The herald., 1896-07-21

Drunkards are cursed with craving.
gnawing appetite for alcoholic drink.
SATISFY TSs morbid aad appete reGueny
has an inherited predisposition as a con-
sututional cause. and with sucn tne
hereditary vice is easily aroused 10 activ- ,.N
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
desre for drink Such. however, Is inc
case with dipsomaniacs. The perloolcai
drunlxard presents no such positive path
illogical changes. as he indulges but sell
dom. and allows the system time 70 re.
cover by eliminating the poison peiore IL
has time to cause tissue injuries.
Although such men sometimes so to
terrible excesses, in some instances pro-
longing the debauch for several weeks.
they either have a great appetite and con,
sumo much food, or else they depend
entirely on the liquor for aliment.
When quantities of food are ingested
1t exercises a protecting infuence. Keep
ing the gastric functions busy, neutraliz-
ing TO d large extent the poisonous effect
of the liquor, and therefore tcnulng 10
equalize the circulation. When the fiesre
for food is completely suppressed Dy tne
liquor. the system is left unprotected to
the mercy of the alcohol and the nervous
organs receive the full effects OF the
Stimulant.
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 detrimental re-
suits. as they experience no immediate
disasreeablc symptoms. Many VIII even
claim that their systems demand the
stimulus and that marked benefits follow
It's use.
No more fallacious or deceptive idea
can be entertained by a healthy man.
The system, it is true, becomes habitu-
ated to the abuse as 1t does TO the mar.
cotic poisons-opium. haShish chloral or
tobacco: but let such persons discontinue
its use for any reason, and for weeks
they must suffer with loss of appetite,
fever, pains or palpitation with perhaps
constipation and nervous irritability and
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 ana all the liner emotions ana sensl-
bilities crushed, the victims of tho iquor
habit are only capable of causinH tears
and shame to all connected with them
NO higher mission comes to the medical
n1an--no greater credit can attach to his
skill-than to find a treatment that can
stay this torrent Of misery that flows SO
relentlessly over its bed of human
hearts"
Even more than alcohol. the opium
degrading slavery. Since the introduce
tion of the hypodermic syringe the per;
nicious juice of the poppy has destroyed
myrads 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 tbecause truerl inferno
than that over which the great italian
poet inscribed the terrible warning:
'Who enters here leaves hope behind"