The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-19
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drunkards were well known to medical
science.
ut Is habit" said Or. o. E. Smith, Of
the Presbyterian hospital "thnt when once
severely fastened on its victim can never be
broken. The morphine habit or the love
for liquor Is in no way equal to It. It is
| possible TO cure either Of those habits, but
| am of the opinion that the coffee drunkard
| cannot be saved.
''He will keep at his coffee until eitherin
sanity or death takes him away from his
average beverage"
: The New York physicians are talking over
a case OF coffee drunkard that has devel-
oped in Chicago, showing the widespread
prevalence OF the vice.
Acc riding to a dispatch from that city
early last week Peter McKeevar, wealthy
restaurant keeper, was taken to the Chicago
city hospital by his wife, who wished the
physicians to diagnose his condition.
For years Mr.. McKeever has not taken
solid food, " his wife said, but has subssted
on coffee alone. He would drink gallons OF
it daily and after while l saw that his
mind was becoming affected. He first lost
his memory, and then he began acting 30
strangely that decided to call IN ply
stefan.
1.-THE doctor said that it would be impos-
sible for my husband tn break the coffee
habit, but that we could try and cause him
But we found that to be impossible. as he
would cry for hours If he was not regularly
given the necessary Coffee"
While Mrs. McKeever was telling her
story her husband suddenly became raw
ing maniac.
He became 80 suddenly violent that 1t
! required four Of the hospital attendants TO
hold him. and in the struggle to place him
in q straightjacket he was quite badly
bruised He was sent to the Chicago in
sane asylum, q raViug, yelling, dangerous
victim of the coffee habit.
City Physician Wade Of Chicago. an au-
thoriUy ON mental diseases, says that there
| is absolutely no hope of MoKeever ever re-
| gaming his senses, and that the only reason
| for the victims insanity is the eoffee habit.
! 'TNearly four out OF every tea persons
| brought here for treat nent and sent to the
| alcoholic ward are coffee drunkerds or
coffee and alcoholic drunkards combined"
That was what Journal man was told
at Bellevue: hospital when information was
asked concerning the coffee drunSards OF
the city.
There is q celebrated case used ss a pre-
| cedeut, it Is said, in the coffee drunkard's
treatment. 1t was that of Samuel j. Ed
wards, hostler. who, four years ago, is
said TO have been employed at 153 West
| Thirty-seventh street.
Edwards was probably the first case of a
| piral IN New York city. He was suffering
| from a cataleptic state OF trance. appar-
emily, when brought 10 the hospital and
| placed in ward.
For ten days he laid In q trance. His
pulse aud heart beat 50 faulty that people
were confident that he was just alive. The
strongest stimulant failed TO revive hin,
but Just kept him awake. He WAS so weak
rhatit was thought that death must come at
any moment
For long time his physicians could not
| diagnose his aitment. Finally Edwards re-
vIved sufficiently to tell his story.
he confessed that he had a mania for
drinking coffee, and that for three weeks
prior to his removal TO the hospital had
| drank nothing but coffee and had eaten
absolutely no food.
All that medical aid could do was done
| for the unfortunate man, but he died de-
| spite all the attentions of the hospital staff,
| who we're more than anxious TO save his
| life, as they wanted 10 use Edwards as a
| clinical subject, be being apparently the
! first coffee drunkard in the city.
| Another phase of the coffee question Is in
the use OF it as u beverage by people suffer-
| ing from weak hearts,
! Especially are these facts well known to