Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-12-11
WIIIMAR STATE INSTITUTION IS "A
HOSPITAL; NOT A HOUSE OF CUSTODY
DR.. Tomlinson says, Minnesota Hospital for Inc
briates Will Try to Avoid Mistakes
of Other States.

no facilities were provided for the
investigation of the conditions out
of which his inebriety grew; neither
were any means furnished with which
to re-educate the man in self control,
the loss of which was responsible for
his downfall.
"In the current discussion of the |
subject the inebriate is regarded as
a criminal, pauper, or as an unfor-
tunate person with diseased brain
according to the nature Of his con-
duct and his social position; and the
ideas in vogue concerning what ought
to be done to reform the inebriate,
have been based upon the experience
of those interested in the results Of
the inebriety upon the individual.
Those who come in contact with him
as pauper, or as a delinquent, con-
slider the care Of the inebriate from
the standpoint Of custody only; while
those who know him as member OF
the family or as a friend, want to
consider him as diseased, or at Least
as mentally incompetent. All OF
them consider the inebriety as the
cause Of the unsocial conduct, and
thew take the inebrietv for granted,
without investigation, as to why the
man is an inebriate. The resulting
confusion, from these differing points
Of view, has arisen on account Of the
failure to consider the conditions out
Of which inebriety grows. We have
been, so far, discussing the results
Of inebriety, rather than the inebri-
ate, and the cause Of his inebriety.
"There has been establishedm Min
nesota an institution for the care and
treatment of inebriates, and it is I'M
portant that, if this institution is to
be successful in the work it is to un-
dertake, it should be properly equip
ped and take the right direction in
the planning. There will be the same
temptation here that has had to be
overcome elsewhere, to fill the inst;-
tuition with town buns, and chronic
alcoholics who are charge upon the
community. In both Massachusetts
and Iowa this defect has been cured
by statute. The law in Minnesota
was so drawn as to avoid the cond:
tons that had been a stumbling blocS
in other states, and it is hoped that
an enlightened public opinion in Mil
nesota will uphold this effort to be.
gin Alright; then we may take the lead
as. we have in so many other direc-
tons in philanthropic effort. If the
institution in Minnesota is to succeed
it must be recognized from the be-
ginning that it is a hospital primar-
ily, for the medical care and treat.
ment Of the inebriate; the investiga
ton of the conditions out Of which
his inebrietv grew; and that the Gus.
todial aspect Of the work should b.
subordinate and secondary. 1t is 60
ing to be most important for the vel
fare of the state to get into this in
stitution those who are anxious to =.
cured, who want to come, and ar
willing to stay. They should come y
, the institution just as. they would g
to any other hospital, without tn
idea of compulsion. 1t will follow a:
a matter of course, that some Of til,
people coming to the hospital, or sen
, there, will be custodial cases; be-
cause, while they can abstain iron
drinking with the moral support o.
:. authority behind them, they can no
do so when dependent upon them
selves. From this class will be re-
! cruited the permanent population O.
the institution"