The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-28
A THEoRY OF the xEELEY CURE
A surmise ss TO what the 1sichiersds or
Cold May Be-some Suggestive Facts or /
Medicati0n-What - In the Books.


Kelley that he had discovered a remedy for
inebriety in bichloride VI gold" received a
| rude shock when II became known that tho
unfortunate Felix Oldboy' had died from the
| effects OF debauch.
The relapse Of others. who had been appar-
emily cured. brought the method into dsre.
pute aud for some time past we have not
heard so much OF this new power OF gold"
Tho tide OF public opinion has begun to change.
1t may be that in spite Of the numerous fall
| ures. some cures will result from the use OF
some salt of gold. II another drug is EN- ployed
| ut the same time
| So far as can be learned. Keeley's position
! may be described as follows:
| His first proposition Is that inebriety is a
| disease. not n vice. and. being a disease, is
| durable by drugs. He has been quoted as
saying. also. that physicians In general do not
admit that it is disease. Certainly. physicians
do not think all diseases durable. but many
regard inebriety as disease.
Tho second proposition is that this disease
can DO cured by what Kelley calls "bichloride
of gold" and some drug spoken Of as another
substance" 1t Is not asserted that the cure is
80 complete that the patient never can drink
again. but that by tho treatment the urgent
thirst for liquor Is permanently removed The
old habits can be resumed. but there is no i'm
perious desire which oyercomes the will. II q
relapse occurs. it is the result OF dellber-
craving. The sharp distinction between vices
md disease" which was insisted unon by the
ing his plan of treatment. is apparently not 30
Clearly marked rs he had led us to suppose.
havn Wnc as from a drink
liquor. begins to drink again-f no does so in
spite of the Knowledge that his action will
for his conduct Most people would cali L Siee
In o3rderto max" complete statement Of the
has been SO often reiterated by Kesioy and m his
ehm sad t tEyo Dostsr % Of his
tain recosnition from the the medical proession
at some time in the past. and for this purpose
distributed large auaHItties Of as ",solution
the ears e, inans ihs iacu!ty blind hn'rs ,o q!
to enlisiten them. but formed stock compa a.
nies instead to further the good work Of cur
"F e ms tSs IF
was distributed in tho manner, mentioned.
the dtsS1yerGr has hey eyidifnty been led to
not ntrusted to IGNORANT drSSsists ana ds It's
tempt which he made to make physlcianss a AZ,
prccate the value OF his remedy was SO dis:
their rSformation Tor no recent effort has so
far Us We know. been made to distribute it.
= There is no such salt as bichloride Of gold"
with chlorine in the proportion Of one to two.
which would he necessary to form "bi-
clements to make what are termed double
salts. and It Is probable that some double
fhsFa tact Il at " tho SSS and Of s %e "s
iranSIness q tn" ;dlseoSerer., yhlle the e ex.
All this, however: concerns the Doctor him
sef and does not have to do with the merits
In tho matter Of the cure Of inebriates by
any drugs. We IRE not concerned with the
this s rs ca It apnyns
Of uN value . Is there any hypothesis which
Alny help be derived from it for the inebriate?
There is somc reason To, think that all
these THESE questions may In part DO answered
The salt. n1oS q gold wSTc SmrSyed st very
remedial agents. it was natural 10 tho days
when tho use OF all drugs was purely empiri- |
chi: TINT men should regard tho rarity and tho
ss medicines Gold was valuable. and there
fore was thought neceTsary ., useful in tho
cnce,i In making it's salts. douh tlcss added not
little to the belief in their efficacy. AS scen-
pletely tho old empiricisn tho remedial value
Of gold compounds began to be doubted. and. !
ns sr Sas b" Tbap sbt hs
Of gold and the, chloride Of gold and sodium
(somctimes called the double chloride Of, gold
United states pharmucopri as. tho former |
being ofllcinul in Great Britain. the lattor in |
is assigned to either by the majority OF pruc-
titioners Of medicine.
Although tho mass OF medical opinion Is
against attributing any curative properties to |
from time to time, articles, have, appeared.
is asserted that the chloride OF gold and so
dium. or some other salt Of gold. possesses the |
Of What is called FiTrous conne s Tissue.
1t Is more accurate to say. not that tho dis
produced Many Of the DISORDERS charsctere
believe TINT one Of the causes Of tho excessive
drunknrd in his efforts to reform is tho extra
WORK put oon nrnn tn" rest OF the body
Think the s"a a sss ioth sSs Check ths eSer
growth and cause tho already existing. new |
tie drum kari q his trouble: Their use ' may
countless useless coils are absorbing the |
nourishment needed by the rest., While most
physcihtns deny tat gold salts have such
who have asserted that it exists are for the |
most pnrt men q. known ability: and have re-
slbe to REGARD their testimony as worthless
DO expected to cure. the drunkard. The most |
that can DO hoped from its administration is |
the removal Of ono Of tho results Of intemper-
ance md the restoration to a normal condition
important thing but something moro must be
done. for the effects Of alcohol are not limited
to the production Of ibrous tissue. Our bodies
are composed Of conMntless minute living par
anI die s Just do Thei ves so
but they go through the same stages as
things they acquir" habits. Moreover. they
soon to transmit to their progeny tho
habits which they hayo acquired. Tho
drunkard accnstoms his body to stimulants.
The body cells each and all get to need the
short, bec9me habitunl drunk
ards Every one or them demands stipulation.
from this. Something must bo ,administered
to allay this demand and take the place Of al
cohol The substitute must be Of a kind that
Will not itself become necessary to the body.
other or MS may hapnen-ilnally to add to the
ours" Of drink tho curse Of desire also for
another ppisnn. .
4 study Of tho medical literature which has
appearrl during the last few years makes it
seem that 2 drug EXISTS !. which has the proper
for liquor. ut least fol-. a time. Each year adds