The record-union., 1894-12-29
SEEING SNAKES.
Suferings of the Victims of De-
lirium TremenS.
Sights and Scenes in the Alcoholic
Wards of Bellevlew Hospital
ing In Death.


From the depths of its fragrant bosom
There arises rich bouquet
That lovingly wreaths its aroma
our passionate senses around
I'LL you live in a world enchanted,
Where golden winged visions abound.
That is poetry. This is prose.
When an old toper's tongue begins to
tremble he calls it the horrors. Heknows
what it means. In two or three days he
will be experiencing the wild frenzy and
torture of delirium tremens.
To the man who has ''been there before"
the signs are not to be mistaken, and to
many an old soak the alcoholic ward of
Bellevue Hospital is City of Refuge. To
it they fly voluntarily and gladly to
escape the battle with snakes.
The door-bell rings, and the refugee
from rum says to DR.. John Riegelman;
who is in charge:
when l shut my eyes l can see the
boys. so l thought it was time to come"
A story is told of man who imagined
he was on a bed of knives which turned
like the blades of sausage mill and cut
into his flesh. His agony was as great as
if he had been wounded at thousand
points, and his shrieks were piercing, as
he struggled with four men who were re-
quired to hold him upon the cot.
DIR. Riegelman tells OF man who died
OF delirium tremens recently, and whose
quiet sutferings were as pitiful as those
of more frenzied patients. The fellow
imagined that people were pursuing him
to kill him. He was far gone when re-
ceived, and sat and stared in momentary
expectation OF being set upon anu muir
dered. He tremb8ed violently without
cessation. and great beads of perspiration,
born of mental torture, poured of his
forehead. He said nothing except to
speak in low whispers to himself Even
when asleep the trembling of his body
continued. In three days he ceased to
answer questions; later he became un-
conscious, and in five days died of ner-
vous exhaustion, His temperature was
l07 4-l0.
1.-The public has a mistaken idea" said
DIR. Rlegelman to Sunday AdUerttSeI'
man who visited the pavilion yesterday,
that most men who have delirlum tre-
mems see snakes ana monkeys. We treat
about hundred cases a month, and my
experience IS that The man who sees
snakes or monkeys is the rare exception.
Usually they see rats or bugs, or imagine
they are about to be murdered. Many
think they are being poisoned, and TO
such it is difficult TO administer medicine.
There was young woman down here
last winter who imagined her husband
was outside the window shooting at her.
She could hear the reports of the pistol,
feel the wounds, and would try to point
them out to US. She had a second attack
several weeks ago, and i'll running to get
away from her husband, who, she i'm
agined. was firing at her, was about to
lump off the dock when she W as caught.
She did not have suicidal mania, yet her
fear of death at the hands of her husband
was so great that she was willing to jump
-, no ri iyp n him ii a SaapnH
attack OF delirium tremens was followed
by insanity, and she is now on the
Island"
This fellow" said the doctor, entering
a room where man was quietly sleep
ing, "was busy all day yesterday pulling
steam pipes out OF the wall. pVe got
fellow in the cOnvalescent ward who
thought the mind readers were after
him"
We've got an Indian in here. DOCTOR"
said the nurse, as the next room was ap-
preached.
"Ihats the name" explained the doc
tor, 'for a new patient who is inclined To
be wild"
The door was opened. On cot lay
young man whose face was radiant.
How do you feel?' asked the doctor.
There's going to be a wedding" said
the man, quickly.
He was evidently very happy.
''She's going to be my wife, too," he
continued, speaking rapidly and nerv
ously.
when is the wedding going to take
placer" asked the doctor.
LAS soon as Louie comes"
sWhere is Louie?"
81 don't know, but if she's here she's
sitting up in that window"
AS the window was at least seven feet
from the floor it is needless to say that
Louie was not there.
"I say, doctor ~ exclaimed the patient
suddenly becoming alarmed and excited,
there's nothing wrong about this is
there? There's nothing the matter is
there? Because if there is Ill get right
up and see about 1t.
He was assured that everything was
all right and that the marriage might
take place, but was not satisfied until he
had held conversation, which was very
realistic, with friends who were not
present. He called them by name, asked
questions and received answers
Colonel bob" 1ngersoll says that if he
were omnipotent he would make good
health contagious. Let US hope the day
will come when every man who must
have jimjams Will be pursued by an OBJ
iect no more terrible than blushing and
beautiful bride.
If there is anything worse than snakes.
anything more to be dreaded. it is the
dying of alcoholism-men who have what
is called the wet brain of the drunkard." ;"
whose brains are shrunken, allowing the
substance of the blood to fill in
La1. he air-tight skull. Some of these
men IN the last stages of alcoholism are
without minds. They live, but they do
not think. They yegetate. One man has
sense enough to poke out his tongue an
other sense enough to open his mouth
but not enough 10 poke out his tongue.
Their muscles grow stiff and their elbows
are moved with difficulty, like an old and
rusty hinge. From snakes to this, and
from this to a drunkard's death!
Taken as a whole, however. the patients
in the alcoholic ward are a wonderfully
we'll satisfied lot. The smaller percentage
are past hope or in the thrOes of the
shakes. Many are exceeding bright and
cheerful grateful that they have been
rescued.
The pavilion is two-story structure at
the side of the grounds adjoining the
East River. Each patient has a room
with cot. The doors fasten with spring
locks, and cannot be opened from the
inside. The violent cases are handcuffed
to the cots. fastened at the wrists, ankles
and shoulders.
There is modern bath room, and on
general principles the first treatment q
patient receives is a thorough bath.
which with some is very heroic treat
ment. The next effort is to get the
patient to sleep, and then he is given
nourishing and easily digestsd food
milk or beef tea.
If these things are accomplished the
snakes go away, if not, the patient is apt
to die of nervous exhaustion.
In one end of the building are the
rooms for the women, and the patients
are of all sorts-from the tough old
FOUNDERS to the pretty blondes of the
tenderloin.