The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-02
THE MORPHINE O. RISE.
The Views OF Dr. r. ID. CrOthers. IN TX
pert on the Nublcct.

pVAt WI tht NuuyNN''
To THE EDITOR op TBE suS--Sr: Your
recent very clear editorials on the alcoholic
and inebriate questions encourages me to
think that a brief summary Of the teachings
of science would be OF interest to your many
| readers
Students OF mental diseases have been for
a long time aware OF the presence OF new
division OF the army Of the insane, division
which is steadily increasing and about which
there IL more mystery and less u known
than concerning ordinary insanity This new
army of brain victims are the alcoholic,
opium. cocaine. choral. ether and chloro!orm
inebriates They appear In law courts as
both principals and associates in oil degrees
of crime They are known in the hospitals
as drunkarls and maniacs, and In society
they ar" called tramrs. fools. and dangerous
clas,eS IN conduct, character and motive
, the. display all the I"ominent symptoms OF
insanity. sL,l a. m1ula~ delutions deliriums
and r.beciiti.s. yet public opinion refuses
TO recon these symptoms as diseas" be-
cause they are associated with intervals OF
apparent sanity in act conduit and thought.
Clcrgvmen and moralists teach that these
persons are simply vicious ana denraved,
and that their disorders spring from a heart
deceitful and desperately wicked. The only
remedy il by moral and legal measures
When the history OF these cases are studied
their maladies are found TO be diseases. fol-
lowing regular line OF march from definite
causes on through certain -tares OF growth
DEVELOPMENT and decline the same as that
of other diseases
Many theories nre urged to explain the
presence Of tnie new army. One OF these
theories asserts that inebriety il evidence OF
the NOR Al failure Of the axe Of the Increasing
wiesedues- OF the titu's. and OF ia" triumpts
and growth of evil over the uood impulses
mother theory a. Imcs that the Increase IN
the manufacture of all forms Of al 1hol AMI
other drugs and rrc faculty. with which they
arc procured account COR th' presence vi thi'
class thiii theory considers the inrb''G''s
the detect p worn-oUt yicti ~ ot civilization.
the out growth. OF bad iphertanc" and had
iiriag AID tre unft seuec JIG. VIII are SLOWLY
or rapidly being crushed oct in ia" race Strug-
Gle \ fourth view l. That they are di"tln't
diseases Viii n throu=h TN" Gdvahc" OF
scientific study h" CON" into prominence,
discasn@ Of the higher rriir centres In which
alcohol j. both a symptom and caus" They
are clas-ad a. horierland !nuatics, living on
the frontier OF insanity, constantly crossing
and ra-cros.inu at the beginning. finally be-
coming permanent r. dents OF the realm 0!
insanity.
The morn common Of those classes ar. seen
in the polio. courts and hospitals. and are
urn'cd a.. free agents who choose the evil
rather than tho good and are punished hy the
law a. VI lDNS, ana are Suplp1'N " OI Nidpo
stronger 10y tho moral and phyri, Al surround
ings OF de prison and the sITrrings which
tn, vengeance Of tn" law nHict- II has been
repeater .hown that over nmety-nine out
OF every hundred persons arro~ia' for drunk
enne-- the Nr,t time and sentenced TO jail
viii be arrested for the same o1enc" and
continue TO drink and b" punished the rest OF
their lives linus the law courts where in
chrlat.s are PUNISHED on the theory OF have
In, era, IN h.1n In or M IA fat al
than all the saloons and beer shops torother.
A large proportion OF all p.r.ons punished
for drunkenness IA the large cit,"s are re-
peatrr- who are con SANITY being prcciDitated
10 lower grades Of DEGRADATION bv fines and
imprsonmeut Ascending the scale ~ each
step there are inchriatos less prominent
up to the so-cilcd moderate or occl>ionG!
drinker the difference being only u degree,
and tins shading lmpcrc"pfib.y from ole
class to another ihc moderate drink"r
nee, alcohol TO cover M the symptoms OF
exhaustion and gradual failure. As hi.
bodily heath decline-, alcohol Is more and
more used to conceal the degeLerGtion cons
on Like chlorolorm in pam. i stills the dam
ger Il mails ard AZ the sine time hurtie~ on
the hidden disease Later when a crins !,
alcoholism .prec"dinE tue at. !, found. two
conditions ave been prc~'h' ne di-rase 81
alcohol which has covered mp and prccinitated
the disea-,, Opium IN It, var ,ous forms acts
in The "e wnE my ne Pnn s ssH1s
OF other toxins ami other sources OF degen-
GRAFTON. ,,, ~.
and discomfort. and never timulant giving
more power and strer 9Th 10 the brain, In
eb isty j. toNic dieeas" OF the fhsh.r brain
centres in Nhi,h goisonine and starvation are
the actual conditions .roseyt Al suc pcrso
should be reco gri2cd as di seased and come
under medical care lor .tndy ara trea ,d
nature ard Character Of this dSca-e In every
community th."e poor M mnnlacj appeai Nor ior
entrratie- In Ian guag" that should be recog-
nized their conduct and thought point to
h@ca.ed brain los Of s'e2r'TGi inaSb rd,y
centres. loss Of consciousncss of right ana
wrong, Of duty and obligation All this is
and they are punished as persons who prefer
TO think and act IN this way rather than live
pG ,R Ra h n and y the the
only means Of escare What wonder that this
army should increase and that the siiipmer;;
disappear In pronounced insanity? The still
small voice Of science j. not heard in the con;
' r. p b% c bna and State to
and force out the cravings for spirits and
drm%gs u,,o.,,,o,,., ,ohr,,,s,.a ,.o,s.d
not as durable nv any specific drugs or miraCu-
lous means which are concealed from the
medical care rest and treatment IL the best
surrounding and above all We should reCor-
ni,e the danger OF ne slectins the moderate
insanity They should he taught the peril
Of USING spirits and the significance OF the
anR ythetic effect of alcohol and the posi-
billy Of their escape before the incurable
stage comes on
Two facts n.y. supported by q large amount
of g, iirncr. One. ia { inchfiety l. durable In
tho early stages a. other diseases are. second.
shouts ne housed in Penthouse hospitals
under inirtcrmindte sentences and made
supporters rather Than burden TO tho COM
munity In such homc- the poor victim "an
b. protected and put in the hest possible con-
DIR ION for restoration society and the world
could be- made better by enforcing the quar-
antne on all incbriltes and drug takers
r D CDoTHERs. NJ d.
HARrroRD Nov 20