The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-07-02


battle the king and his army made
a great drink offering to the gods.
In the midst of their joy and stupor
from drink the enemy returned and a
frightful slaughter followed. Later
an edict was made that no wines or
beers should be used in the campaign
or no offerings to the gods until after.
they had returned home. Wines and
spirits were kept in the homes of the
wealthy in specially built rooms
where they could be drank in secrecy,
and on some Of the mummies are dis
tinct references to excessive use of
spirits as the cause of death. In those
days the priests acted as physicians.
One of the tombs describes its occu-
pant as having been skilled in the
treatment of madness following the
use of wine. He was. no doubt, the
first specialist to treat inebriety and
the drink disease. On another tomb is
the statement that the occupant had
a house where persons who were mad
from wine and beer could be protect
ed. This was practically the first in
ebriate asylum, back at least 5000
years ago.
Another mummy was a favOrite in
the family of a drinking king. He
was court physician and priest, who
boosted that by his efforts and skill
he was able to keep the monarch from
drink madness. Numerous pictures
and inscriptions on the walls of the
&c : a bnHE..
of treatment for drink excess, which
appear to be that of making sober
intoxicated persons. Some of these
pictures show persons being brought
home by their slaves from the tenn
pie or banqueting hall, and of forcing
fluids down the stomach through fun
nels, followed by vomiting; also the.
giving of enemas followed by purg-
ing. In one instance the victim, evil
IDENTIFY intoxicated, was held up
while streams of water were poured
on his head and back Another pic
ture shows a man covered with some
robe. From the openings in the folds
vapor is escaping, suggesting a steam
bath, probably made by putting
hot stones in water.
Opium inebriety undoubtedly took
its origin back in the ancient Egyp-
tian times. Poppies were grown in the
valley of the Nile, and its use for pro-
ducing sleep was known. One of the
inscriptions calls it a bridge on which
the soul passes over to the home of
the gods and then returns. Poppy
leaves were gathered and made into
pillows upon which the head rested,
the odors of which caused stupor and,
sleep. One inscription calls the pop
Ply a flower of the gods, given to pro-
duce rest and quietness. Another ref
erence calls it the gateway to the
other world. 1t was probably used
for its sleep producing effects, al
though one inscription on the tomb
of a priest calls it a very dangerous
flower. the juice of which dries up the
humors of the body. Another inscrip-
tion speaks of its effect on the vision,
and describes a king who slept con-
tinuously for many years and whose
sight was much impaired He used the
bruised leaves and buds of the pop
pies mixed up with the wine he drank.
About the same remedies and means
were used to make the victim sober
as in Egypt. and some of the bricks
give bills of charges for services rem
dered on such occasions. Dashing
cold water over the victim and whip
ping him with brushes was a common
remedy. One king seems to have made
an offer of great preferment and large
sums of money to the courtiers who
would abstain from spirits. a certain
prince took the prize and soon after
became intoxicated The king ordered
his instant death. and gave his opin-
ion that such man was unfit to live.
On another occasion a prince took
some borrowed funds and made a
feast to his friends. in which they all
became intoxicated. The whole par
ty were executed be the king. On
one of the bricks is the very familiar
statement which we have heard so
much of lately, that a certain priest
had discovered a medicine for drink
madness which he would sell for a
certain sum of money to anyone. Evil
IDENTIFY, the specific discoveries have
been antedated by several thousand
years, and probably in further re-
searches we shall find this specific
remedy which was sold for money in
those early days. Numerous refer
ences are made to kings who became
dissipated and were killed by their
rivals. a noted priest and physician
was said to have given a certain mon
arch a drug which enabled him to
drink only so much without being in
toXicated. so that he was never over
come by his enemies in a stupid state.
This incident is materialiZed in the
recently advertised remedy by which
one can drink in moderation and never
be intoxicated, but like the old Baby
lonian remedy it is a secret, and re-
quires large consideration to obtain
it. Babylon was more of CONNER
cial nation than Egypt, and so far the
history from the cunefform characters
on the bricks have reference to bar
gains and sales of property with only
incidental mention of wine and its
abuse. There were saloons or places
for the sale of wines in ancient Baby
Ion, and the keepers paid taxes on
than and mon whn draDly IN avoacc