The Press., 1893-11-02
w. C. T. U. DEPARTMENT
(From The Voice.y Drink and Insanity.
BY EDWARD c. MANN, M. D.


 BY EDWARD c. MANN, M. D.
 Intemperance in drink has very close relation to and Is one of the main exciting causes of insanity.
 Among the moral causes of insanity may be mentioned domestic grief, frights and nervous shock, religious excitement, adverse circumstances, loss of relatives or friends, mental anxiety and "worry" and overwork and love affairs. Among the physical causes of insanity may be men, tioned intemperance in drink, sexual in- temperance, over-e xertion. sunstroke, ac- cident and injury, the different periods in life of women, and the diseases of Wo- men, levers, privation and want. heredi- tary and aongenia1 influences, etc.
 Iptemperanee in drink heads the list of physical causes of insanity and domestic trouble and grief the moral cause, but out of over 5000 cases of insanity we find in- teDspefance in drink the cause in 577 cases, orr ETA per cent, and domestic trouble and grief In only 72 cases, or 3.4 cent. There can be doubt that intemper- ance in drink induces insanity in fully % per cent of all the insane cases in the United States, either directly or indirect ly. It is also responsible for very much of the imbecility and idiocy of the off, spring of incorporate parents. Fifty per cent of all our idiots and imbeciles are without doubt the offspring of drunkards. Where strong liquors are increasingly consumed we find proportionate amount of alcoholic insanity. Where the con- sumption of alcohol doubles, there we find the cases of insanity from intemper- ance will rise over 50 per cent. Increase | in the number of suicides always follow increased consumption in alcohol and sui eide is product of insanity. A normal man or woman seeks from our Heavenly Father 'the peace which passeth all un- derstanding'' to fortify them against the reverses, trials and disappointments of the world; while the unstable, ill-bal- anced mind, with reason and judgment, perverted, and will-power lost or impair ed by the use of alcohol, having nothing to cling to or anchor to, rushes unprepar- ed into the presence of it's Maker.
 Children born of parents when under the influence of liquor are sure to be weak somewhere. A child born of mother who drinks during her pregnancy is sure to be weak somewhere, mentally, morally or physically, and perhaps in all three re- spects. A mother who goes through her pregnancy clean, chaste, temperate wo- man, feeling sense of responsibility to God for the future life of her unborn babe with an immortal soul, will present to the world a future citizen whose life will prove the tremendous influence of 8 good prenatal environment, He is likely tc have the elements born within him that go to make up useful citizen of the United States. +.-H On the other hand, if the the mother be incorporate and dissolute in her habits, ] dare assert that it is impossible with such prenatal environment for child to be. come great or good citizen, of value tC I the state. There will be nothing em. bodied in his mental structure to make him either good, great or 8 useful citizen He is much more apt to become a ,crimi nal, insane, or drunkard. A child can 1 not be nourished for the first nine months of it's life on alcohol, and then exhibit 1T it's after life a normal intellect, emotion . tor willspower. For a young married wo man to drink in even what is convention ally termed moderation, is to reap bitter harvest of tears over the future life O her child, whom she fondly imagined would be her pride and comfort.
 That we reap what we SOW is nowhere more strikingly sexemplified than in tht nature and effects of alcohol upon mal , and his offspring. If I could have on, Ewish granted to me would ask that tn, people of oursU United States of Americ, would believe so fully and so heartily il what I and many others have tried tt teach as to the physiological action of al cohol in men and women, that in ever, state in our union it would be dealt witt by legislation as poison, and chased with other poisons such as opium ant chloral.
 It is objected to that this would inter fere with personal liberty, and that thi is the land of the free. Is man free wh' daily iniures his body and brain by drink ing in obedience to a craving which he i