The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-01
Insanity on the Increase-How to Ac-
count for II

count Tor II.
Editor Aorning Nescs: In looking over
the Census Bulletin No. CO, which treats OF
asylums for the insane in the United States
one is struck with the increase in the last
Few years. Is there a cause for it9 and if so.
what Is 1t! That is a question which comes
nome TO every thinking mind.
Inc total number of insane persons
treated in both public and private institn-
mons during the year 1889 was 81. 535. while
during the year 1881 there were Sc. 2O5
treated, showing an increase in the nine
years OF A, $50 or 1876 per cent. The
strength and greatness of u people are in the
health and moral influences which surround
and govern people. Greece aud Rome. in
TACT, all nations, when they became luxuri-
Gus, given over to high living and the graf
lncatlon or every desire aud passion. be-
came effeniaate and corrupt. Too much
eating and drinking lead to disease, insanity
and short life.
When Moses wrote that the sins Of the
laIhers were visited upon the Children of
the third and fourth generations he was
put stating great physiological truth or
TACT The word ''sin" should have been
Translated the diseases, for that is what il
really meant. The habits and diseases of
fathers are visited upon their children, and
disease will run its course in the third or
fourth generation by wiping out that gem
Grafton, for none will be left to procreate.
10 illustrate, so that the reader will easily
comprehend: The grandfather drinks. the
son inherits his fathers taste: he is touched
with alcoholism; the son becomes a father.
ana II he drinks his son is still more alco-
holized; II that son drinks, and becomes
rather, then his children are natural born
drunkards Then look out in the third gen.
Grafton for signs OF all kinds of insanity.
LOT insanity comes in many forms; thirst
Tor drink, melancholy, high excitability,
oddly. imbecility and actions unaccount-
able; desire to commit suicide, to muir
der, to steal, to injure, etc.
just as the normal nervous system is
thrown out of its natural cond ton int O an
abnormal one, there is an approach TO in
sanity. Disease the stomach and the mind
responds to that diseased condition, Like
boiler oyercharged with steam it will burst
1t must burst. So with q stomach over
charged with alcohol, or too much food at
all times; disease will follow it must follow.
Then look out for diseased brain: with at
tendant consequences.
Liquor drinking is filling our lunatic
asylums and cemeteries. So say those who
have the care of the insane DR.. Wolf
who has given the subject great study, says:
w hen certain quantities of alcohol were
added, in the shape of so per cent cognac
or Munich beer, the conclusion arrived at
was that small quantities Of alcohol, about
20 per cent. have a slight power of raising
the secreted gastric juice; but in larger
doses, so per cent. or over, they hinder the
secretion and APPROXIMATION
Again he says: 'Alcohol when regularly
used. the stomach after time fails to re-
spond to its usual stimulus, the food; then
the required amount of stimulant become
greater, the use OF alcohol more frequent.
the granular function of the stomach be-
comes more and more affected and the way
is opened to dyspepsia, ending at last in
atrophy."
There is this secret or result of 80 much
drinking. The stomach and mind becomes
diseased, and the lunatic asylum or an early
grave calls for the victim. That As WHY
insanity IL on the increase. The curse OF
alcohol is the curse of our land. DR.. Aber-
nethy, in his day leader among physicians,
said:
Il tell you honestly what 1 think is the
cause of the complicated maladIes of the
human race; it is their gormandizing and
stufting, and stimulating their digestive
organs to an excess, thereby producing
nervous disorders and irritation. Passions
of all kinds, malignant passions and worldly
cares pressing upon the mind disturb the
cerebral action, aud do a great deal Of
HARM"
There we have the reason for insanity.
and when reason will govern our eating and
drinking our children will not be cursed
through our habits. Let the grandson and
great-graudson but keep up the bad habits
of their fore parents, and the race or gener-
alton of that family is at an end. Outraged
nature will be avenged by early death,
imbeciled minds or homes in lunatic
asylums. Certainly insanity is on the in~
crease from the immense quantity of stim-
ulants taken in the stomach. The millions
of dollars spent for drink mean larger
lunatic asylums. R. MO.