New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-10
ALCOHOLISM CURED AT HOME
Interesting Experience of Drinker Res
cued from the Demon.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: | believe that there are many men
in this city who would stop drinking if they
knew how TO 20 about it. What | have to
say is not by any means new, but believe
that a majority of the alcoholics in New
York are practically ignorant of what is
possible for them.
For twenty years l have been regular
and heavy drinker. During the last five
years it has been my practice to drink my
self into a stupor every night. | have been
strong enough TO stop the habit abruptly, at
times, but always at the expense of ter
ribe shock tc my system. Physicians have
emphatically advised me against such sud
den cessation Of stimulants, because, they
said my heart could not stand the work de-
manded by my system unless it had alcohol
or its equivalent as fuel.
took several so-caled "cures," but al
ways unsuccessfully. Then | began to con-
suit physicians OF good standing, and al
most Immediately got results. Let me tell
YOU how the very efficient doctor whose
patient now am succeeded in putting me
hi.h and dry on the wagon and keeping me
there.
He found me sitting up in bed, with a
bottle of whiskey and glasses handy and a
brain that was making me talk wildly and
believe strange things. | think he quieted
me in the usual way, with a quick acting
drug. Then he ordered prescription. the
bayis of which was chlOral, and stomach
rectifier. He instructed my wife TO give
me as many eggs and as much milk as
would take.
For several days was in a stupor, sleep
ing. and eating eggs and drinking milk.
was given as much food of other kinds as
would take A strong purgative was in
cluded in my doctors water wagon system.
At length the choral compound was with
drawn and a bromide substituted. The
stomach medicine was changed to a mixture
Of charcoal and bsmuth. | was on my feet
by this time At the end Of week / was
able 10 walk about in the street, but | had
that nervous fear of going out-of leaving
the security Of my home-which every one
who has been in my position can readily
understand but which is indescrbable.
Ny doctor began at this point to instil
confidence into me. lie made me believe
that could walk about IN the streets. get
the fresh air and sunshine, and that moth
ing would happen to me- Ny heart would
not stop; | would not faint; ! was master
OF myself and of the situation. Also he
convinced me that did not want TO drink
any more This is, Of course, pure sugges-
ton, and is used by nearly all OF the sue
cessful "souse" doctors. The theory is that
the mind as well as the body must be treat
ed In order to bring about complete cure.
All the time was taking on all the eggs
I possibly could absorb. For time was
consuming ten each day, together with two
quarts of milk. grew stronger and strong
er in mind and in body. The bromide was
dropped. A tonic Of quininc, iron and
strychnine was prescribed, and I took that
and the charcoal and bismuth. Two weeks
from the time began this treatment was
walking about three miles day, living on a
reduced diet of eggs four or five a day
and going in for regular meals. l slept
eight hours a night.
BY this time | was ready for business.
In fact, | could have attended TO IT, in a
way. at the end of the first week The doc
tor decreased the doses of tonic until was
taking no drugs at all. | have no craving
for whiskey. II tumble off the wagon now
it will be because do so deliberately.
| am writing this because when | began
TO look upon my drinking as a serious mat
ter did not know that il was recog-
ordinary good doctor, like measles or ton
sillitis
My home treatment cost. think. about
SIS for physicians fees and prescriptions.
II you should publish this ! hope that
some ore may benefit by it. RUM.
New York, March s, 1915.