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


acting on the individual existence does the
rest. But, although we may accept this the
Org. we cannot reject certain observed facts.
1t 10 still VIGOROUSLY true that drunkenness
often seems to run in families. as other habits
and vices do 1t Is not the facts. but the ordi-
nary explanation OF them that Weissmann dis
putes. II his doctrines DO correct, drunken
ness In tho parent can make no difference in
the moral character OF the offspring through
the direct influence OF organic inheritance.
But indirectly the offspring may be affected
through it's surroundings. DR.. Wilson Is con-
WINGED that. when the confusion OF criticism
has cleared away. and we take possession OF
what is true In Weissman's theory OF hered-
ity. It will be admitted that we have
hitherto eRreGiously failed to estimate tho real
importance OF the environmental factor In de-
veopment. Given a child OF an unstable ner-
vous system. which he has inherited from an
alcoholic parent. 1t only requires surround
ings which do not efrectunlly provide against
temptations to drinking IN order to develop
| the vicious potentiality. The influence Of pa
rental personality ia much tho most important
| envi-onmental factor in moulding character.
not only because bad family nrrangemen ts and
| habits give sanction and opportunity to the
| indulgence OF vicious propensitics in the chill
| dren but because the whole bearing and habits
| OF mind OF the parent unconsciously furnish
just the kind OF moral environment calculated
to foster In the child the very tend en- ces re-
| quiring to he checked. Thus It comes to pass
| that environment perpetuates vicious taints
which used to be regarded as Inherited.
/ III
| At the risk of giving q shock to undue sensi-
| tiveness. the author finds 1t necessary to say
| omething about the effect OF certain crises
| in the life history OF men and women on the
| DEVELOPMENT Of drunkenness. There are. OF
course. several reproductive crises. The first
occurs when the function OF reproduction Is
making its appearances: next. there is the
period OF evolution. that Is to say tho period
| OF adolescence. when character is rapidly
changing and permanent habits are being
formed this extends to the age OF about
twenty-five. Then. in women. there are GER
tain periods at which important organic de-
velopments occur. as. for example the period
OF pregnancy and the lactational periods.
Lastly comes the clmacteric. which marks IN
both sexes the end OF adult life. and ushers in
the second non reproductive stage OF existence.
To call them crises Is by no leans to exagger-
ate the importance OF these periods. Never
are they unimportant, and. in some cases.
the effects on the constitution are momen-
tous. both physiologically and ethically At
any or all OF these seasons. there frequently
occur changes in bodily and mental functions
which, at the time. appear unaccountablc. The
reproductive function Is essential to the
race. so deeply organized in the human con-
stitution. 80 intimately related to all the other
functions, that the outstanding epochs in its
development and decadence may entirely I'M
hinge the normal balance of the nervous or
ganizatioI. and profoundly alter the relations
of the various functions. Without keeping
these facts clearly in view. one would neces-
sarily fail to appreciate the full meaning Of GER
tain changes in character which arise at the |
crises specified particularly In persons OF an |
unstable organization. Now, at these crises. |
the strain thrown on the nervous system often |
impairs the normal inhibition so as to exag-
gerate alcoholic tendencies and weaken self |
control. The author tells us that he knew a |
woman who became wildly drunken with each |
pregnancy that he observed. and he saw her |
pass through several. The nursing period. |
also. is in this respect. fatal to some women. |
partly because their weakness seems to call |
for the use Of stimulants and sometimes be- |
cause they are advised to act on the delusion |
that alcohol improves the nourishment OF the |
child Similarly. recurring outbursts OF in
temperance in women may often be found to
bear direct relation to periodic functional
changes, and it Is pronounced q culpable
negligence that fails to provide against such a
contingency. Not infrequently patients who
have exceeded in youth. but have abstained
through the greater part Of adult life. break
down under the cimacteric- But OF all these
crises. adolescence is the most important
Some Of the closest students OF the subject
believe that more true dipsomaniacs develop
the habit OF excessive drinking and acquire
n keen craving for it between the ages Of eiGh-
teen and twenty five than at any other period
Nv.
Before noting what the author says about the
moral treatment Of dipsomania. we must find
space for two or three of his therapeutic sugges-
lions OF hygienic kind. He holds. in common
with nearly all authorities on the subject. that
no one should indulge in alcoholic beverages
before the age OF twenty-five. and that it is
wise to postpone their use as long possible.
He denounces as fallacious the belief that the
sudden remuneration OF alcoholic stimulants
by victim OF alcoholism is dangerous. and
that it is apt to bring grave nervous dis
orders. There are but few cases in which
real danger exists. and that is usually risk Of
heart trouble. which may be ignored by all but
the physician. The suppostlon that an occa-
sional indulgence helps to brace the nerves
and strengthen sclf-control in a patient
who is recovering from fit OF drinking
is a mistake which, has often proved
disastrous. Great emphasis is likewise
laid on the importance OF dict in the
treatment OF drunkenness. Very commonly.
alcoholic patients have poor appetite. espe-
cially In the morning and. if abstinence from
food be persisted in. the lowering of vitality
tells seriously against the patient great
many attacks Of grave disorders would be pre-
vented ifthis distaste for food could be over
come. and that can often be achieved by care.
Another point deserving OF attention Is the
ne ed for much sleep. Without it, recupcration
is Incomplete and self-control precarious; but
II the patient sleeps we'll the chances in favor
OF recovery are enormously Increased.
We come lastly to tho moral means adapted
for tho development OF self-control. The
problem Is how to reconstruct the character
Of the patient. whose mode OF living has strip
ped him OF tho very qualities which are most