The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-03-21
Autobiography Of a Drug Fiiend
rcsRy,,shs I RS Sy by DR.. John Harrison Hughes

, inations---that II becomes OF
real physiological and psychological
interest. can attempt an explana-
ton Of these illusionary and halluct-
nary manifestations of excessive al
| coholism only on hypothesis Of q
jumbling. az II were, or misplace
ment of brain cells. Assuming such
a hypothesis. the explanation be
comes fairly feasible.
By Authorization I mean those
things seen. felt or heard by the In
dividual. and to him so realistic. yet
having no basis In fact. In other
| words, Quilt out OF psychological
whole cloth. Illusion" Is mental
phenomenon closely akin to halluci-
nation. differing only in that II has
some foundation on which to build.
as, for instance. while in the early
and happy stages ,of alcoholic ex-
cess his jagship sees two moons
rise over the city where there should
be but one.
In alcoholic illusions there are
some brain cells that retain their
normal positions-stay on their jobs.
as II were-while the others 90 on a
mad revelry or riotous strike. These
cells. that have remained undesturb-
ed by the power that set all the
others going. still see things as they
really are: but along comes the
rtotous ones. and, upon these normal
foundations, build structures fantas.
tic and grotesQue.
Many victims of excessive alco-
holism never get beyond the illu-
sionary stage. part OF the brain cells
remaining normal In functionation
and true 10 the ship OF state. But.
when all the cells do become disor-
ganized. the sober ones joining the
others In their revelries, We then
have the true condition of alcoholic
Authorization delirium tremens,
Jim. jams. And right here wish to
say that the story of seeing snakes
liz delirium tremens IL all false. This
old snake story has been played TO
the gallery of impressionables until,
In fancy. many good people can see
snakes crawling out of the mouth
and down the sides OF every half
pint flask of whisky. So persistent
ly. In lecture. story and drama. has
this fantasy been taught that the
majority OF people honestly believe
take the form o. snakes" Recent
ly I have attended two moving pic.
ture dramas. each having snake
scene. Counting repeated attacks in
the same patients, as well as individ-
usl attacks, have seen nearly
hundred cases OF JIM jams, and new.
er once have the Authorizations TAX
en- the form OF snakes. The nearest
they ever came to Il was q case OF
spiders. According to my observa-
lions. these hallucinations take
many different forms, and are often
OF a pleasurable as we'll a. q disa-
greeable or horrifying character.
The Irish do not take kindly to
sheep herding But Pat X. was. new
ertheless. a sheep herder. II was In
the days when I was on the ranch
In southern California. and also do
ing a general country practice Of
medicine. One day. aboard the mail
stage. Pat came through our little
town en- route for San Miguel, the
railroad terminus OF the stage line.
While the stage horses were being
changed Pat invited me over to the
hotel bar to have a drink. and con-
fded 70 me that he was on his way
down to San Miguel to get some new
shoes and new overalls. or course.
our local stores had plenty Of shoes
and overalls such ~ Pat wore. but
ne could have more congenial time
at the railroad town while doing his
shopping" 80 away he went.
It was 10 or IL days later that Pat
returned on the incoming stage.
Very dejectedly he got out and took
seat on the postofiice porch while
he stage horses were being changed.
When the crowd had all gone inside
TO watch or wait for the distribution
of the mail, | took q seat beside Pat
and remarked:
pat, you've been having them
again--what form did they take this
timer"
well, doctor. II was something
like this--if I've got sinse enough
left to tell II: livery time would
lie down 10 thry to get bit Of slapc.
great big pelican would ny up and
begin to pick at me eyes. And right
behind him was another pelican, and
behind that wan was another wan.
and another. and another, and an
other. TIL the last wan was mere
speck In the distance--all IN line.
waiting their turns 10 peck me eyes
out! livery time ] would get up the
pelicans would al ny away. only to
return the minute would lie down
asain."