The Warrington Examiner. — 1871-06-24 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

THE CONTROL AND CURE OF DRUNKARDS.  The following letter (excepting a passage or two) appeared in the last issue of the London Examiner:  Drunkenness is madness at large, and in countless families children and women are shut up with these maniacs, and live in daily jeopardy and terror: and where this thirst-madness is hereditary it may as deeply move the sympathy as any other alienation of reason. The "habitual inebriates," whom Dr. Dalryrnple's merciful Bill is designed to befriend, are a far larger class than any one likes to believe—a class whom few pity and none have hitherto, in any practical way attempted to save. Yet the habitual inebriate is a far more dangerous person at large than the habitual criminal ;—against the criminal there is protection; against the drunkard none. Until he has committed some dangerous outrage, there is no power to control  - If it is a woman who drinks, not merely the body but the mind is more conspicuously poisoned. The foulest suspicions grow real to it. In some cases daughters hear infamous accusations against their father or against their mother by the father; and all who know either are astounded by imputations they, cannot but heed, upon testimony apparently so authentic. Waste and violence' reaching and oftea passing the verge of crime, mark the days of horror and sorrow in the household. Little children undergo frights which affect their reason, as doctors know, and not unfrequently are killed outright, as frequent coroners' inquests tells us. But for their sakes no husband would inhabit an inebriate house, and some working men have been hanged for murder which mere self-defence against deadly provocation has forced upon them. The most brilliant men, the sweetest and most self-denying women, whom suffering, weakness, or sorrow bows low, until nervous exhaustion befals—come to this dreadful end. Thirst-madness is stronger than love, or duty, or decency. Could it be foreseen before the treacherous chain of habit is forged, they would, as poor Charles Lamb in his agony wrote— Clench their lips and neer undo them, To let the deep damnation trickle through them.  There is no lunatic asylum for these per-sons who are mad with a madness unrecognised by the law. If sent under any pretext to an asylum, they are, as soon as inebriation is impossible to them, found to be saner than the Commissioners of Lenacy themselves, and must be discharged—their insanity not lying in want of sense, but in want of self-restraint. All "private retreats" advertised are delusions and fruitless expense. They have no power to detain or control. In a man's home nothing can be done. He cannot lock up his wife, nor the wife her husband. The only chance of not making things worse is to let things take their dreadful course. Disapproval incites t,) rage and murder. The husband or wife must fight or make a miserable submission, living with madness (where humanity, or family reasons' or inextinguishable love forbid desertion), without any means of opposing it. Under the present state of the law, or rather want of law, these people are masters, and they know it; and, without the power of restraining them, they must perish. There is no land of refuge for them. There is no escape for these hapless creatures. The fatal temptation is ever in their sight. At every corner of every street that which to them is the accursed spirit is blazoned. Every advertisement page of newspaper or magazine carries the dreadful information where can be got the dainty drink of death. The path of selfdestruction is not only unobstructed—the glittering meshes of misery entangle every footstep. In all the land there is no pathway of escape. There can be but one pass of deliverance—a gate with a lock to turn behind those who enter. If Mr. Bruce will only consent that Dr. Dalrymple's Bill shall authorise asylums to detain those who will voluntarily enter, and whose friends can pay for their tender care, be will perform an act of mercy, for which many families now miserable, without hope, will thank him. . I write the sentiments of others also, who would equally entreat to be permitted to express them, did they not fear being thought to have some special interest in the relief the Bill in question would afford; but it would be no reason for silence were it so' since it is not crime but disease which it is ' sought to alleviate, and it is both duty and humanity to attempt this. —I am, &c., G. J. licarossr.