Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1908-10-09
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THE CHRONIC lNEBRIATE.
He Should Be Put Under Restraint /
the State.

Chronic inebriety is evolved usu2.
through the cultivation of the hab.
of drinking intoXicants, and like oth2
habits, grows until suspension of self
control or Wiil-pOwer takes place. In
the late stages the phenomenon OF
alcohol craving and its attendant con-
dltions is really disease, but not so,
earlier-when it amounts to volun-
tary selfish indulgence. The appetite
becomes after a time really predomi
nant and the individual loses judg
ment, self-pride, conscious dignity, con
science, affection, moral responsible
ity, and all ethical restraints. He be.
comes practically dehumanized-por-
traying the basic instincts with an in
tellection compatible only with them
and under the diction of this supreme
desire for alcohol, the will-power be
comes suspended and then annihilated
and he is absolutely governed in his
actions by its substitute-impulse.
He is now diseased and all ethical
lines are broken so that he has re-
verted to state of primal savagery-
plus the acquired intellection incident
to civilization. His brutality in one
way or another is rampant, all the
finer attributes of human nature are
in allegiance.
He is now a veritable AtreuS-hat-
ing kith and kin or anyone who seeks
to restrain him; feelings of severe re-
venge for slight offenses become a
pleasure to him; crime, brutality,
cruelty, now mark his career. His
home is the field of passion. Innocent
woman and children, and loving
friends, are likely to suffer at his
hands, while fitting clouds of remorse
subject the poor wretch during his few
conscious or semi-sober moments to
the Vaccinations of a hell, and there
is no relief for him except alcohol.
Why should communities continue
in passive way of dealing with these
poor humans, and with the evils which
they produce? The chronic inebriate
is really menace to himself, his fam
lily, and his neighbors. He is breed
or of suffering and as dangerous as
any insane man. The daily press is
constantly furnishing the details of
crime and suffering wrought by the
chronic inebriate, yet the courts, al
though willing enough, can do but lit
tie toward mitigating the evil, or pro
tecting the innocent, terrified family
and friends from brutal personal as
saults, or the squalor, terror and
hunger which he causes.
Manifestly, then, the chronic in.
ebriate should be taken charge of by
the state. His family and the COM
munity be protected in the same man.
ner as are the families of the insane
This, it seems, is clearly proper
function of the state. Besides, there
would be undoubtedly many cases Of
recovery, if legal restraint were ap-
piled to these cases-such as is ap-
piled to dipsomaniac law, enabling
such chronic inebriates to be cited and
committed by the probate court to an
institution for a given time-the evi.
dence of such personal condition be-
ing presented by relatives or friends
as in the case of the insane, or by the
attested personal acts of the indi.
vidual
1t appears obvious, therefore, that
in view of the crime, squalor, and
wretchedness evolved from inebrity,
that society generally should cease to
condone drunkenness, and should re.
strain the individual liberty of the
nh fnnhrfofa hot h u
sake, for the sake of his family, and
I for the sake of the community at large
E. L. SHURLEY, M. d. A.