The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-29
IN EBRIETY.
ITS NAVY CAUSES. IRIS RESULTS, AND
ITS TREA TMENE

ITS zREA TMENT.
| A Temperance Island SurRestoa, wheue,
Alcohol and CertnIn Drugs Mny ne Eve,
| Bnnished. md whers Inehrin,e. May b,
Detained For ut Least Two Yenrs-IIov
Would Nantucket Island Answer,
Inebriety has been defined as a morbit
craving for intoxication. This intoxicatior
may be induced by alcohol. opium, ether
cocaine. hasheesh. chloral. and other drugs
There are many physicians who consider
habitual drunkenness in all cases az n disease
while others difTerentiate between the vice oil
drunkenness and tho disease OF inobriety
albeit tho lines OF derarcation between the
two are often very faint and uncertain. Mos,
OF us nre doubtless familiar with cases in
which frequent intoxcation Ia merely the
manifestation OF n weak will and convivinlity
and with others in which, through hereditary
or acquired predisposition. n forbid and ire
sistible impulse exists entirely beyond the
control OF the victim and amounting to an
actual nervous disorder. Heredity Is doubt
less OF tho highest Importance as an
Geological factor in tho production OF
either the vice or the disease. In an
analysis OF 600 cases admitted to an
institution for inebriates in this country.
direct inheritance OF tendency to drink was
traced in $50 cases. and insanity was noted in
tho progenitors Of 80 others. so that nearly
one-half Of them were born in a condition to
become victims OF the inebriate maady. Inc
brinto parents not only beget children who
may fall prey to the same morbid impulse
but their progeny are often feeble idiotic. cpl
leptic. or insane. 1t Is the custom OF physi-
clans in all cases OF insanity. epilepsy. diocy.
and many other disorders to inquire into the
matter OF intempcrance in the family history.
ALCOHOLIC 1NEDRTETY.
The most common OF all forms OF intoxica-
tion is OF course. that duo to alcohol. and the
question OF it's treatment most formidable
Alcohol affects the system in such n variety
OF ways. perverts tho functions OF so
many organs. nvades and corrodes SO
many tissues. that the physician is often
puzzled as to what part OF the or
ganlsm needs treatment first. The poison
produces chronic inflammation OF the stom-
ach 1t gradually lnfames the liver. and. in
fact. strangles it like an iron hand: 1t Injuries
tho heart. it affects the kidneys. it does harm
to the lungs. it produces neurasthenia, de-
lirium tremens. insanity. and epilepsy by Its
influence upon the nervous system: it attacks
the spinal cord and causes pseudo ataxia.
Sometimes tho physicians treat one OF these
conditions in a patient. and sometimes many.
But the worst condition is that Of the vice or
disease itself. He may trent and relieve to a
certain extent the disorders Just enumerated.
but the habit offers terrible difficulties
to overcome in order to conquer It. How
shall the habit be cured2 For many dec
AIDES this complex question has command
ed the attention not only OF physicians.
but OF laymen. lawyers. cergymen, and
statesmen. Either the desire for alcohol must
be got rid OF or tho alcohol itself must be made
To accomplish the first. appeal
has been made to tho enfeebled will OF tho VIC
tim by lectures. pledges. hypnotic suggestion.
religious influences and the like often with
success. And drugs. too. have
DO en- lauded by physicians and n multitude OF
secret nostrums By quacks to accomplish the
same purpose, and also with considerab BILE sue
cess. though not SO much through the merit
of being an antdote to tho impulse for drink
Is by Virtue OF the support by faith or suc-
;estion given to the weak will OF the victim.
On the other hand. to make alcohol unattain- |
'blc. or at least to put it as far rs possible out
II roach. the law has been invoked to reguata |
iGuor selling in general. to prevent its sale to |
lrunkards. to imprison habitues. or to commir
nebriates to special institutions for certain
,erlod Of time.
Whllo all OF these means have. in individual
uts. the facts ROMAN that no drug has been
ound that is always equal to destroying the
morbid craving. and the laws are Inadequate
s regards the regulation Of the liquor traffic
nd the isolation OF tho drunk ard from the con-
Equity OF his ruling demon. SeQuestration in |
is but for a limited time. and the
'rt OF habeas CORPUS has been destructive to
he institutions especially erected for these
lseS Many patients suffering from nebri.
ty are committed to insane asylums upon
lnacy certificates. though not insane for the
nipple reason Tint it is absolutely necessary
} lock them up somewhere. and tho lunatio
sylum Is better than the jail. But. after a
w weeks OF rest and treatment they recover
ON the effects Of the debauch. and. not be-
* insane. they can be no longer detained,
nd are sent forth to repeat the same expert
lce These repeaters como and go In tho
'ylums with the regularity OF the seasons. |
he rirh 90 TO the private asylums and inc
,iGtes' homes. but the only refuge for tho
'or is condemnation to penitontiar ies. Some
ne ago woman in England was brought IN
foro the police court for drunkenness for
o two hundred and forty. sixth time! Such
eatment OF the morbid crave is. OF course.
orso than useless.
When cases OF inebrety are brought to the :
yslcian. commitment is as rule the last ,
sort me doctor tries moral suasion on | ,
ON, occasionally hypnotism. and always r
me hall-hearted and uncertain treatm emit by =
ugs. Not infreIuently no sends them on =
ng sailing voyages in teetotal vessels or he n
It's them in the charge OF a companion or
rse. 1t Is not seldom that some one OF these G
-thods proves curative. but tho rule Is that Il
oh OF these proceedings Is generally useless.
Zen the desparing friends resort to charla- Il
rs. who find in inebrioty cures a vast field 1
: enterprise and money making. The Fence II
- of the quncks are actually no different II
I'M those in tho hands OF honorable practl- n
ners but tho advertising halo. testm onials. Il
d air OF secrecy thrown around tho "cure" q
80 n certain advantage to this species of h
'atnient not possessed by tho open o
Il frank methods OF regular physicians n
that 1t must 10 confessed that cases arc not Il
frequently cured by these money-seekinr W
ndeis Of nostrums. Some OF the advertised IL
'briety cures arc heartiess and cruel swim
~. Several years ago tho chemist OF tho n