The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1929-09-01

Opie Read, the author. 1T is constantly
increasing and ever changing as old faces
disappear and new ones take their place"
CLUBS ARE ORGANIZED
Inebrates who had taken the cure"
began organizing "Bi-Chloride of Gold"
clubs in their home cities Within less
than year these united in national or
ganization. 1t began as the Associated
Keeley Bi-Chloride of Gold Clubs" and
later renamed itself the Keeley League.
The pin its members proudly wore became
known everywhere.
The clubs aim was to encourage and
aid inebriates to take the cure" and to
support those who had already done SO
in maintaining their morale. Graduates
of the double chloride of gold system
raised many thousands of dollars to pay
the way there of inebriates who did not
have the money"
The first national convention of clubs
brought delegates from so cities The
second showed representatives from At
states and territories The third in 1893
recorded 271 local clubs Women had al
ready formed Kelley league auXiliarieS
and now organized nationally. In 1897
the membership of the Kelley League
stood at 30,513.
In those days there was a three-story
house for women employees of the insti
tute at Dwight, and another house for
the treatment of women inebriates and
drug addicts. To-day there is neither.
Criticism of DR.. Kelley and his treat
ment meantime multiplied. The physician
was sharply attacked by the medical
fraternity because of his secret formula.
The initial applause of one section of the
6x thn IF
another. DR.. Keeley's early claim that 95
per cent of his patients stayed cured was
not carried out in the experience of the
host of inebriates with whom he was
called upon to deal.
THE DECLINE BEGINS
Before the Kelley League faded its
representatives helped in the organization
of the national Anti-Saloon League The
Kelley branch institutes declined sharply
much before national prohibition. In
this, it is reported at the home institute,
statewide prohibition had a prominent
part.
Ten years after the first large inebriate
institution at Dwight was put up in 1892
at cost of 100000, it burned, and was
succeeded in 1908 by more elaborate one
This still is to be seen at Dwight. The
OllCC pullelllIS Wdo NSlY o1dOlOuo. l. iC
hotel adjoining had 100 rooms. The es-
Enlistment was so large it was costly to
run. BY 1920 not enough inebriates came
to meet expenses. When national prohi-
bition arrived it was sold to the govern
ment and is now operated as ~. S. Vet
eran Hospital No. 3d."
Although DR.. j. II. Oughton, present
head of the original Kelley institute, does
not believe in prohibition, he had this to
say which is not adverse:
There is less drinking IN the United
States to-day than before national pro-
hibition.
THE volume of liquor that is being con-
sumed is smaller, and there is not the
long continued hard drinking which was
a characteristic of the past.
THE so-called moderate drinker has
decreased in number. Drinking among
workingmen has declined, and it is also
my observation that there is less drink
ing among the farmers.
1.-THE statistics of the Kelley Institute
do not offer any ground for conclusion
that drunkenness has increased.
Despite all that is said about the use
of drugs increasing, our experience is to
the contrary. We have treated drug adj
diets for so years. The use of drugs is
falling Off"
Here in Chicago the Washingtonian
Home for inebriates has almost gone out
of business. 1t bears no relation to the
Kelley Institute. 1t was founded in 1868,