Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-19
VICTIMS OF ALCOHOL
Psychological Basis of Inc
briefly Considered.
PRODUCTION OF DISEASE
Exhaustive Papers Read Before
Scientific Conference.
DANGER IN POPULAR DRINKS
Some Facts Disclosed in the Labora-
tory Study of Inc briates-Treat-
ment by Hypnotism.
DANGER IN POPULAR DRINKS

! Papers We're read on the production of
| disease and degeneracy by alcohol Of the
| best medical treatment for such disease
and the most efficacious means of con-
| trolling by law the sale of alcohol as a
| beverage.
Dangerous Authorizations.
| The session of the society yesterday
! was enlivened by the presence of DR.. II.
| w. Wiley of the Department of Agricul-
/ ture. who spoke on the adulteraton OF
drinks and the especial use OF alcohol in
! drug products and so called tOnicS. he
/ had with him DR.. l.. F. kebler chief of
| the drug division of the bureau of chem
| istry. DIR. kebler had a satchel containing
samples of drugs. to,ics and number
| of popular soda fountain drinks. He said
| that they contained morphine cocaine
4 and alcohol. together with q number oil
| less we'll known drugs in dangerous GUAM
! titles. He pointed out that some of the
| popular soda fountain drinks beside the
| stimulants and similar drugs whose &C
| ton tended 10 cover up the injury they
| were supposed to cure. The reaction was
| always worse than the original trouble
| and created a craving for repetition OF
| the dose.
| DR. Wiley spoke particularly OF alb
| snthe. and declared that it was the most
deadly Of all popular drinks and that its
| importation into this country ought TO
be prohibited by law.
| BASIS OF xuoDT1eLy.
/ DR.. 7. A. Williams Of Washington. in
a paper on "The Psychological Basis of
| Inebriety Its Causes and Remedies" ask
| ed the question:
| why should persons be compelled to
| poison themselves with spirits at inter-
walls or use spirits continuously against
| their better judgment and contrary 10
| their repeated desire TO never do SO
| again."
| This morbid impulse calling for spirits
is physical condition which can be cul-
! tivated and grown until it dominates
( every other impulse of the brain.
| 1t is desire for relief, for good feeling.
| for rest which alcohol supplies tempo
rariy, and is often the outgrowth of de-
| fective training. The mother who graft
fies every caprice of the child to keep
| 1t quiet and the father who studies every
form Of amusement to attract and inter
| est his boy are culivating inebriety in the
| children, which will develop In the future
with the slightest exciting causes.
The inheritance of defects and weak
| neses coupled with faulty nutrition and
| unfavorable surroundings and want Of
proper culture will positively eliminate In
| conditions that demand alcohol for relief.
Teaching self-control in childhood and
respect for law. and recognition Of limita-
| ton and the impossibiity of having every
| impulse gratified are the real preventive
measures of inebritey in the future.
| The desire for drink is pathological and
dDHOTtIldI, ana must De overcome Oy
physiological and hygienic means The
| inebriate is diseased and needs a doctor
who can point out means of escape and
mea sures to overcome the impulse for
| spirits.
Study of Inebriety.
Arthur Macdonald of this city, social
pathoogist gave address on the
| laboratory study of inebrates In the
course OF his remarks he said:
THE methods to be- pursued in the Ia h.
| oratory study of inebriates are the same
| as those employed in the study of all men,
both normal and abnormal. This Is nec-
essarly So for If we are to distinguish
| between different forms Of abnormal men,
and especially how they all differ from
normal men. We must have the same
| measuring rod to apply to all of them, SO
| that whatever differences may exist will
be discovered. This measuring rod is the
| labora tory.
1.-The term laboratory is used in its
broadcast sense, including not only instru-
| ments of precision, but the gathering of
sociological data. Thus in the study OF
every person, whether genius or insane,
criminal or inebriate. normal or abnor-
NAL. the same measurements of the body
are taken. as height, weight, chest ex-
| ference of head, etc; their psycho-phys-
ical measurements to perception
through the senses of sight, hearing,
touch. pain. etc. Next would come the So
clOiOSlCdi, lHciutlIlS age SOCIAL SuTTOuHu-
ings education. parentage, etc; finally,
abnormal and pathological characteristics,
including especially stigmata of degenera-
ton"
Signs of Drunkenness.
I'm addition to these general inquiries
as applied to the inebriate. some signs OF
drunkenness might be noted.
In the first stage. lasting from five to
ten minutes, the face is pale its muscles
are drawn and fixed in position. The eyes
are bright and giittering. their move
ments quick and constrained. The mouth
is shut tight. the lips are spasmodically
affected when speaking The breath is
are interrupted and uttered with difficulty.
There is trembling movement of the en-
tire body and sensation of shivering.
I'm the second stage, the movements
are unnatural. very quickly distorted and
staggering. Intellectual activity is irreg-
ular and unsteady. voice is elevated. talk
ing incessant. with absurd Boosting.
Marks Of a Drunkard.
while there is no sure method of dis
| tinsuishing drunkard when sober, vet
| there are some signs or stigmata that
NAV he manifested. There is very sligh
| staggering. which would not be noticed
| except by very careful observation. The
| drunkard himself is unconscious of It.
| There is an economy of movement in
some cases. as illustrated when the
| drunkard hands his car fare to the con-
| ductor lie looks up to the conductor very
| little or not at all. seeming to avoid as
| few other movements of the body as
| possible as one sometimes does when eX-
| hauSted
"WLaen the drunkard drinks water he
sometimes unconsciously smacks his lips.
| a reflex action due to a 1Ong-continued
| habit in drinking liquor. Even the sight OF
| green blinds or other familiar indications
| of a bar In some cases causes these lip
movements. The popular idea about the
red nose is not of much weight, but a
red neck is more significant.
Relation of Drunkenness to Insanity
1.-The close relation of inebriacy to in
sanity is indicated from the fact that all
forms Of insanity, from melancholia to
| imbecility, are found i'll inebriacy. 1t is
artificial; it begins with slight maniacal
excite alton; thoughts flow lucidly; the quiz
| ct become loquacious. the modest bold I:
there Is need of muscular action: the
| emotions are expressed in laughter, sing
| ing and dancing. Now the esthetical
| ideas and moral impulses are lost con-
| troll Of the weak side of the individual is
! apparent, his secrets revealed; he is dog
| matte cruel. cynical, dangerous; he in
| sists that he is not drunk, just as the in
| sane insists on his sanity. Then his mind
! becomes weak his consciousness dim; il
| lusions arise: he stammers. staggers and,
| like a paralytic. his movements are UNI
certain"
Treatment by Hypnotism.
Dir T C. OuackenbOS OF New York