The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-02-06
Glasrow's Cure For Inebriety.

Glasgow has led the way in an impor-
tant remedial reform. In 1893 Parliament
passed the Inebriates' act, authorizing To-
cal 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 man
sion in AYRSHIRE with this object in view
Girgenti is we'll adapted for a retorma'
miles from any town; is well drained ana
has a good water supply. The house iss,
moreover, commodious and highly situated,
and the policies-extending to hfty.hye
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
will be provided at the Homes. All the
male inmates will be trained in gardening
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-
mental, but when experience has been OBJ
tanned fixed dietary can be adopted. The
Home will be managed by a committee of
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
ly week passes but we have applications
for the names and addresses of private in
ebriate 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
sions ~a2G~grounds suitable TOR retreats.
Obviously they y>4ust acknowledge that iso-
lation from the Drink shops would pre-
vent many moderate drinkers becoming
drunkards, and perchance infirs tes -ef such
homes as Girgenti. For it will not be de-
MED that while small percentage of the
drink victims are being cured large num-
Der of fresh ones are being made. Fur
ther, something must be done for the ha-
bitual drunkards who are not criminals
even more than for those who are. These
are more hopeful class, and frequently
cause more social misery than the Others.
Temperance and social reformers there
fore advocate that the drink should be
kept from all drunkards, rather than a
few drunkards should he temporarily kept
from the drink. And The first step in that
direction, under the existing licensing sys-
tenn, is to make it criminal offence, and
one involving the loss of his license for a
publican to sell or supply drunkard with
intoxicating liquor. r.-Scottish Reformer.