The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-05-04
temperance I { 'iii"'' q i,5(
q ~4s&36G)
PLACE lNEBRIATES ON FARMS
Medical Authorities Are Unanimous
In Their Belief Of the Colony
Treatment Of Drunkards.

In Their Belief Of the Colony
Treatment Of Drunkards.
A new method of handling the prob
Iem Of drunkenness is set forth In
The Survey While It is undoubtedly
A suggestion of the right kind for the
'elief of individual cases OF drunken
less 1t would appear to the casual
observer that too much Of our effort
and time and money are spent in the
attempt to repair the damage which
we ourselves permit by licensing the
public drinking saloon. There is one
thing better than to lift a man out
Of the gutter-that is to remove tho
gutter. We are dealing too largely
with effects and not with causes.
Inebriety is the source OF many OF
he most important problems of gov
ernment Recent figures show that
2S.9 per cent Of the male cases OF in
sanity in New York are due to exces
;lve use OF alcohol In Pennsylvania
ii per cent OF the imbeciles owe their
condition TO intemperance, 30 to 40
per cent of epileptic cases have their
origin in alcoholism. The report OF
the Board Of Prison Commissioners
" Massachusetts for 1908 states that
SO, 1865, or 60 per cent Of the total ar.
rests were made for public intoxlca-
ton Drunkenness as cause OF pow
erty is continually noticed in every
day life.
The use OF the short sentence Is
absolutely ineffective. A man leaves
the county Jail or workhouse without
money and In most cases without
friends. He can secure shelter In a
saloon and probably by performing
menial service for the bartender get
drink This is the most natural
thing for him to do The alcoholic
repeater is the natural result OF the
short sentence
The number OF persons who appear
again and again for drunkenness is
81 years OF age has been in the work.
house 62 separate times. He has
spent 3,163 days there at total cost
for maintenance alone OF s1,S6S.53
Another case has been In the work
house "a different times, in the alco'
holic wards OF a city hospital 81
times, in the municipal lodging house
twice. in the almshouse once and I'm
.wo other hospitals two times each.
He has spent a total Of 1913 days In
these various places at total cost
Of $1.32312. Still another case man
about So years Of age. has been In the
workhouse, almshouse, or hospitals
II times or a total OF 1854 days at a
Total cost of S2,492.37 In Utica, n
z, one person has appeared before
he police court at least 100 times for
public intoxication.
There is substantial unanimity az
10 the general lines along which
changes should be made. A graded
series OF remedies is needed First
offenders should be released without
their appearance in court For the
next grade of cases probation should
be tried and a fine imposed to be col
Iected in instalments. More serious
cases should be committed TO n farm
colony. To carry out this plan in.
golves extending greatly the principle
Of probationary oversight of petty Of
lenders. This principle is compare
lively recent in application but the
results are SO satisfactory that it has
passed the experimental stage.
Seven states provide for the com
mitment of habltual drunkards on the
petition OF relatives accompanied by
proper medical certihcation. When
A man has completely lost his self
control and is a constant burden to
ms family It should not be necessary
for him to become so obnoxious to the
community as to incur arrest for dis
orderly conduct before he can be com
mitted to an institution.
Medical authorities are unanimous
IN their belief In the farm colony
treatment. The prime necessities
are: Isolation from alcohol for a con
inuous period OF time, abundance Of
light and fresh air, therapeutic baths
and as much outdoor work as the pa.
iient is capable of physically Not
all cases of inebrlety, however, can
De treated alike. Physical differ
ences due to the stage of the disease
require classification and diversified
treatment. lnciplent and advanced
cases cannot be treated together
The advantage Of such colonies are
that large number OF FOUNDERS
would be taken from the streets
courts, prisons, warehouses;, and hos
pitfalls. Many cases that are a con
slant menace to society would be re
moved. Families that are burdened
by caring for fathers and brothers
who are habitually drunk would be re
lieved. But most important the indi
yidual would be isolated from alcohol
and placed In a healthful environment
and helped to lead wholesome and
partially self-supporting life.