Year: 1876

During the session at Philadelphia of the


American Medical Association, which has


for its object the cure of inebriates, the


theory upon which medical systems for


the cure of drunkenness are based was OK.


planned forcibly and clearly in paper read


before the convention.


Inebriety is described as one manifesto


ton of cerebo-physical disorder, Just as


epilepsy is another, ten years being assigned
as the usual limit of time after its deyelep-


ment in which it results fatally. Accord.
ing to DIR. Crothers the disease of late
years takes less time to do its deadly work.
owing to the increase of means which


lower vitality. 1t is most difficult to over.
come Sin persons who have other nervous
or cerebral disorders, or who possess eccen.
trio or unframed will power and limited
education, in paroxysmal drinkers, in those
who smoke or chew excessively. or when
1T originates in some injury to the brain, or
appears suddenly without any particlar
cause" The mortality Of inebriety EQUALS
that of the most fatal diseases, but under
proper treatment at assylums the recoveries
may exceed those Of any other cerebral or
nervous affection. Other papers were
read in proof of the fact that inebrie.
ty was frequently a matter of heredi.
tary, as is consumption, the morbifc
force causing it to take some times the
shape of epilepsy or hysteria in one child
and drunkenness in another. The pro.
ducing cuse is most frequently a habit of
moderate drinking in father or grand
father.


Such, at least, is the testimony of those
who have made this subject Of especial
study and investigation. 1t seeps difficult
to disprove that temperance in both meats
and drinks is true scriptural virtue, while
total abstinence in regard to spiritious
liquors may be the safest for many persons.
and is nowhere forbidden by the Divine
law. Temperance is certainly made a
virtue and drunkenness a crime by the
same inspired code which permits all the
gifts of God to be used in moderation. At
the same time the rule enunciated by St.
Paul that if the use of any article of meat
or drink is of injury to others they ouphtto
be given up by those who indulge in them
rather than lead to ofenses in others. de.
serves the consideration of those who are
disgusted by the violence of temperance
reformers. When it is asserted that one.
fifth of the deaths of the country may be
traced directly or indirectly to inebriety,
and one-half the murders and other crimes
which fill our places of imprisonment traced
to the same cause, there ought to be no
distaste among any class of the community
In arguing the question in all its
bearings. Ifany disease produced as much
harm, unhappiness and loss of property
and life in the community as intemperance,
1t would not be considered fanaticism to
make it asubject of medical and if possible,
moral Treatment, and indeed Of Legislative
action in the matter of limiting the means
OF indulgence BY regulating the sale Of
liquors, especially to persons indulpine
excessively. We are therefore glad that
the American Medical Association is doing
what it can for the cure Of the inebriates,
and we trust that it will be sustained in its
good word by all the resources of science
and all the energies of virtue, and those
who have the good Of their race at heart
Baltimore Sun.