases. One night last fall a young man
of perfect physical development, Il per-
feet giant of strength and manly vigor,
was brought in. He was afraid of
everything, and yet ready to fight for
his life. He thought he was pursued
by Chinaman. AS we reached the
ward he gave Shrek and sprang into
the hallway, his bloodshot eyes glaring
wildly about him with mingled fear
and defiance. We had a desperate
struggle with him. His superhuman
strength was shown, and he handled
us for time like children. Finally
his strength gave out and he was
placed on cot, but soon after was up
again and ready for fight. When we
succeeded in overpowering him again
he was strapped down"
How is this done?"
1.-The patient is held on his back, q
leather strap, wide one, is placed
around his arms and legs, and made
fast to the iron cot. A sheet is then
passed over his breast, and made fast
in the same manner. In severe cases
another sheet is placed over his knees,
while the feet are made fast to the
footboard of the cot. 1t is then impos-
sible for him to stir. Antidotes are
given, and the patient falls asleep. 1t
requires several days and careful nurs-
ing to bring them safely through"
Perhaps at Frcedman's hospital as
many delirium tremen patients are
treated as in any of the other hospitals
of the city, and it is the boast of this
institution that but one has died. and
he was near the grave when admitted.
DR.. Shadd says when there is nowhere
else to send patient he is fired into
Freedman's
Speaking of this class of patients, the
doctor said: Our treatment is very
simple. We sponge the patient off,
take away his clothes, put him in bed,
and give him light diet, milk, broths,
etc. We do not allow stimulants.
When he becomes delirious we order a
bromide mixture. If he be young
we sometimes order chloral hydrate at
bedtime, but never use it in cases
where the patient is old or an inveter
ate drinker. We keep the bowels open
by giving mild opiates. No mechani-
cal restraint is needed in mild cases.
But with the majority of our cases,
where the patient has suffered with
the horrors of delirium tremens several
times before, our treatment is a little
different. Mechanical restraint must
then be used. Give bromide mixture
every four hours and alternate with it
mixture containing tr. niue. vom.
Special attention is paid to diet: milk,
broths, etc, must be given at frequent
intervals.
ITO produce sleep we often use NOR
phine hypodermically at bedtime, 80
that the patient can sleep several hours.
Sleep, rest and diet are important
factors in tho treatment of all serious
cases of alcoholism.
''Only in cases of exhaustion do we
give whisky. Never taper patient off
with small doses of liquor. Tr. digi-
tails may be given in small doses as a
heart tonic. AS to the propriety of hav-
ing the room padded, etc, believe that
very little furniture is needed; only a
strong low cot or bed to which you can
restrain the patient by tying him with
a sheet across his chest and with
bandages around his wrists ard ankles,
thus keeping him in a horizontal posi-
ton, which is of the greatest impor-
lance when you have a serious case of
delirium tremens in an old, inveterate
drinker with a weak heart and suffer
ing from chronic gastritis. Where the
room is padded the patient walks
around falling hither and thither, striv-
ing to get out and often injured by be-
ing held by friends or attendants. We
have seen several cases where patients
came near dying every time they at
tempted to get out of bed.
Zone of the worst cases l now recall
was that of man who believed that he
had killed his wife and child and
thrown them into sewer trap. He
was a powerful man, had arms like
yO11s of stool and wa wara hours Oet-