The herald., 1896-07-19

Drunkards are cursed with a craving,
gnawing appetite for alcoholic drink
satisfy. This morbid appetite frequently
has an inherited predisposition as a con-
stituttonal cause. and with sucn the
hereditary vice Is easily aroused 10 actlN- ,,
ity and becomes an irresistible controlling
influence.
1t is not civilized mans natural dis
position to relinquish all that serves 70
make life happy in order to satisfy ms
desire for drink. Such, however, II ,a .aIg
case with dipsomaniacs. The perlooicai
drunkard presents no such positive path
illogical changes, as he INDUCES put sci
dom. and allows the system time TO re. I.
cover by eliminating the poison peIore IL
has time to cause tissue injuries.
Although such men sometimes go to
terrible excesses. in some instances pro-
longing the debauch for several weeks,
they either have great appetite and con,
sumo much food, or else they uepehu
entirely on the liquor for aliment.
When quantities of food are ingested
1t exercises protecting influence, Keep
ing the gastric functions busy, neutranz-
ing to a large extent the poisonous effect
OF the liquor, and therefore tending 10
eQualize the circulation. When the desire
for food is completely suppressed by the
liquor. the system is left unprotected to
the mercy of the alcohol and the nervous
organs receive the full effects Oh the
Stlmuldnt.
Many persons in the prime of life per-
suade themselves that moderate use OF
liquor taken regularly, even on an empty
stomach, Will cause no detrimentai re-
suits. as they experience no immediate
disasreeable symptoms Many VIII even
claim that their systems demand tne
stimulus and that marked benefits follow
its use.
No more fallacious or deceptive idea
can be entertained by a healthy man
The system, it is true, becomes habltu-
ated 10 the abuse as 1t does to the mar
cote poisons-oplum. hashish. chloral or
tobaCco; but let such persons discontinue
its use for any reason. and 1or weeks
they must suffer with loss Of appetite.
fever, pains or palpitation, with perhaps
constipation and nervous irrltaDlllty ana
loss of flesh.
The system has in such cases from
long abuse become changed and demands
its regular poison 10 sustain the abnor-
nal standard created by the liquor. with
hope and all the finer emotions ana sensl-
blities crushed, the victims of the liquor
habit are only capable of causing tears
and shame to all connected with them;
No higher mission comes to the medical
nan-no greater credit can attach TO MS
shill-than TO find Il treatment that can
stay this torrent Of misery that flows SO
relentlessly over its bed OF human
hearts,
habit holds its thousands of victims In
degrading slavery Since the introduce
ton of the hypodermic syringe the per,
nicious juice of the poppy has destroyed
myriads of human bodies and minds
among the faireSt and brightest women
and most intellectual of men: The medi-
cal profession, with occasional excep-
tions, are too apathetic with respect to
this haunting vice.
They are too often open to a greater
charge than apathy-they have been in
strumental in teaching thousands the
way to, the worse (because truerl inferno
than that over which the great Italian
poet inscribed the terrible warning:
"Who enters here leaves hope behind.