The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-20
IN AN ALCOHOLIC WARD.
a Visit to One Il Powerful Argu-
men: AgHiust Drink.

New York Tribune
The hot weather gave the hospitals much
additional work, made an increase in the
ambulance service necessary, and caused
the establishment of temporary heat
wards.
Although people drink to excess in warm
weather" said DR.. Walker. of Bellevue
Hospital. "our alcoholic ward was not
more crowded than usual during the hot
spell, simply because we are always
crowded"
The place set aside at Bellevue for people
suffering from alcoholism is not a ward
as its name would indicate. small build
ing beyond the insane pavilion is the place
where men are treated and in another
building a short distance away is the place
for lady DRINKS" the female inebriates
are sometimes called by the hospital peo
pie. The mems alcoholic ward is one large
room, with accommodations for twenty
eight patients. Until short time ago there
was room for each patient. but this ar
rangement required much help, and men
mad with dslirum were likely TO hurt
themselves If left alone. The alcoholics
are now all placed in the large ward where
one physician and two nurses have the
supervision. In the building wnere the
women confined the single room system
still prevails. and each lady has a little
room furnished with cot and chair. Re
tween $500 and 6,000 men and women are
treated in these wards every year and.
according to the reports of the physiSis ms
in charge. they come from all parts III the
city and from every branch of the COM
munity.
The strangest thing about the alcoholic
ward, said DR.. Walker, lis that more than
one-half Of the patients are Of the 'volun-
tary class Men come here who can hardly
navigate and ask to be admitted They
have just enough sense left TO know that
they are too tar gone TO take care of
themselves. and they fall in here and ask
TO be taken care of. Others come in cabs
and IT Is no unusual thing 10 have man
bring his wife or wife her husband to be
cured up. We had physician here the
other day who. after he had become sober.
but not sufficiently so TO go out, worked
off his nervousness by walking around the
ward and helping wait on the men in the
beds. There is probably not a learned pro-
fession that has not been represented here
this year
OF the twenty-eight in the mems ward
one day last week fifteen had come to the
hospital of their own accord. and many of
the patients had been there several times
before.
There is no part of the hospital where
there so many changes. The patients
are sometimes discharged after a twenty
four hours stay, but the average term i'm
the alcoholic ward is forty-eight hours
If il were not for the fact that occa.
sonally one sees patient with his hands
| tied down TO the side of the cot i'm which
he has been placed one would see little
difference between the alcoholic and other
wards. The atmosphere is sweet. and the
noises and grewsome scenes which are as
ISOLATED with such a place are absent
But the distorted faces show the charac-
ter of the place, and a glimpse along the
line is a powerful argument against drink
This young fellow said the nurse,
pointing to one of the patients. lis a man
of good family. He has been here before
and was brought this time by his sister.
The old man in the next cot is a profess
siOnal man, who was also brought here by
a member of his family and registered as
Mr.. Smith, and the one next to him was
| handed over to us by the police department
| They are all treated alike and although
| they go away from here better, we do not
| pretend TO cure them; that's another
| thing.
| The women alcoholics" are treated like
! the men when they are received They are
| bathed and their clothes put away and
! they receive garments provided by the in.
stitutiOn. The sight of the men stretched
| sion, but all visitors agree that the pic
| ture is not so repulsive that which one
| sees in the wOmens department
| This * an opium hend. said the WON
an nurse. placing her hand on the form OF
! young woman VINO was doing in a chair
| and In the next room is woman who
was brought here under the influence OF
liquor, but she is probably insane"
! The young woman in the next room die
| not wait TO be introduced, but said. with
/ drunken smile I'm all right-Ill be ready
| 10 take the night boat and go home" 4
! MISUNDERSTANDING woman. with white hair
| stood next TO the younger woman. Sh,
might have been visitor 10 some unfortu
| nate relative, as far as her face indicated
! but her dress showed that she was lad,
| drunk.