New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-24
COMBINING CURES For DRUNKENNESS.

PHYSICIANS READ PAIRS. DECLARING THAT
SPECIFIC REMEDIES" ARE FRAUDS.
ais there a specific remedy for the treatment ana
euro OF alcoholic and opium ncbriety p was the ques
ton asked and treated at length last evening az the
special meeting OF the American Association for the
study and Cure OF Inebrety. The meeting was heiu IN
the New-York Academy Of Medicine, NO. ID west
Forty third-st., and attended by many weiKnowh
physicians and specialists and by number OF medical
students. There number OF specially prepared
napers on the subject. Other meetings have been
occupied with discussions and debates on alcoholism.
but the meeting last evening was for the purpose OF
answering the specific remedies question, ana
answering it negatively.
DR.. Albert Day. Of Boston. presided, and DR.. L. D.
Crothcrs Of Hartford, secretary Dr. Day opened
the meeting with few brief remarks the nature OF
which was to show how easily the mind OF person
was influenced by material things and to demonstrate
To what extent this mind influence went In the cure
OF diseases lie told several amusing Incidents OF
wonderful cures which had been effected oy pair
OF copper pnccrs the only merit OF which lay In the
doctors power TO make his patients believe they "ouu
be cured. DR.. Day thought that many OF the So
called alcoholism cures OF today were Of the nature
Of the copper pincers.
DIR r. D. Crothers, OF Hartford, followed DR..
Day with paper strong In It's condemnation OF th4
specific remedies. Inebrcty. he said, was species
OF insanity which could no more be cured by patent
madeline than insanity itself. Moralists he contin
ned said that the only for inebriety was In
PRAYER and In this statement he admitted there was
much truth. He reviewed the waves OK temperance
demonstrations which had swept over the country at
various times since 1910, when hall million people
signed the pledge lie touched on the present cpl
demc OF Gospel cure now raging In connecticut, anu
spoke Of the thousands OF people who mad put on
the blue ribbon and signed the pledge cure OF this
sort no did not condemn: 1t was the gold cures
and patent remedies that he denounced Ihese
"cilrc,s he said, depended simply on ignorance ior
their success: and as for there being any specihc
remedies for the cure OF incbricy thut could be an
swercd with a decided no.
We have met here tonight DR.. Crothers con'in'
ucd, TO so on record with that no. ana 10 sno"
that we are not in favor of these various cures
our silence on this subject has led many OF tue cure
projectors to believe that were In favor OF these
remedies. We not The only possible gooo 'nese
remedies have is In bringing public attention 10 'ns
question through public agitation
Dr. f. c. Mann spoke about alcoholism as Tue cause
Of oneourth Of all the OF insanity lie thoueh
the question should be treated OF by National Boara
Of HEALTH Ills paper also u plea Tor the sup
urc,,ion OF the patent medicine cure DR.. l.. H.
Nason Of brooklyn. indor,cd what had been SAID be-
f~rc AGAINST the patent and gold cures y paper
ly Dr. Norman Kerr OF London. treated OF the " g0id
cilrcs I'm particular and Tidcued IL ilnmerciiuny
DR. Mason offered the following resolution:
That il Is the sense of this meeting mat tnere De
oppoint,d by the Legislature Of the state proper
rnnnnmis sion consisting OF experts in this specially
whose duty shall be TO inspect all public and private
n.ylums for the treatmeu OF alcoholic ana OPIUM
inebricry as asylums for tho insane Inspected"
The resolution passed unanimously. All In
formal discussion OF the question followed.