Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-02-14
Glasgow's Cure For Inebriety.

Glasgow mas led the way in an impor-
tant remedial reform In 1898 Parliament
passed the Inebriates act, authorizing To-
ca authorities to erect asylums through
out the country for the reformation of
criminal habitual inebriates. Nearly two
years have elapsed since the law came into
force. and with the exception of Glasgow
nothing has been done in Scotland The
city corporation recently acquired a man.
sion in.Ayreshire with this object in view-
Girgenti is well adapted for reforma-
tory. 1t is isolated, being distant four
miles from any town; is well drained and
has a good water supply. The house Is,
moreover, commodious and highly situated,
and the po!icies-eXtending to hfty-hve
acres-afford ample scope for the outdoor
employment, exercise and recreation OF
the patients, Accommodation has been
provided for tWenty-eight male and thirty
female inmates. The work in which the
female inmates will be employed will be
thorough training in household and laun-
dry work. sewing, knitting. etc, with out
door work in the lighter forms of garden
ing. and also in special cases dairy work
and poultry-keeping. The male patients
will be employed for part of the day in
any occupation which they may have pre-
viously followed such as carpentry, shoe
making painting, etc. for which facilities
will be provided at the Homes. All the
or outdoor work. The corporation have
appointed superintendent and matron,
who will be assisted by staff of indoor
and outdoor officers, male and female, as
the number OF inmates may from time to
time render necessary for the efficient con-
duct OF the reformatory The dietary in
the meantime will be to some extent exper-
imental, but when experience has been OBJ
tanned fixed dietary can be adopted. The
Home w bp n1n bI nf
eighteen representatives of the town coun-
ell. including the Lord Provost, who will
regularly visit and personally supervise the
work.
The public will watch with eager inter-
est the results of this experiment. Scarce
" week passes but We have applications
for the names and addresses of private in
cbriate homes, the need for which is un-
questioned. Our legislators, however. hav-
ing made provision for part of the effects
OF the liquor traffic, might with advantage
turn their attention to the removal of the
cause of the downfall of so many bright
and promising men and women. They
have recognized the beneficial effect of
isolation of criminal inebriates from the
drink shops by the requirement of man
slons and grounds suitable for retreats
Obviously they must acknowledge that iso-
lation from the drink shops would pre-
vent many moderate drinkers becominr
drunkards, and perchance inmates of sue
homes as Girgenti. For it will not be
MED that while small percentage of
drink victims are being cured large
ber of fresh ones are being made
ther, something must be done for
bitual drunEards who are not
even more than for those who arr
are a more hopeful class. and f
cause more social misery than tn
Temperance and social reformel
fore advocate that the drink 81
kept from all drunkards. rather
few drunkards should he t,mpora
from the drink And the first ste
direction. under the existing lice,
tenn, is TO make il a criminal of
one involving the loss of his lie
publican to sell or supply drur
lntoXiea ting liauor.--Scottish r.