Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-10-30
A NEW BUSINESS.
Spends His Time i'm the Absorp-
tion of Alcohol.
A DOCTORS STRANGE OCCUPATION.
Says He Has Drunk all Kinds of Intoxi-
icants Known to Civilized han.
Peculiar Hobby.
DOCTORS STRANGE OCCUPATION.

tion is that Of scientific dipsomaniao. He
is Scotchman about 60 years old. and
lives in quiet uptown flat ON the west
side
He came to this country thirty years
ago, and practiced medicine success :
fully for fifteen years in San Francisco
1t was there that he developed his ex i.
traordinary appetite for new sensations
in the form of liquid stimulants. The
doctor has never been married, and
when he had accumulated what he
thought sufficient wealth to enable him
to live we'll and indulge his peculiar
appetite he migrated east, and has
resided in that city at intervals since
then.
Every pursuit has had to give way
to his hobby. He does not practice his
profession any more, except at rare in
teryals, when he will attend to one of
his few old and favored friends.
DR.. Watson is short, stout man,
with round face and short curly hair,
which has once been yellow. 1t is
now mostly gray. His little blue eyes
have shrewd twinkle in spite of his
years of inebriation. His hands are
short and pudgy, with tigers like
punches of bananas. He has queer
habit of closing and unclosing them
while talking.
Like all eccentric beings he hates
notoriety, and it was with difficulty
that he was induced to talk about him
self few days ago.
Probably some one else will give
you fantastic account of me if don t
talk myself" he said $50 l will tell
you anything you want to know pro-
vided you don't ask me for reasons.
That annoys me.
Travelling was the cause of my
making study of inebriation" con.
tinued the doctor "and that is the only
why or wherefore you will get." Here
he clutohed convulsively at nothing.
"When young man was ship S
surgeon, and have visited many coun-
tries.
II have drunk arrack with Malays
and Hindoos, koumiss with Tartars
eaten hasheesh with Persians and
smoked opium with Chinese, fr ON
mandarins to coolies.
/" No matter how backward in the
march of civilization any race may be,
they have all been able to evolve some
method of making fluids of a more
cheering nature than water. The
aborigines of Australia, the Pacific
Islanders, and eventhe little troglodytes
of Central Africa have all got their
special fire water. l have tried them
all and believe I have experienced
more varied sensations in the use Of
intoxicants than any living man."
This was said in a quietly trium-
phant manner. such as modest man
would use in announcing that be had
annexed the North Pole or some equally
useful article.
When asked if he felt no i'll effects
from ibis prolonged course Of "experi-
ments. as he calls his never-ending
drunks, he replied:
mo. Science teaches us that the
use of any alcoholic liquor in large
quantities and for long periods is ill.,
furious. Experience shows this to be
true in thousands Of instances, but the
theories are all wrong in my
case.
"Of course, l do not get into a state
Of beastly drunken insensibility while
pursuing my studies," continued the
little doctor, rapidly making clutches
at handfuls of air as he spoke. "My
plan is to take things easy and to get
all possible pleasure out of every
mouthful of whatever drink"
This strange man indulges in solitary
orgies, which generally last six or
seven days, During that time he locks
himself in his bedroom and will not
see or even speak to any one.
won't you look at my DEM" asked
the scientific drunkard,l working his
fat fingers rapidly. Hel led the way
into an inner room.
1t was fitted as bedroom, with ad-
ditions. A narrow table stood by the
side of the bed. Bewildering numbers
of bottles stood on the table. Wines
in great quantities and of all descrip-
tions were there. Rare old port and
claret Hungarian wines in strange.
looking fagons. aged Chianti and
Lachryma Christi could all be seen.
There were also spirits of every kind,
from various brands of whisky, brandy,
rum and schnapps to arrack and other
fiery products of mans ingenuity in
devising means to get drunk. Other
bottles held bitters, tonics and mater
ials for the concoction of mixed and
fancy drinks. Every bottle, except
those used for mixing drinks, had 8
long tube and mouthpiece attached tC
its neck.
This is where l conduct my expert
ments," he said. as he chuckled ant
made frantic grabs at the atmosphere