The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-28
ASK INSTITUTION
FOR ORuNkAROS
State Medical Society Adopts
Paper Read by Dr..
Harnsberger
CARE OF INEBRIATES
URGED BY PHYSICIAN
Body Names Committee to
Press Matter Before Legis-
lature-Annual Meet
ing Closes

ing Closes
That the State should establish an
institution for care and treatment OF
drunkards is recomm ended in a pa
per adopted by the Virginia Medical
Society at its closing session yester-
day. The paper was presented and
read by DR.. stephen Harnsberger. Of
Catfetr, va, who said Virginia can
we'll afford to care for its inebriates,
because 1t will thus change a non
producer into q producer-turn liza
bility into an asset
Following adoption of the paper,
the society named q special commit
tee to press the matter before the
Legislature. The personnel of the
committee is as follows: Or. Stephen
Harnsberger. Catlett; DR.. II. F.
Hedges, Charlottesville: DR.. Herbert
Old. Norfolk; DIR. Greer Baughman.
Richmond: DR.. J. w. King, Marion
Dr. Ii. L. Stephenson, ToAno.
In the course of his paper DR.
Harnsberger says that 1t Is we'll
recognized fact that the reform ed
drunkard. in most instances. makes
dependable citizen, and that inebri-
ate hospitals are essentially charac-
ter builders
He says further: We are told that
lnebriety Is the active cause OF from
Is to so per cent of all insanity;
from 80 to so per cent. of all idiocy:
from so to 80 per cent of all pauper-
ism, and from so to IS per cent. OF
all crime"
Text OF Paper.
Complete text of the paper Is as
follows.
The condition OF the drunkard is
little understood. The popular notion
that he Is subject to punitive laws is
remote from reason. Drunkenness Is
disease. This is not a matter of
opinion: it is a matter of fact. Let
as M this fact In the minds Of the
people
We Live In An Age Of Reason.
There was time when the physi-
clan kept what he knew to himself.
Nowadays. however. the tendency of
the best physicians everywhere Is to-
wards the breaking up of this close
communion" The present growing In.
terest in public health matters is due
in great measure to the wonderful
spread OF q more democratic spirit
IN education. AS the standard of in
teiligence rises. the need OF educating
the public along medical lines be-
comes oorrespondingly apparent. It IL
now finding acceptance that a certain
amount OF public health culture is an
integral part OF public education and
necessity in every community. Tie
development OF this knowledge Is as
much duty OF the State as is school
development. The people, for their
own protection. should know how to
prevent disease and lessen crime. and
they should know that there Is a dis
unction between disease and crime.
They should know that drunkenness
Is disease. Reason denotes that
power by which we distinguish truth
from falsehood, and right from wrong,
and by which We are enabled to COM
bfne means for the attainment Of par
tfcular ends.
Growth II the Law Of All Intelligence.
intelligence IL a dominant, not an
inactive or retrogresstve force. Intel
igence awakens thought One deep
thought evolves another thought,
and this another. until good from
evil and light fron darkness spring.
Things once invisible are visible. In
teliigsnce means growth--deeper and
keener perception--taking a more hui
mane view of thinga
Clearly . State Question
musicians are compelled ny the
eugencies OF professional loyalty to
espouse reforms that are Of State
wide benefit And It IL fact that
every reform We espouse 10 In the In
terest OF the people. and to us Is
loss OF financial gain for all time.
l am anxious for an improvement
over existing conditions surrounding
tho drunkard-condlt1on which are
manifes0y unjust and harmful. This