The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-09-20
EVIDENCE OF INEBRIETY.
Uniformity of the Origin and Development
of Most Cases.

of Most Cases.
The study of the phenomena of in
ebriety is beset with great difficulties.
The patient may both consciously and
unconsciously mislead and conceal tie
real truths, and the observer will from
erroneous conclusions. Many of the
facts depend upon the statements of
the inebriate and can only be verified
with difficulty. The drink history,
comprising a record of when and where
and how spirits are used, is open to
various sources of errors, which may
be corrected by persons who have OBJ
the origin, causes and conditions of
the drink impulse depend large
ly on the conceptions of the
victim, and such statements are
the most difficult to confirm of
all neurological inquiries Such
persons often have congenltal abnor-
i maGtics of consciousness analogous to
| astigmatism, or color blindness, and
are unable to judge correctly of a mo-
tive or conditions which seem to lead
to certain acts and lines of conduct
Many of these cases have defective
brain developments and organic per-
versions, followed by states of exhaus-
ton and depression, for which alcohol
| or some other allied narcotic is the
| most fascinating means of temporary
| relief. In addition to this the use of
| spirits has special degenerative infu-
| ence on the higher physical centers,
paralizing and destroying the power to
correctly judge of the nature and
| character of truth.
The inebriate is incompetent to eth
| ically or intelligently understand the
import and meaning of his conduct,
| and hence will deceive the investigator,
eXaggerating certain facts and con-
| cealing others. Often following some
| sensOry suggestion, and always keenly
sensitive to any form of psychical pres
| sure, such as the supposed theory of
his ease, entertained by others, or any
conception which will appear to him
to lessen the gravity of the drink of
| Tense, or in some possible way create
sympathy in his behalf. If in a court
| for some crime associated with drink
he will deny everything or confess to
acts not true and at all times his con-
| fession will be exaggerated and often
| describe motives and conduct that are
unreal and unnatural. The reasoning
| may be clear and accurate on matters
not concerning himself, but utterly I'M
reliable concerning his drink acts and
| motives.
| ln tot - III,
a police court or hospital, and in a re-
form meeting, will vary widely, and
yet no apparent design be present If
these variations are brought TO him for
explanation, he will show confusion
and deny them in general. case was
sent me as an example of vice at first,
the history carefully studied by com
petent observer. My inquiry revealed
an exactly opposite state, and from the
same history which to large extent
was based on the statements of the in
| ebriate. A lOng-cOntinued study of
this case brought out another class of
facts, and confirmed the experience of
| all students as to the wOrthlessness or
| evidence based on the inebriates cen
| ceptiOnS of his case.
| Practically full statement is re-
corded of the inebriate's theories, and
then evidence is sought to disprove or
confirm it. Exceptions to the natural
history of such cases are regarded with
suspicion and doubted unless sustained
| by other facts Inebriety is usually
| found to be uniform in its origin and
| progress. The same general range Of
| causes are common to each one and the
same general growth and development
will be found in each one. Investiga-
ton and study of these cases requires
long patient gathering and comparison
of facts, always open to error and cor.
rection.-Journal of Inebriety.