The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-02
SOME NEW BOOKS.
Drunkenness.

Drunkenness.
We have had innume cradle books about the
cause and cure Of inebrety. but We have never
seen so clear. concise. and useful disc ussior
OF the subject as is presented In q little volume
furnished by the Messrs. scribner: Drunken.
mess. BY GEORGE r. WILSON. The author is an
assistant physician in the Royal Asylum OF
Edinburgh. and the book before us contains
the substance OF a course OF lectures delivered
about n year ago. It cannot, indeed. be said
that the chapters allotted to the physiology
and pathology OF inobriety set forth anything
new: all they profess to offer is n clear and
compact statement OF undisputed facts and OF
tho deductions universally accepted by ply
biologists. It is rather the last two chapters.
devoted respectively to the etioloey and the
rapeutics Of drinking. that deserve the most
careful attention. In his study OF the causn-
tion OF tho alcoholic habit. tho author tries to
get at the root of the matter and TO find out
why only some drinkers IRE drunkards. Tn
questionably drunkenness Is more preventa-
BILE than durable. and it is in an examination
OF It's etiology that we must seek the reason
for the incurabilty OF many cases. As regards
those suggestions OF the author which fall
under the head OF therap eutics. the feature OF
special interest is the stress laid upon the
moral treatment OF the alcoholic patient, and
the developme mt Of self control.
Nls wei KNOWN .ha' every hu man consti'u-
ZION nus an INFORM o'aS .o"aru some iorm vi
Ill heaieh. Inc teehnica' name OF TINS pfocii'-
ity toward SPECIAL disease Is the diathesis'
mus VIC speak ., eou'! UT vi cohsump.Ne
oiatnesis ana IL Is equaiiy proper 10 say tha'
! preoisposit'ohs 10 certain FORM OF nervous
disease constitute the alcoholic diathesis. In
other words there are some brains SO copsti-
suted as 10 reac. 10 aicohoi IN an uhusuai ae.
gree. LUCKILY tnere are eeneraiiy Wen marked
pecuiiarties wh'ch characterize the ihui'io-
uais possesseu o Drains so preuisposeu. IN
the hrst place. mere Is frequently an unusual
love OF alcohoiic intoxication' and indeed OF
al forms OF excitement such people nave an
unusually strong desire ior cereprai stlmula-
tion' Tor some pieasnrabie outlet lor their ILL.,
regulated energy, and an unusual impatience
at unevsntiul routine. Associated with these
traits there Is frequently clearly defined
capacity Tor intense feeling and Tor deep alb
sorption In the interest OF the moment obVl-
ousiy these Carbohydrates arc only OF lmpor-
fance to the student oil alcoholic etiology when
they are coupled with deficiency OF the other
qualities which act rs a check upon the ten
dency TO alcoholic enjoyment.
The second sign OF alcoholic predisposition
is palate which appreciates the first taste OF
siS0e1e.'N 'Afe'A' - ''.o "SN' >.'''@ S'''iN
uous drinks are dtstasteiui. anu. In many men
also. taste even for good wine REQUIRES
edpoation. There are. on the other hand.
,thiidren VINO take TO aicohol from the nrst.
perhaps when 1t is medically prescribed.
and the appearance OF such phenomenon
lPhould always suggest care and watchfulness.
The third characteristic OF the Kind OF brain
IN question IL liabilityto be anected by small
doses OF the stimulant. such susceptibility
HC froI In NJ Inn n nf n
comparatively delicate. nervous organizations
but there are somo children IL whom this pe-
culihrity Is moro distinctly marked. and who
continue to manifest 1t even IN adult lie. inc
term small dose Is always. OF course, relative.
ana IL Is only when tho ldlosyncrasy just re-
1erred TO ID uhusuaii! pronounced tnat IL Is OF
pathological signiticance The next sign OF
the alcoholic dinthesis Is one OF much moro
importance. though II Is frequently over
looked. DR.. Wilson here refers to the
habitual or frequent exhibition Of that
mode OF nervous action when IS call
cd explosive or Illuminating. This quality
I6eoisposes men TO spasmeaic ana impetuous
.cQpaQcl. inappropriate 10 the circumstances
put OF wnich 'he'r "c'iohS arse. IN we mat
yer o. urinkin2' IL IS 'reauehtiy haniiesteu.
Men are often observed 10 ihauige suddenly
ana lmpuisiVeiy 10 nout OF aruhkehhess'
Wbnou. any warning. e0her 10 themselves or
their iienos without ah. "ppreeiap'eoccasion
ior H. without any conscious oesire 10 pc IN
toxicateo' ana win an unprecedented disre-
caro- OF consequences. In some unaccountable
way. tne idea Is susSes'ea 10 their nina. ana
Ills iohowea OUT without much question: very
much In the same hiin. iashioh that a man
acts upon an instinct eucn paroNysmal con,
ouct IL app 10 DC periooic III us recurrence anu
oemonstrates IN" re'at,onshlp between such
constitatiohs 'nu 'hose i,n . 10 epnepsy anu
Ampuisi'e INSANITY. Dr "nsoh points OUT one
more ihaication 81 constitutional proch'Hy
70 aicohohsm. we shouiu De- ne says on our
euara wheh we no'e hn Unusual oraer III 'he
|