The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-25
THE new DRINK CURE.
Good Results so Far From DR..
Oppenheimer's Specific.
Experiments in New York Prove It's
Efficacy Patients With Delir-
tum Tremens Improving.

Inc utsb results OF the experiments
which have just been begun at Bellevue
hospital New York, with the sanction Of
the commissioners Of charities, in the ust
Of DR. OpPeaheimcr's new cure for drunk
enness have been 50 successful as to SUP
prise the hospital officials.
1t is the most wonderful thing I ever
saw, said Superintendent Murphy. "Ii
it continues to benefit the patients as il
has done SO far, it VIII prove q gOdsend- .
Two wards accommodating six persons
have been regularly opened for the recep-
ton Of alcoholic patients. AS a preliIni-
nary, ana while the wards were beiue
made ready, DR.. Oppenheimer began his
demonstration upon five Of the WOrkmen
about the hospital.
These men are confirmed drunkards.
There are always a number of them at
Bellevue. Whom one Of them goes on enc
Of his periodical sprees, he is put into tho
alcoholic ward and kept there until he Il
able 60 get cut and 60 to work Then he
is put on some Of the rough work in the
hospital and the lnorgue, and usually
after two or three weeks, he has another
turn at deliriuIn tremens- In this way
some or the men remain at the hospital for
years as patients ard workers alternately.
They get their board and lodging, and
little money when they work The money
goes for drink as soon as they get it, and
the men grow old in an ainlcss and hope
less existence.
Six Of tho worst Of these confirmed
drunkards were picked out to Try DR. Op-
penheiIner's specific. The doctor explained
to them what the purpose Of the medicine
was and assured them that it couldn't
hurt them. He agreed to take q dose
every time he gave it to them, and five Of
them consented to try it, Inc sixth re
fused because he had heard that persons
cured OF drunkenness became insane.
The five men have been taking the
specific every day since. Tt is given by tho
teaspoOnful and rot in injections The
men say that they feel much better IN
every way. They are at liberty to drink
if they wish, but say thcy have no desire 10.
'The change in them is remarkable, -
Superintendent Murphy said. They look
better Their eyes arc brighter, their STEP
is not so Istless, their nervousness is gone.
and they seem to have some lie in them.
They h&Te money in their pockets, too
something that HASN'T happened bofore in
years. One of them was 50 shai1y before
he took the medicine that he had to use
both hands to raise a glass to his lips. His
nerves have Improved wonderfully, ard
he has 10 desire to drink. lie was con-
planning today that he didn't even want
to chew tobacco any more. -
The patients whose treatment began the
other day are of s. different type They are
in the worst stages OF deliriuIn trcnens
and they were brought to the hospital IN
ambulances. -Four were placed under Dr.
Cppcnheilncr in the morning and two at
noon. They have already greatly inprov-
ed Superin teEdent Murphy and Assistant
Superintendent Richards said that one of
them had about the 7Hprs6 case Of deliriuIn
trelnens they ever saw His hands were
drawn up in front Of him when he was
not picking at imaginary insects on the
bedclothes, and he was afraid OF every one
who came near him He was unable to
NJ nv IN
penheimer gave him his first dose. In the
evening the tension had relaxed. and he
was able to give his lame and address
and to tell his history. A similar change
had taken place in the condition of the
others
A remarkable thing about the new cure
IS the quiczness with which it works. The
desire for drink is destroyed in from to
% hours, and all the alcohol is driven out
of the system in from three to Eve days.
81 doa't ask you to believe these state
ments, = said DR. Oppenheiner to the re-
porter, "bub come to the hospital in two
or three days and see if they are not borne
out by the facts
'fWhat this specific does is to restore the
patient to his normal condition. The de-
sire for alcohol disappears, and he is just
as Indifferent toward it as before he ever
tasted it. If he continues to leave it alone,
he win never have any desire for it again.
and may acquire the habit again, but if
he does it, his own fault He can be cured
a second time as easily as before.
"Drunkenness is undoubtedly a disease,
and it may be hereditary OF acquired The
condition that leads up to it is a lack Of
tone in the nervous system Once such
person begins to take stimuiants the dis
ease grows by what it feeds On Some be
come addicted to alcohol, others to NOR
phine or cocaine. This specific viii cure
one as well as the ether, and have cases
of the morphine habit constantly in my
private practice The morphine habit
takes a little longer to cure than alcohol
ism. The cocaine habit can be cured in SO
hours. %
DR. Oppenheiner is a regular physician
Of standing He has used his discovery in
his private practice for four years and two
years ego established q private sanitarium
in which Or. A i. Loo1nis and DR.. George
e. Shrady were consulting physicians. 1t
bad to be given up because the patients
got well so soon that there was no money
IN it, Up to the present time DR. Open
heimer has declined to say anything pub
hcly about his specific. A short time ago
one of the men he had cured insisted that
the discovery should be brought to the at
tention Of the public He suggested to DR..
Oppenheiluer that the commissioners Of
charities might be interested in it. DR..
Oppenheiner declined TO take any steps,
but the patient went to the commissioners f..
and persuaded them to send word for DR..
Oppenheilaer. A conference. was held, in
which Mayor Strong participated, and,
rs a result, the experiment. now going on
was determined upon.
DR. Oppenheiner has had some amusing
experiences in overcoming the szepticism
Of some Of his patients. About a year ago
two friends of his wound up a discussion
over the merits Of his discovery by max
ing a bet that one of them could take three
doses Of the medicine on each Of two sue
csssive days and then take a drink Of whis-