The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-26
DRUNKENNESS A DISEASE,
Organization of a Society to
Prevent DipSomania and
lnebriety.
A Forcible Communication Sent to
the Board of Supervisors.
Practical Work.

At meeting held in Golden Gate Hall
on Wednesday evening the Society for the
Prevention of Dipsomania and Inebriety
was organized. with the object of aiding in
the enforcement of ian act relating to the
erection, furnishing, maintenance and gov
eminent of hospitals and homes for inebri-
ates in counties and cities and counties of
this State, and toeprovide for the commit
ment of dipsomaniacs and inebriates there
to-" approved March 81, 1895, and to labor
in the education of a public sentiment
against regarding drunkenness or inebriety
as punishable offense, and in favor of
sentiment that will view it as a disease or
an infrmity.
George w. Lewis acted as chairman and
Louis F. Colder as Secretary.
A committee, consisting OF Martin r.
Roberts, Charles E. Bigelow and Charles
E. Jackson, was appointed on articles of
incorporation, constitution and bylaws.
The declaration of principles of the So
ciety is based on the studies and expe-
rience of over thirty different inebriate
hospitals in this country and Europe, and
is presented as authoritative, representing
the aims and objects of the society. They
are as follows:
1. Dipsomania and inebriety are diseases.
2. They are durable as other diseases are.
g. The constitutional tendency to the dis
eases may be inherited or acquired.
4. All methods hitherto employed for the
treatment of dipsomania or inebriety that have
not recognized the disordered physical condi-
ton caused by alcohol and opium have proved
inadequate to their cure; hence the establish
ment of hospitals for the specific treatment of
dipsomania and inebriety in which such con-
ditions are recognized, becomes positive need
of the age.
5. In view of these facts and the increased
success OF the treatment in inebriate hospitals
this society urges that every large city should
have its local hospital for the treatment of dip
somaniacs and inebriates, and that every State
should have one or more hospitals for their
more permanent detention and treatment.
6. Facts and experience indicate clearly that
it is the duty of the civil authorities to recog-
nize dipsomania and inebriety as diseases and
to provide means in special hospitals for their
scientific treatment in place of the penal
methods of fines and imprisonment hitherto in
use with all its attendant evils.
T. Finally the officers of such hospitals
should have ample legal power of control over
the patients and authority to retain them
sufficient length of time for their permanent
cure.
On motion of Daniel Wallace, the secre-
Supervisors as follows:
Section of article XI OF the constitution of
this State provides that 1.-The Legislature shall
prescribe the duties of Boards of Supervisors
and other officers in the several counties"
In accordance with this provision OF the
organic act the Legislature, by the act ap-
proved March 27, 1895, made it the duty of
Boards OF Supervisors to erect and furnish
suitable hospitals and homes for dipsomaniacs
and inebriates, leaving the amount of the ap-
propria ton to the discretion of the Supervisors.
We respectfully submit that the neglect of
your board to perform the official duty imposed
by the act of the Legislature will conflict with
the provisions of the codes relating to neglect
of official duties"
After listening to expert testimony as to the
cost of building a suitable hospital, your Com
mittee on Hospitals at meeting held June / 1,
1895 unanimously recommended that $780,
900 be appropriated to erect and furnish a
suitable hospital and home for dipsomaniacs
and inebriates; and we suggest that until the
hospital building is so far completed that COM
mitments may be properly made thereto, San
Francisco is powerless to apply the wise pro-
visions of the act of the Legislature, and ire
sponsible alcohol and opium lnebriates cannot
be legally restrained except by charging them
with insanity or crime. Because of this condi-
ton of affairs in our midst there are confined
to-day in San Francisco's County Jails no less
than 200 alcohol or opium inebriates who are
not of bad repute or character apart from their
habits of inebriety.
We respectfully present the law and the
condition which demanded its enactment for
your immediate consideration, believing
that under the new law and system OF caring
for this class of indigents great financial saw
ing will result to the City and County and
step forward taken in the interest of humanity
ana sociology.
The following resolution was adopted:
RESOLVED, That this society do appoint COM
mittee of three, who shall be known as the lee
ture bureau of this society, and whose duty it
shall be to select lecturers and assist by all
means in their power to promote the interest
and effectiveness of the meetings.
Another meeting of the society will be
held next Monday evening, when trustees
and officers will be elected. The question
of permanent quarters for the secretary
will also be considered. In the meantime
a temporary Office will be opened at 1922
Howard street, where the secretary may be
addressed.