The sun., 1916-12-03
By DR.. PAUL

" THAT does the public really
M know Of the drink question?
Very little that Is sound:
WY few Of tho essential facts. What.
for instance. is moderation in the uss
Of alcohol? According to the expert
ments Of Prof. Kraspelin of Heidel.
berg, which Sir Victor Horsiey con-
slders as perhaps the best on the
physiological dose. physicians them
selves are not quite agreed upon the
maximum amount for adults. for this
don in many instances would be
harmful. 80 that there 10 no physio-
logical limit applicable to all tempera-
ments and to all physical stress and
strain.
One thing. however. clearly energies
from Kraepelin's experiments like a
peak out OF an ocean Of clouds and
storms. Even small doses Of spirits,
such as an ounce in water. diminish a
mans energy and output Of work and
above all his quickness. and for this
and other reasons psychologists have
declared againet all use OF alcohol.
This does not mean that they regari
forced abstention as a virtue: II 10 q
possible cure In the weak and degen-
crate.
The inebriate Is not to the man Of
science a person whom AS IA physician
II "a hS business either to preach over
or to cry over. II may be the duty Of
tho parson to moralize about tho fall
ing away. but the medical mans SER
mon V o Of offence. On the other
hand, a great many people like to have
the man who has committed this par
ticular sin against society written
about in q lone of mingled pity and
contempt. With all this the physician
has nothing to do.
Unfortunately there are many would
lie moralists and doctors who cannot
deal successfully with the drunkard.
Writers like Victor Horsley. for in
stance. are incapable OF showing the
public the real image OF alcohol. De-
spite the ability displayed in his book.
alcohol and the Human Body" II
has far too many faults TO be n sue
cessful work Of science. Much better
works are those Of DR.. 7. u. Croth-
crs, Magnan's mastery monograph,
and tho interesting essays edited by
Or. Kelynack on Human Derelicts'
and the Drink Problem"
These writer's are serious and un-
bending students. but they are not
perturbed by alcohol. They do not In
the mere act Of approaching the sub.
ject become mentally fustered or fal'
Into a state Of exquisite sensibility
Some doctors writing of alcohol fal
into a strange condition Of false emo
t!onal excitement. Why they choose
10 do this is doubtless their private
AFFAIR. Perhaps they are out for fees
and are ready to pile them up will
the aid OF sensational tales Of drunk
enness.
This Ia the reason why inebrietS
and d~ipsomania. which u be distin
guished from drunkenness or chroni'
= alcoholism. are increasing, and WIN
relapses In patients are more common
Another evil Of this origin Is tn
frightening course Of treatment II
anitaria or retreats. According u
Ashley Copper. in his excellent book
Pathological Inebriety." the interva
Is now three months.
OF special significance Ii the ehec
OF the drug cures. which are fashion
able In many retreats. 1t seems rea
sonabls to suppose that drugs ten
To aus relapsss in dipsomania an
It y even likely that drugs may rus
the susceptible temperament into tn
frst attack. Here II 10 necessary
ny that dipsomania must not be cor
] founded with ordinary drunkenness
y habituai or acute. or with inebrtet.
fop tnGhstst>a NAV M KelvnaCk tYuI
nays. nevs get drunk. though the
may take both drugs and liquor.
IN the case Of the dipsomaniac u
bottle Of strong drink 10 In tact SOM