New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-24


81 Of the years 1918, 1919 and 1920. In
1918 the male and female admissions
totalled 728. The total in 1919 had
dropped to 573, and the admissions dur
| ing the present year were reported to
be 391. Dr.. Jones's analysis follows, in
part:
"Generally speaking, the principal re-
suits Of prohibition have been fewer ad-
missions and milder type Of alcohol
ism. We find from the patients that
this is mostly due to the greater diff
iculty in getting alcoholic beverages.
and to the smaller amount consumed on
account Of the hi gh prices. Another
noticeable feature has betn the absence
Of the beer and wine drinking type.
prior to the war the admissions of
our alcoholic cases averaged from 100
to 1875 month, the peak of the whole
being registered during times of
greater stress and poverty. During the
war and until prohibition became effec-
tive the number of cases held rather
steadily to the experience of 1918 and
I 1919
From the above it may be noted
that the number Of admissions during
the 1920 period is about one-half Of
that for the same period of the pre-
vous year. This may be due to the
fact that alcoholic beverages may not
be openly bought or it may be due to
the higher prices. 1t is our opinion
from the stories told by the patients,
that the reduction is essentially due
to the higher prices.
ut has been noted that the type of
cases admitted to the alcoholic wards
since prohibition became effective has
been generally less toxic than in the
former days, with the exception of very
recently-during the last month. Most
OF the patients seem to be suffering
more from excessive drinking than from
acute alcoholism in the full sense Of
the medical term.
1T seems as though the patient had
drunk too much to responsibly care
for himself, and for one or more rea-
sons was brought to the hospital, and
yet the patient was more than just
intoxicated. This, of course, is be-
cause the patient drank less, either
on account Of the price or the oppor-
tunity, and in consequence there have
been fewer cases of alcoholic wet
brains and delirium tremens. Of late,
however, the average of this severe
type has come back, and we are now
admitting about one in six of the
severer type, which rather closely ap-
proxlmates the percentage of former
times-15 to 20 per cent severe cases.
"In the former days the majority of
alcoholic patients remained in the in
stitution on the average Of TWO or
three days before they were sufficient
~ cleared up to take their discharge
Since prohibition the majority of
patients have been 'one nighters,' and
seem to be in rather good condition
the following day. We believe this to
be simply due to the fact that the
men drink to excess, but not to the
same excess which they formerly did
1.-THE far fewer number Of severe
cases such as above mentioned would
be consistent with this idea that the
principal effect of prohibition has been
the slowing down Of the individual al
coholic consumption. But lately, for
some unknown reason, they are either
drinking to greater excess or arc get
ting a more poisonous drink, or they
are experiencing the effect of the cen
slant saturation, because we receive
more Of the severe types of alcoholism,
besides noticing that the average alco-
holic patient requires q longer time to
sober up.
"Practically all Of our patients con-
fess that hard liquor is the source of
their alcoholism. 1t is the general
consensus that near beer is utterly
Useless as a beverage, that it affords
no pleasure whatsoever and that it is
q waste Of time to bother with it. The
consumption of six or eight bottles
gives them a sense of nauseated full
ness, with none Of the stimulated sense
of well-being that the oldtime beer
gave after only two or three bottles.
eve have received no beer drinkers
into the wards and either the beer
drinkers who became drunk on the
home brew arc sobered up by their
hosts or else they do not drink to the
same excess because the good fellow
ship which prevails in the saloon is
absent or not permitted in the home.
Home brew is unquestionably as in
toxicating as the formerly lcgalizcd
brew, although perhaps not as palat-
able.
"Wine drinkers also have been
noticeably absent since prohibition
went into effect. In previous years a
Rhine wine drunk was not uncommon
and always extremely pugnacious."