The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-05-18
By DR.. Arthur II. Harrington, M. D.,
Superintendent Rhode Island Hos
pital for the Insane

There arc five distinct forms OF al
coholic insanity. They arc known as
delirium tremens, alcoholic halluci-
nosis, alcoholic paranoia, and another
form, the medical name of which |
will not attempt to give, which is
characterized by symptoms OF pa
ralysis combined with marked loss OF
memory, and as the fifth form, con-
dition described as alcoholic demen-
tia. Those conditions following
drinking which are known as drunk
enness, or acute alcoholism, are not
regarded as belonging to the group of
the alcoholic insanties. There are,
however, certain conditions which
arc temporary 20 a greater or less ex-
tent, which may be mentioned as the
result OF chronic alcoholism. In this
connection. we have convulsivc seiz-
ures resembling epilepsy, due to the
toxic effects of alcohol, but which
with the withdrawal of alcohol usual
~ disappear There is still another
condition, known as pathological in
toxication. In explanation of this
condition, it is to be stated that there
are some organisms which cannot
take alcoholics without being thrown
into a condition OF wild excitement
and delirium, in which they have no
consciousness of their acts, and in
these states may commit acts OF vio-
Hence and homicide.
There are in public hospitals for
the insane in the United States 100000
patients. 1t is estimated that there are
in these hospitals 10000 patients who
are there through the direct effects Of
alcoholics.
There are committed to the hospi-
tails for the insane throughout the
country each year, 10000 patients In
round numbers, 5000 of these pa
tents arc committed because they are
suffering from alcoholic insanity;
consequently alcohol is to be regarded
as the sole cause of 10 per cent of the
commitments to hospitals for the in
sane throughout the country, and in
other words six persons out of every
100000 of the population of the
United States are committed to the
hospitals for the insane because they
are suffering with alcoholic insanity
Nearly 1000 persons are annually
committed to state hospitals for the
insane in New England. OF this NUM-
Der, S98 in 1916, or practically o0C
were committed suffering from alco-
holic insanity. This is 1917 persons
:, we will leave out the fraction, and
call it rs persons to each 100000 Of
, the population Of New England
There are nine census divisions in the
/ United States, of which New England
/ is one, and you may be surprised tc
learn that this ratio of Is persons
having alcoholic insanity during the
year 1910, out of every 100000 is
larger for New England than for
, either of the other eight divisions
The Middle Atlantic division is made
t up of New York state, New Jersey
and Pennsylvania, and for this divi-
sion the ratio was eight persons, dis
regarding the decimal, for every
100000. The next largest ratio tc
that of New England occurs In the
Pacific Division, which includes the
states of Washington, Oregon, anc
California. In this division the ratio
was 10 persons, disregarding the frac
ton, to each 100000.
In New England it is Massachusetts,
which carries our ratio up. In 19l(
there were over 900 cases of alcoholic
insanity committed to hospitals il
Massachusetts,. 1t would naturally
be thought that New York state con
tanning, as it does, the metropolis o
New York, would far surpass Massa
chusetts, but in the whole state o
NEW j OH WIZ Ohiy cSo p'O'
in 1910 than in Massachusetts. II
Rhode Island for the past eight year.
the number of cases of alcoholic in
sanity committed to the State Hos
pital for the Insane has ranged all thu
way from 40 to Is annually.
Let us consider group of lO'
cases. These were all committed dur
ing the last half of 1912 and include
also all the cases of 1913. These 10'
cases all belong to the groups abov'
described, and are clearly cases of al
coholic insanity which have beet
caused by the excessive use OF alec
holics. They are not selected cases
but are taken in the order of com
mitment.
The cost to the state for eacl
commitment is $2l, so that 100 case
would cost $500 for commit
ment. These 100 cases have beer
resident at the State Hospita
..I r. o0o .,aat-e bav,