Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-08-31
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THE CURING OF DRUNKARDs.
DR.. August FOrel Tells H&s Reasoas
for BecOmiog "a Cosa1 All
RfRIuer

Some time ago DR.. August Forel spas
asked how be became to<a& sbs+aineE.
This is what be replied:
For thirteen years, while as Munich
as we{l as at Zurich, as director Of The
insane asylum had great Dumber of
alcohol patients, some afflicted with
delirium tremeps and others not so Sc
riously afflicted. had never seen n
single one cured. When The deNriSn
had passed they all began to drink
again. felt for long time thae there
was fault somewhere, but did cot
find the remedy. In 1851 q drunIard of
the worst type had had fOur ettsclcs
OF delSrium in one year, and each time
after recovering he began 10 drink
egain, beating bic wife, etoA pro-
nouOced him ipcurable aud sG1-tsed his
wife to secure divorce. She took him
to little asylum Of the CrSx Bleu at
Bale. Here he WAS cured and became
the agent of the Croix BSeu a; Paris.
He sent me his thanks. not without
Irony, for my good care of him. From
that time understood more and more
that the treatment of Lcobol patients
consisting Of the desire TO bring them
back to moderate drinking, rested
upon profound error. eudeavored
to compel my druukaxVds to total ab-
stinence, but without the Least sue
cess. 1 sought q total abstinence So
ciety, but found none.
In 1884 shoema ker in tseneaghb-or-
hood of my asylum came 10 take my
measure for pair Of shoes. He re-
fused the glass of wine that offered
him according to the custom well
known in Switzerland. I discovered
then that he was at the head OF little
temperance society. Delightedly. I
asked him IL he would take my drunk
ards into his society. with great
pleasure" he said, send them all to
me-"
From that day I sent him nv dunk
ards, with attendants 70 care for them.
with exemplary patience and devotion
ne Ia oored with them and took them
Into his Anciety- And then, for the first
time In my life, saw my drunkards
cured--not all, but a goodly number.
had, however, the feeblepess to still
await is months observing. said to
the shoemaker one day: "My deer sir.
Tor lh years my drunkards, hitherto
tncursble, ere being cured. One thing
becomes more aud more cleax to my
mind, and that Is that it is You alone
who cure them and not I. How Is thisP
Ii Is truly shame for me. physician
and specialist, paid by the state. 10
nave patients cured by a poor shoe
maker who receives not cent here
Tor, and to feel myself incapable OF do
ing this"
This is, however. very simpIe." re-
phed the shoemaker, smiling soma
what archly. II am a total abstainer
and you are not. We make DO one a
total abstainer without gSviDo the ex-
ample ourselves"
You are right" I replied. .-FAor a
IohS time 1 have felt this 20 be 50, and
90 not understand why have wait
60 mus. hut from Tomorrow shall
be total abstainer."
This was IN 1886, at the beoipnSo.y Of
the year, and since then have re-
manned total abstainer. sIad hav.
cured hundreds OF drunkards with no
further need of the shoemaker. NV
shoe maker, Mr.. Bosshart, has become
through my influence the deseryedlx
honored manager of the asy{,an for
drunkards at Ellikon.
Until 1892 still had the weakness
10 offer wine TO my guests aud friends
whilst my wife, my children add nv
SELF were total abstainers, TO our great
advantage as regards health and la
DOT This troubled my conscience, but
mad not yet the courage TO over
come custom. In 1892 my entrance in
TO the order of Good Templars relieved
me OF my wine and of this painful bur-
den. From that time 7 have felt en-
tlrely free aud have broker the ties
with alcoh-ol.-Translated from La
Source Organe de l'Union Francaise
by Caroline r. Humphrey, in Union
Signal
saloon Coffee