Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1892-01-15
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
CAUSED By ALcoHoL.
Some of the Dire Effects Of Habfsuaf
Drinking.

pauperism and charity is most init
mate. For example, q certain young
criminal who tried to kill an aged
woman without provocation said that
when he was six years of age his IA
Their used to return home drunk, strik
ing his mother and throwing sticks Of
wood at him. He stood it for awhile,
but afterward left home, and, though
not q thief, Was compelled to steal for
a living; was sent to a juvenile asy
lum. and after leaving went among
farmers to live under their care, being
kindly treated by a very few, whipped
and otherwise roughly treated by
many Remaining month or SO with
different farmers. he finally developed
into tramp, and, leaving all farmers,
wandered two years, stealing, eating
and sleeping wherever he could. Thus
alcohol gave the initiatory to thieving;
charity endeavorcd to counterfeit these
effects result of six years of unfavor
able surroundings in two years, but
the evil forces acquired by early treat
ment had gained too strong foothold,
and the following stages were tramp
ing. dupCi&oh oiio SuCh CsiSCS
are typical and almost wholly the re-
suit of evil surroundings, for which
society is culpable and for which she
suffers dearly. both morally and finan-
cially. The alcoholic may be a good
workman when sober, but from ir-
regularity he loses his position and
gradually becomes a pauper. A sad
fact in connection with alcoholism is
that often the kindest and most genial
natures are for this very reason ruined
through the unintentional influence of
friends, for they are unable to resist
the so-called feeling of good-fellowship
when drinking together. From the
ethical point OF view, it is questionable
whether one has the right to take the
chances of causing another to fall. 1t
is better to forego the physical. intel
lectual or social pleasure of iudulging
in any luxury or non-necessity, than to
aid in the physical. moral or social ruin
of fellow being.
The relation of ethics to all these
forms of abnormal humanity is as di-
rect as it is diversified. 1t is officially
questionable whether it is right to
give to oeggars; for by so doing we en-
courage them, by virtually paying
them to beg, and if not already paupers
they can be made so by a mistaken
philanthropy. 1t is common saying
and practice of Americans travelling in
Europe to give every beggar "a cent
to get rid of him" This, of course, has
just the opposite effect.
All these abnormal forms of humani-
ty are different degrees of evil or
wrong. the highest of which is crime.
They are all links of one chain. This
chain is that which we denote by the
words evil, bad, unjust, wrong, etc.
These forms, to wit, criminality,
alcoholism, pauperism, etc, may all be
considered under the head of Char
| biological" Thus the different institu-
tions, such as prisons, insane asylums,
inebriate and orphan asylums, institu-
tions for the blind, deaf and dumb,
and detectives; hospitals, dispensaries,
relief for the poor in any form; church
missions and different forms of philan-
| thropical work. are, of course, chart
table in their purpose The difference
|
| degree, as an examination of the in
mates would soon show. The pauper
may be or may have been criminal or
insane or alcoholic, or the criminal
may be or may have been pauper or
insane or alcoholic, and so on.
The close relation of alcoholism to
insanity is shown by the statement of
specialist (Krafft-Ebing) that all
forms of insanity, from melancholia to
i'm becility, are found in alcoholism. 1t
is artificial, it begins with slight ma
niacal excitation; thoughts flow lucid
ly, the quiet become loquacious, the
modest bold: there is need of muscular
action; the emotions are manifested in
laughing, singing and dancing. Now
the esthetical ideas and moral impulses
are lost control of. the weak side of
the individual is manifested, his secrets
revealed; he is dogmatic. cruel, cynical,
dangerous: he insists that he is not
drunk, just as the insane insists on his
sanity. Then his mind becomes weak,
| his consciousness dim. illusions arise;
he stammers, staggers and like para
lytic his movements are uncertain.
The principal character of these
mental disturbances consists in moral
and intellectual weakness: ideas be-
come lax as to honor and decorum.
There is disregard of the duties OF
family and citizenship. Irritabjlity is
concomitant, the slightest thing
causes suspicion and anger, which is
uncomfortable There is a weakness
of will to carry out good resolutions,
and 4 consciousness of this leads some
to request to be placed in an asylum,
for they are morally certain in advance
that they nnotresist temptation. Thus
one has been known to have his daugh-
ter carry his wages home, as he could
not pass a saloon on the way without.
going in, if he had money with him.
Now it is a weakness of memory. Z
difficulty in the chain of thought and &
weak perception, until imbecility is
reached.
There may be disturbance in brair
circulation, causing restless sleep. anx
ious dreams, confusion dizziness, head
ache. Such circulatory disturbances il
the sense organs can give rise to hal
| luCiiitIou>. lHelC - d Ileln otihS IL
hands, face, Ups and tongue. In short
there is gra dual mental and bodily
degeneration.
From the medical point of view, :
cure is generally doubtful, for in pri
rate life total abstinence is impossi bic
The patient must be placed in an in
sane asylum, or better. in hospita
for inc briates, where total abstinence
can be enforced. Patients with deliri
UNI tremens especially need the mos
careful hospital treatment. The prin
cipal directions are conservation o