Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-06-25
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
nRlNk psLlRluM.
Graphite Description by One Who Has
Hal the Disease.

FtrdLN uluuhs 'CNNf ~'t-
monty called Jim jams or the
s.horrors" and delirfum tremens, by
the public in general, are supposed 70
be one and the same disease, when IN
fact they bear but slight resemblance.
Even the medical fraternity are
lamentably ignorant upon the subject ]
and few indeed have just conception +
of the disease or the proper treatment
to be pursued to effect cure.
Mania-a-potu bears about the same
relation to delirium tremens as
does a severe cold to fever. Inc
difference between the two is the differ
enee between imagination and reality.
In mania-a-potu the victim has hal
luclnations, sees strange sights, and
hears people talking TO and about nm,
all of which imaginary ideas he can
be reasoned out of; but when the con-
diton of delirium tremens obtains,
everything becomes a reality, and al
the powers this side of eternity cannot
convince the patient to the contrary
and it is not good policy to make the
attempt.
Another very prevalent error lies IN
considering a person with the tremens
a dancerous maniac. II is true that de-
lirium tremens is one of the many
forms of insanity, for the time it exists,
but the victim is in no manner danger
ous TO Others. lie is in constant fear
and some trouble or danger threatens
him AZ every point, ana his chief desire
is to escape. not by injuring or killlng
some one. hut 10 get away from sur
rounding perils. Sometimes his earthly
career is to be cut short by poison and
he viii refuse food, drink or medicine.
Again. he is to be cut into pieces with
knives. and he will beg piteously for
some more speedy form Of death. In
fact. death in some form threatens HIM
on every hand.
Although It is admitted that delirium
tremens is orm of insanity, pro-
duced bv excessive alcoholic indul-
gence. it differs from ordinary insanity
in that. during the time the former CON
tinues. the person remembers dis
| tinctlv everything he heard or saw TN
1 Imagination and recognizes those with
| whom he is acquainted, and also re-
I members actual conversation; While IN
/ the latter case the period of insanity Is
a total blank, whether it be for one
I week. one year or more. Medical au-
4 thoritv and the statistics of various IN
ebriate asylums viii bear out this state
ment.
Another error and one that often
emanates from so-called temperance
lecturers. who either from Ignorance
or a desire to create sensation and pro-
found horror, have depicted man dy'
ing from the tremens continually
screaming for rum" Records cannot
be produced to attest such statement
AS matter OF fact a person VIII ofter
quit drinking when delirium com
meuces without knowing that he IS IN
that condition. In an actual case he
never realizes that he is delirious. H'
imagines himself all right and every
one else wrong.
Another error lies in the suppositior
by many that person always dies
from the third attack With proper
treatment he may pass through many
and finally die from old age. Again
the idea is entertained, and even by
some physicians, that complete with
drawal of alcoholic stimulants from al
; excessive drinker is liable to produce
delirium. On the contrary, when tn
system becomes impreguated TO a Ger
, tain degree with alcoholic poison, de
J lirium viii supervene whether tn
habit is continued or not To continu
drinking or to partake OF intoxieant
at all, is merely to add fuel to hire,
poison to poison.
While there is no danger to be feare
from a person in delirium tremens
d there is great danger to the life OF tn
sufferer, if not under complete n
: straiut, and a person may be athlete
for DAYS or even weeks before the dis
ease is recognized as such. and man
cases of suicide may be attributed t
this cause. A case is remembered b
the writer of a physician OF ing
standing in the community, while sui
, ferinp from the disease and an inmat
: of an institution. who called for hi
surgical case, and when asked for wha
nurpose, answered that his abdome
was full of small snakes, and he e.
plained the manner in which he pr
posed to perform surgical operatio
D. on himself to dislodge them. Had b
l, been home, undoubtedly suicic
would have been recorded in paper
cause unknown. Another persol
after being pursued by demons
every description, and threatened wit
ne death in many forms, was told by
immense fish which swan into b
+. room that by taking certain prepar
ton he would be enabled to live und
= water, and so escape all persecution
If the victim had been at liberty,
might have tried the experiment and
=. s.Aoaterp would have been reported
The Voice.
SALOON POLITICIANS.