The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-25
THE 1NEBR1ATE BILL.
To Provide Cures in Extreme Cases at
County Expense.

Representative Dingus and Senator
Fornev have introduced a bill whlch
provides that if the friends, relatives OF
guardian of an inebriate make poHel-
~ affidavit the probate Judge may %
der the patient sent to some heeies ne e
sti+,,ta f6,. trea tnaent at the expense or
the county. 1 = I'm,
in force. ~, oit,,
has taken a great interest in this SUB
iect of which she has made a speclal
study. She says:
six states and one territory, Color
ado. Maryland Minnesota, Louisiana
Wisconsin. Dakota and Oklahoma ter
ritorv have passed laws providing 1of
the cure of the INDECENT inebriate
The Colorado law provides that any
friend or relative of an habitual drunk
ard may petition the county commls-
eiOners TO send him to reputable dOu-
BILE chloride of gold asylum II me
commissioners are satisfied as 70 the
facts in The case they may Send MIN
to such asylum. The Louisiana stat
ute is similar TO the Colorado one in
most respects, except 1t PROVIDES lhai
the institution must be in the state ana
the cost of treatment must not exceed
500.
THE Maryland statute is, perhaps
the best considered ana the most COM
plete of the three. 1t provides that any
relative or friend of the drunkard may
apply to the court of record for permls-
most successful asylum for treatment
at the public expense if he be an lnd1-
gent person. The act applies to all per
sons who use alcoholic, spirituous, matt
fermented or intoxicating liquors, NOR
phia, laudnum. cocaine, opium, or otner
narcotics to such a degree as TO deprive
him, or her. of reasonable degree OF
Self-cOntrOl.
THE laws passed by the other states
named do not materially differ from
those of which a synopsis has been Civ
en-. AS these laws have been in opera
ton several years in the states heard
from on the subject it will be a salts
faction to all interested in the cure OF
the inebriate to learn that the good to
the state and to the individual growing
out of their enforcement mas not dlsap-
pointed their most sanguine supporters.
An editor of long experience who has
had an extended cores ondence with
beneficiaries under the INDECENT inebri
ate laws of Wisconsin gives the testi-
mony of large number who express
gratitude for their cure and relate its
beneficent effect upon themselves and
their families. One of these, Patrick
Conway, Kilbourn City, Wis, writes in
favor of the law as follows: 1t is bet
ter to furnish the inebriate a place
where he can be cured and that will
make him or her good citizen and let
the county stand the expense. for many
reasons. | know men who cost the
county more for criminal and other
causes than the keeley cure amounts
to, and 1 was one of those men and the
records of the county will show it
"A cured man. William Warner, Of
state inebriate law 1 think it is the
most humane and just law of any law
passed. 1t is the means of pla cling good
men back where they belong, and 1
sincerely hope it will never be repealed
The discussion of how to aid indi-
gent inebriates to obtain a cure for
their disease is being had in many of
the states at the present time. and,
in
work permit her poor inebriates to dis
pair and saddle herself with debt for
their support in places where they would
never be found if they We're cured of
their crime producing and pOVerty-in-
Viting disease
The following is the text of the bill:
An act to provide for the medical treat
ment of inebriates.
Be it enacted by the legislature of the
Section l. That any person that is of
near kin 10, or friend of any resident
OF the state OF Kansas who is an inebri-
ate as hereafter defined. may petition
the probate Judge of the county in which
said inebriate resides for leave 10 send said
lneprlate TO reputable medical insti-
tute for medical treatment at the ex-
pense of the county. Such petition shall
set torth the name, age and residence. of
such inebriate; that he she is or has
for a term of not less than six months
last past been resident of said county:
that such inebriate is not financially able
TO defray the expense of such medical
treatment; that said inebriate is addict
Ell to the use of intoxicating liquors
opium or other narcotics to such an ex-
tent as to deprive him of a reasonable de-
gree of self control: that he is DESTROYS
of and agrees to take such treatment
and agrees to obey the rules of the in
stitution administering the same Said
petition shall also be verified by three re-
putable tax payers who are residents Of
said county wherein said inebriate re-
sides. who shall certify that they are IA
miliar with the matters and facts SET
forth in the petition and believe the state
ments contained therein to be true and
that the case TO which the petition relates
is a proper one for assistance from the
county.
Sec. 2. Upon filing of such petition nro-
vided for in section one of this act the
probate judge of said county SHAH i'm,
mediately inquire into the matters ana
facts recited in said petition, and if sat-
isfied that the same are true. pass an or
der committing said inebriate at the ex-
pense of said county TO such reputa BILE
medical institute in the state of Kansas