The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-19
SECRET ALCOHOLIC DRINKING.
impossible to Conceal the Habit from
the ObservinE-Sure to
Come Out

uIluhcIS, DOlu LQeu anu NOlueI, WHO ue-
Jude themselves with the idea that no
one is aware of their addiction. Yet it
is practically impossible to use spirits
in any form for any length of time
without betraying this fact. 1t may be
possible to deceive associates and
slight defects of thought and act as due
to some other causes, but critical eyes
soon see through the mask.
The secret drinker soon shows de-
fects of memory and want of attention.
He does not follow any connected line
of thought; the mind moves from one
topic to another rapidly and without
reason or connection. He repeats both
in thought and act, as if he was not
aware of what he had said or done, or
had fears that he had mistaken the
work. Or he becomes dogmatic and as
sertlve in both act and thought, his
mental operations are more feeble, with
hesitating or holder and more incau-
tious. There are changes in both the
form and activities of life. The old am
billions, tastes and accustomed ways of
everyday life suffer change, like the
first shadows of approaching twilight,
dim and misty but more and more
prominent.
Some of these subtle changes have
come to me to determine. A most ex-
emplary woman became irritable and
untruthful in small matters. She was
using spirits in secret and this was the
sign. Another women grew melan-
choly and suspicious of wrongs by
others. A third woman became am
bilious to go into society, and used I'M
usual efforts to accomplish this. 4
fourth woman became profoundly re-
ilgious, and wanted to spend all her
time in church and prayer meeting. In
all these cases this unusual conduct
and change of thought was due to
spirits taken secretly. a noted clergy
man began to repeat suddenly in
prayers and sermon, and grew very an
CRY when his attention was called to it.
He was secret, midnight drinker. An
other reserved and very dignifed min
lister suddenly put off his reserve and
O>N''iAiN Oh CliiOtdOIltl u ing tNdu-
gelist, praying and weeping with
everyone. lie was found to be secret
ginger drinker. l was called to see a
noted temperance lecturer, whose
growing egotism and grasping dishon-
esty and prevarication indicated some
mental disease. After a time he was
found to be user of bitters which con-
tanned 20 per cent. of alcohol. The re-
moval of this was followed by recov-
cry.
OF course these obscure changes of
conduct and thought are not always
due to the secret use of spirits. but it
may be considered marked symptom
OF some rapid changes going on in the
brain. When we cannot discover any
common usual causes it is always wise
TO look for spirits or drugs secretly
taken, as responsible. 1t is true in
nearly all cases, that loss of memory
and power of attention to any one topic.
with emotional changes, are common
symptoms in alcohol and drug takers.
With it is associated a coarseness of
language and manner unobserved be-
fore. Want of attention to the ordi-
nary courtesies of life, a loss of high
standards of honor and regard for
truth, carelessness of dress and the
proprieties of society are other signifi-
cant symptoms. Alcohol is paralyzer
of all the higher functions of the mind,
in some cases going on slowly, in others
rapidly. But in all instances obscuring.
lowering and deranging the judgment
and memory and literally throwing the
man out of harmony with himself and
surroundings.
The secret drinker Is no doubt in
jured in the same way as others, and
his foolish efforts to conceal this act,
intensities the injury, which after a
time breaks out in some unexpected
form ending fatally. The sudden. I'M
expected death of persons previously
supposed to be well, have in many
cases revealed the fact of secret spirit
drinking of many years duration, with
destruction Of vitality and general de-
cadence. Life insurance companies are
often aware of this fact, and appeal to
liz III ltID Dul II Is tAC6tuluSIN ullll-
cult to convict or prove secret drinking
in man with a large insurance, and
more difficult after death to bring out
this fact. The law in these cases will
seldom allow presumptive evidence. it
must be direct and positive of the use
of spirits, lam sure that unmistakable
insanity is present in some cases, seen
in the unusual cunning and wise calcu-
lation to procure spirits and conceal its
effects.
| am also convinced that the use of
bitters at first is responsible for much
of the secret drinking. The bitters
create demand for alcohol or opium
and then its use is continued secretly.
Secret drinkers are keeping alive
smouldering fires which never die out,
but go on charring and breaking down,
until sudden and final collapse ends all.
T. d. Crothers. NJ. D., in Union Signal.