Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-17
A CURE FOR DRUNKENNESS.

Rum Soaked wretches Purged of Their
Desire For Strong Drink.
w. #. Stead, in communication to
the London Chronicle, thus describes the
effects of new remedy for dipsomania:
The treatment commenced on Sept.
II. The experimental month expired
on Oct. IL. Our patients were four
women and four men. Three of the
women were either married or were
widows. One was a spinster. OF the
men, two were commercial travellers,
one a solicitor, the other an ex-naval
officer. One Of them came to us guar
anteed as one of tho worst cases known
to the Church Army; another similarly
certificated from the Salvation Army,
while tho others were accompanied by
equally satisfactory certificates as to
their thorough paced drunkenness. A
fully qualified man was placed III
charge, and competent assistants were
secured, who saw to it that the remedy
at the beginning was administered at
the stated intervals Of three hours, both
night and day.
OF the nature of the remedy can say
nothing, excepting that it is extremely
bitter to tho taste and acts as very
powerful tonic After the patients had
been under treatment for 10 days l Wis"
tied the place and interviewed each sep
arately. A marvellous change had ale
ready been effected, but | decided to
say nothing until the month expired and
| had!the final report of the medical
men upon the result Of the treatment.
That report il now before me- and owe
it to the public to lose no time i'll stat
ing the result of the experiment.
That result has been an almost I'M
qualified success, the only exception
being one woman, who, it is believed.
did not conform TO tho regulations laid
down. OF course it is rs yet too early
to say anything as to the lasting effects
of the cure, although, Judging from the
experience of other cases which were
treated nearly 13 months since, and are
still standing, / do not think there IS
much reason to fear that the cure Is as
permanent as it is certainly drastic, If
indeed it might not almost be described
as miraculous.
For, what has happened? Sevenpoor,
miserable wrecks, drenched with wins
ky or soddened with gin, and in some
cases with an additional craving for
morphia and laudanum, have been i'll
one short month so completely weaned
from all desire for alcohol that they
may be trusted to go through the most
tavern spotted thoroughfare without
feeling the slightest inclination to re-
sumo their rotations. Nay, more: not
only has all craving for drink been kill
ed in their system, but in its place has
been developed an absolute hatred and
loathing for intoxicants, loathing so
acute that some of our patients have
walked down the middle of the street
rather than use the footpath which led
them too close to the reek of the tap
room, --
When the treatment begins, they all
experience certain degree of discom-
fort, which varies sometimes from
acute headache to feverish ague. FoI
couple of days they are about as miser
able as they can be, but on the third
day the headache leaves them, the sick
ness disappears, and they begin to de-
velop an appetite. Before they have
been under treatment week they car
be allowed to go ont freely without any
danger of their breaking loose or re-
Stunning the habits which had made
such a wreck of their lives. The crav-
ing for drink, so far as can be seen
from the close observation of the cases
under treatment, is absolutely dead. and
so far as can be seen at present those
who have conducted the experiment are
more than satisfied with the result.
The remedy which has wrought such
wonders is. believe, a concoction of
South American origin. The secret of
its manufacture remains with one man,
who refuses to divulge it.