^Harvard Medical Library

in the Francis A. Countway

Library of Medicine Boston
VERITATEM PERMEDICIXAM QjUyEIUMUS


THE

ANATOMY
"OF

DRUNKENNESS.
BY

ROBERT MACNISH,
AUTHOR OF " THE PHILOSOPHY OF SLEEP," AND MEMBER OF THE FACULTY
OF PHYSICIAN'S AND SURGEONS OF GLASGOW.

FIFTH EDITION.

GLASGOW: W.

R.

M'PHUN.

MDCCCXXXIV.

'

HAri^

/-

R*

'

SCHOOL

LIBRARY OF ItGAL MEDICINE

"G/ff;

Mrs,

-.Lee

LM

13.

V.

1234.

GLASGOW:
EDWARD

KHULL,, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY.

TO

AVID

M.

MOIR,

Esq,

SURGEON, MUSSELBURGH,

THIS

WORK

IS

INSCRIBED,

WITH EVERY SENTIMENT OF ADMIRATION.

BY HIS SINCERE FRIEND,

ROBERT M'ACNISH,

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2011 with funding from

Open Knowledge Commons and Harvard Medical School

http://www.archive.org/details/anatomyofdrunkenOOmacn

ADVERTISEMENT.

In preparing- the present edition of the

of Drunkenness

for the press, I

pains to render the

Some

work

Anatomy

have spared no

as complete as possible.

parts have been re-written,

some new

facts

added, and several inaccuracies, which had crept

into the former editions, rectified.

am

in

hopes that this impression will be considered

an improvement upon

no

Altogether, I

fact

its

predecessors, and that

of any importance has

or treated

more

slightly than

it

been overlooked

deserves'.

R. M.
20th Sept. 1834.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

I.

Preliminary Observations,

CHAPTER

15

II.

Causes of Drunkenness,

2S

CHAPTER
Phenomena

III.

of Drunkenness,

CHAPTER

36

IV.

Drunkenness Modified by Temperament,

CHAPTER

...

V.

Drunkenness Modified by the Inebriating Agent,

CHAPTER
Enumeration of the Less

Common

52

61

VI.
Intoxicating Agents, 98

CHAPTER
Differences in the Action of

VII.

Opium and

CHAPTER

page

Alcohol,

106

VIII.
Ill

Physiology of Drunkenness,

CHAPTER
Method

IX.

of Curing the Fit of Drunkenness,

CHAPTER
Pathology of Drunkenness,

120

X.

'%

CHAPTER

132

XI.

Sleep of Drunkards,

CHAPTER

170

175

XII.

Spontaneous Combustion of Drunkards,

CHAPTER

XIII.

Drunkenness Judicially Considered,

CHAPTER
Method

XIV.

of Curing the Habit of Drunkenness,

CHAPTER
Temperance

Societies,

190

197

XV.

......,

223

XL

CHAPTER
Advice

to Inveterate

236

Drunkards,

CHAPTER
Effects of Intoxicating

XVI.

XVII.

Agents on Nurses and Children, 241

CHAPTER
Liquors not always Hurtful,

XVIII.

......,

246

APPENDIX.
No.

I.

Excerpt from Paris' Pharmacologia,

No.

.......

25?

II.

Mr. Brande's Table of the Alcoholic Strength of

Liquors,

.*.*......*.

260

CHAPTER

I.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

Drunkenness
to

modern

not, like

is

times.

some other

vices, peculiar

handed down

It is

to us

from

" hoar antiquity

;"

luvian era were

more complete, we should probably

find that

it

and,

if

the records of the antedi-

was not unknown

The

the world.

cases of

to the remotest ages of

Noah and

Lot, recorded in

the sacred writings, are the earliest of which tradition or history has left

any record and both occurred

;

in the infancy of society.

Indeed, wherever the

grape flourished, inebriation prevailed.

tion of wine

from

this fruit,

discoveries of man,
resulting,

seem

The forma-

was among the

earliest

and the bad consequences thence

to have been almost coeval with the

16
discovery.

Those regions whose ungenial

latitudes

indisposed them to yield the vine, gave birth to other

products which served as substitutes

and the

in-

habitants rivalled or surpassed those of the south

in all

kinds of Bacchanalian indulgence

the

plea-

sures of drinking constituting one of the most fertile

themes of their poetry, in the same manner

as,

in other climates, they gave inspiration to the souls

of Anacreon and Hafiz.

Drunkenness has varied greatly

and among different nations.
that

it

prevails

more

This

state of society.

men

get

more

in a
is

at different times

There can be no doubt

rude than in a civilized

so

much

the case, that as

refined, the vice will gradually

found to soften down, and assume a

character.
vails to a

Nor
much

be

less revolting

can there be a doubt that

it

pre-

greater extent in northern than in

southern latitudes.*

The nature

of the climate ren-

ders this inevitable, and gives to the

human frame

In making this observation, I have only in view the countries north of the equator ; for as we proceed to the south of
that line, the vice increases precisely in the same manner as
To use the words of Montesquieu
in the opposite direction.
" Go from the equator to our pole, and you will find drunkenGo
ness increasing together with the degree of latitude.
from the same equator to the opposite pole, and you will find
drunkenness travelling south, as on this side it travels towards
.

the north."

17
its

capabilities

of withstanding* liquor

hence, a

quantity which scarcely ruffles the frozen current of

a Norwegian's blood, would scatter madness and

fever into the brain of the Hindoo.

Even in Europe,

the inhabitants of the south are far less adapted to

sustain intoxicating agents than those of the north.

Much

upon the coldness of the

of this depends

mate, and

much

also

cli-

upon the peculiar physical and

moral frame to which that coldness gives

rise.

The

natives of the south are a lively, versatile people;

sanguine in their temperaments, and susceptible, to

an extraordinary degree, of every impression.

minds seem

Their

to inherit the brilliancy of their climate,

and are rich with sparkling thoughts and beautiful

The northern

imagery.
all

With more

this.

nations are the reverse of

intensity

of purpose, with

greater depth of reasoning powers, and superior solidity of judgment,

they are in a great measure des-

titute of that sportive

and creative brilliancy which

hangs like a rainbow over the

and clothes them

The one
head.

is

in a perpetual

chiefly led

The one

spirits of the south,

by the

sunshine of delight.

heart, the other

by the

possesses the beauty of a flower-

garden, the other the sternness of the rock, mixed

with

its

severe and naked hardihood.

tutions so differently organized,

it

Upon

consti-

cannot be expected

18
that a given portion of stimulus will operate with

The

equal power.
first,

is

feelings

easily roused to excitation,

and manifests

which the second does not experience

has partaken

On

cause.

airy inflammable nature of the

much more

till

he

largely of the stimulating

may

one

this account, the

be inebriated,

and the other remain comparatively sober upon a

In speaking of this subject,

similar quantity.

always to be remembered that a person

is

it is

not to be

considered a drunkard because he consumes a certain

but because what he does consume

portion of liquor

produces certain

effects

sian, therefore,

may

upon

take six glasses a-day, and be

as temperate as the Italian

Indian

ceded

who

to,

takes four, or the

this is ac-

the balance of sobriety will be found in

less,

the inhabitants there not only

but are, bona Jide, more seldom intoxi-

cated than the others.

London and
those

who

But even when

takes two.

favour of the south

drink

The Rus-

his system.

Paris,

may

who have done

Those who have contrasted

easily verify this fact

the same to the cities of

cow and Rome, can bear

still

and

Mos-

stronger testimony.

Who ever heard of an Englishman sipping eau sucree,

and treating

lemonade?

his friends to a glass of

Yet such things are common

in

France

and, of

all

the practices of that country, they are those most

19
thoroughly visited by the contemptuous malisons
of

John
It is

Bull.

common

ebriating liquor

known

wine was the only

to antiquity

but this

common among

Germans of

the

to the cultivation of the grape,

it

and Mr. Park

ill

adapted

was employed

Ale was common

a substitute for wine.

is

is

By the

his time.

Egyptians, likewise, whose country was

dle ages

in-

Tacitus mentions the use of ale or beer

mistake.
as

belief that

states that

in the

as

mid-

very good beer

made, by the usual process of brewing and malt-

The

ing, in the interior of Africa.

favourite drink

of our Saxon ancestors was ale or mead.

Those

worshippers of Odin were so notoriously addicted

to drunkenness, that

it

rather than otherwise

was regarded

as honourable

and the man who could with-

stand the greatest quantity was looked upon with

admiration and respect

whence the drunken songs

of the Scandinavian scalds

whence the

Valhalla, the fancied happiness of

glories of

whose inhabitants

consisted in quaffing draughts from the skulls of their

enemies slain in
is

battle.

Even ardent

generally supposed to be a

existed from a very early period.

been

and

first

made by the Arabians

in all likelihood

may

spirit,

modern

which

discovery,

It is s,aid to

in the

lay claim to a

have

middle ages,
still

remoter

20

known

Alcohol was

origin.

to the alchymists as

early as the middle of the twelfth century, although

the process of preparing

it

was hy them,

The

kept a profound secret.

at that time,

spirituous liquor called

arrack has been manufactured in the island of Java,

as well as in the continent of Hindostan,

Brandy appears

immemorial.

who recommends

to Galen,

cious appetite ;*
Sicily at the

As

tury.

and

it

to

from time

have been known

for the cure of vora-

its distillation

was common

commencement of the fourteenth

to wine,

it

was

so

common

cen-

in ancient

times as to have a tutelar god appropriated to

companion Silenus are

Bacchus and

his

words

mouths of

in the

all,

as

all

and constituted most im-

We

heard of the Falernian and Campanian

wines, and of the wines of Cyprus and Shiraz.

deed, there

were

in

it

household

portant features of the heathen mythology.

have

in

is

In-

reason to believe that the ancients

no respect

inferior to the

moderns

in the

excellence of their vinous liquors, whatever they

may have been in the variety. Wine was so common in the eastern nations, that Mahomet, foreseeing
the baleful effects of its propagation, forbade

it

followers, who, to compensate themselves,

had

* Good's

Study of Medicine,

vol.

i.

p.

to his
re-

113j Second Edition,

21

The Gothic

course to opium.

have been those in which

proof of this

was vended

At

it

may be

as a cordial

the present day

upper

was

it

least

common

mentioned, that in 1298

in
it

by the English apothecaries.

it is little

drunk, except by the

classes, in those countries

ally furnish the grape.

as to

or dark ages seem to

which do not natur-

In those that do,

it is

so cheap

come within the reach of even the lowest.*

In speaking of drunkenness,

it is

impossible not to

be struck with the physical and moral degradation

which

it

toxicating liquors

become

found on the decline.

simoom of the

desert,

to luxury, of

The quantity of wine

The vineyards
credible.
*

in-

general, morality has been

They seem
and

misery around their path.

owing

Wherever

has spread over the world.

to act like the

scatter destruction

The

ruin of

which indulgence

in.

Rome was

in

France alone
in that country are said
raised

and

wine was

is

almost in-

to

occupy

five

millions of acres, or a twenty-sixth part of the whole territory.

Paris alone consumes more than three times the quantity of

wine consumed in the British Isles. It is true that much of
the wine drank in the French capital

is

weak quality,
But after every

of a

being used as a substitute for small beer.

allowance is made, enough remains to show clearly, if other
proofs were wanting, how much the use of wine here is
restricted

by our exorbitant

morals of this country

ardent

spirits,

if

would be well for the

the people abandoned the use of
duties.

and were enabled

It

to resort to

French are in the habit of drinking.

such wines as the

22

by the arms of

army

Hannibal's

the principal ingredient.

Scipio than

by the wines of Capua

and the inebriated hero of Macedon

his friend Clytus,
polis,

after slaying

and burning the palace of Perse-

expired at last of a

thirty-third year.

fell less

fit

of intoxication, in his

A volume

might be written in

illustration of the evil effects of dissipation

this

unnecessary to those

is

who

bat

look carefully

around them, and more especially to those who are

At

the

same time, when we speak of drunkenness as

oc-

conversant with the history of mankind.

curring in antiquity,

it

is

proper to remark, that

there were certain countries in which

in a

much more

modern

nation.

alleging that

it

it

was viewed

dishonourable light than by any

The Nervii

refused to drink wine,

made them cowardly and

effeminate

these simple people had no idea of what

seamen

is

called

Dutch courage

by our

they did not feel

the necessity of elevating their native valour by an

artificial

excitement.

The

ancient Spartans held

ebriety in such abhorrence, that, with a view to

inspire the rising generation with a due contempt

of the vice,

it

was customary

and exhibit them publicly

tion.

By

to intoxicate the slaves

in this

degraded condi-

the Indians, drunkenness

is

looked upon

as a species of insanity; and, in their language, the

23
word

ramgam, signifying

drunkard,

signifies

also a

madman.

ancients and

moderns

Both the

could jest as well as moralize upon this subject.

" There hangs a bottle of wine,"

exclamation of the

Roman

was the

derisive

soldiery, as they pointed

body of the drunken Bonosus, who,

to the

in a

lit

" If you

of despair, suspended himself upon a tree.

wish to have a shoe of durable materials," exclaims

the

make

for that never

we

If

water,"

lets in

turn from antiquity to our

find

shall

little

cause

upon any improvement.

diminished

among

own

congratulate

to

The

times,

ourselves

vice has certainly

every reason to fear that, of

is

made

fearful strides

among

the lower.

a landlord did

late,

from

a state of intoxication.

practice

and

still

he

he sent them
This

prevails pretty generally in Ireland

the Highlands of Scotland, but in other

in

parts of the
is

in

has

not conceive

his guests unless

table

it

Thirty or

had done justice to

his

we

the higher orders of society, but

there

forty years ago,

should

mouth of a hard

the upper leather of the

drinker

" you

Matthew Langsberg,

facetious

to be

kingdom

it is

hoped that the day

fast
is

giving

way

not far distant

and

it

when

greater temperance will extend to these jovial districts,

and render their hospitality a

b2

little

more

24
consonant with prudence

among

increase of drunkenness

may be imputed

The

and moderation.

the lower classes

and

to various causes,

chiefly to

the late abandonment of part of the duty on

rum and

This was done with a double motive of

whisky.

benefiting agriculture and commerce, and of driving

the " giant smuggler " from the

object

it

The

still

and brings

plies his trade to a considerable

his

commodity

to the

market

with nearly the same certainty of acquiring

as ever.

latter

has in a great measure failed of effecting.

The smuggler
extent,

field.

It

would be well

if

profit

the liquor vended to

the poor possessed the qualities of that furnished

by the contraband dealer

but, instead of this,

it is

usually a vile

compound of every thing spurious

and

and seems expressly contrived for

pestilent,

the purpose of preying upon the vitals of the unfortunate victims

to

who

partake of

The extent

it.

which adulteration Jias been carried

of liquor,

is

indeed such as to interest every class

Wine,

of society.

in all kinds

for instance,

is

often impreg-

nated with alum and sugar of lead,

the latter

dangerous ingredient being resorted to by innkeepers and others, to take away the sour taste so

common
liquids

is

in

bad wines.

frequently

Even

artificial

the colour of these

;

and the deep rich

25

complexion so greatly admired by persons not in

the secrets of the trade,

often caused, or at least

is

heightened, by factitious additions, such as elderberries, bilberries, red-woods, &c.

of lead are also

many

in

cases,

common

oil

Alum and

in spiritous liquors

sugar
;

and,

of vitriol, turpentine, and other

materials equally abominable, are to be found in

That detestable liquor

combination with them.

called British gin,

ingredients

is

literally

compounded of these

nor are malt liquors, with their multi-

farious narcotic additions, less thoroughly sophisti-

cated

or less detrimental

to

From

the health.

these circumstances, two conclusions must naturally

be drawn

viz. that inebriating

agents often contain

elements of disease foreign to themselves

all

and that

persons purchasing them should endeavour to

ascertain the state of their purity,

dealer
to

be

and employ no

whose honour and honesty are not known

unimpeachable.

Liquors,

even

in

their

purest state, are too often injurious to the constitution without the admixture of poisons.*

The

varieties of

wine are so numerous as almost

to defy calculation.

Mr. Brande,

* See

in

his

table, f

Accum's Treatise on the adulteration of Food ; Child

on Brewing Porter ; and Shannon on Brewing and Distillation.
f See Appendix.

26
gives a

list

of no less than forty-four different kinds

and there are others which he has not enumerated.

Ardent

fewer

spirits are

number, and

in

may

be

mostly comprised under the heads of rum, gin,

The

brandy, and whisky.

drink over the

such

West

the prevailing

first is

North America, and

Indies,

of Great Britain as are intimately con-

cities

The

nected with these regions by commerce.

second
land,

extensively used in Holland and Switzer-

is

the

countries

and has found

its

whole of Europe.
in Charente

which principally furnish-

way

it,

pretty generally over the

The

third

is

and Languedoc, and

produced

chiefly
is

the spirit most

The

commonly found

in the south.

con-

>

fined in a great

measure to Ireland and Scotland,

in

which

latter

liquors

we have many

Britain, especially England,

them

furnishes

is

country the best has always been

Of malt

made.

fourth

is

varieties.

the country which

in greatest perfection.

the natural drinks of Englishmen

They

the vinum AnEvery

glicorum, as foreigners have often remarked.

town of any consequence

Brewery

and

difference in
stout,

in

the empire has

almost every one

is

there

the quality of the liquor.

London and Scotch

chester,

in

ales,

its

some

Brown

porters, Burton,

Edinburgh, and Alloa

are

Dor-

are only a few

27
of the endless varieties of these widely-circulated
fluids.

Besides wines, ardent

there are

many

and malt

liquors,

other agents possessing inebriating

Among

properties.

spirits,

others, the

Peganum Harmala

or Syrian rue, so often used by the sultan Solyman

the Hibiscus Saldarissa, which furnishes the Indian

bangue,

and

ancients

is

from which the Nepenthes of the

have been made

supposed to

the

Balsac, or Turkish bangue, found on the shores of

the

Levant

the

Hyoscyamus Niger

Penang, or Indian betle

;

the

and the Atropa Belladonna.

In addition to these, and

many more,

there are

opium, tobacco, Cocculus Indicus, and the innumerable tribes of liqueurs and ethers, together with

other agents of a less potent nature, such as clary,

darnel,

and

saffron.

The

of exciting drunkenness
in proportion to their

variety of agents capable

is

indeed surprising, and

number seems the prevalence

of that fatal vice to which an improper use of them

gives rise.

CHAPTER

II.

CAUSES OF DRUNKENNESS.

The

causes of drunkenness are so obvious, that few

authors have thought

we

shall

it

necessary to point them out

merely say a few words upon the subject.

There are some persons who

ards,

and others who

choice,

never be drunk-

will be so in spite of all that

can be done to prevent them.

by

will

Some

and others by necessity.

are drunkards

The former have

an innate and constitutional fondness for liquor, and

drink con amove.

Such men are usually of a sanguin-

eous temperament, of coarse un intellectual minds,

and of low and animal propensities.

They

have, in

genera], a certain rigidity of fibre, and a flow of ani-

mal

spirits

which other people are without.

They

29
delight in the roar and riot of drinking clubs

with them, in particular,

be referred to the

the miseries of

all

and

life

may

bottle.

The drunkard by

necessity

was never meant by

He is perhaps a person of
amiable dispositions, whom misfortune has overtaken,

nature to be dissipated.

and who, instead of bearing up manfully against

it,

endeavours to drown his sorrows

an

in liquor.

It is

excess of sensibility, a partial mental weakness, an

absolute misery of the heart, which drives

Drunkenness, with him,

tune
in

it is

silence.

is

him

on.

a consequence of misfor-

a solitary dissipation preying upon

Such a man frequently

him

dies broken-

hearted, even before his excesses have had time to

destroy him by their

own

unassisted agency.

Some become drunkards from excess

of indulgence

There are parents who have a common

in youth.

custom of treating their children to wine, punch, and

other intoxicating liquors.
larly bringing

enness.

them up

in

This, in reality,

regu-

an apprenticeship to drunk-

Others are taught the vice by frequenting

drinking clubs and masonic lodges.

genuine academies of

drunkards

we meet

tippliiTg.

These are the

Two-thirds of the

with, have been there initiated

in that love of intemperance

larity

is

and boisterous irregu-

which distinguish their future

lives.

Men

30

who

are

good singers are very apt

ards, and, in truth,

less, especially if

or

is

become drunk-

most of them are

so,

more or

they have naturally much joviality

warmth of temperament.

men

to

fine voice to

such

a fatal accomplishment.

Ebriety prevails to an alarming degree among the

lower orders of society.

It exists

than in the country, and more

husbandmen.

among

Most of

more

in

towns

among mechanics than

the misery to be observed

the working classes springs from this source.

No

persons are more addicted to the habit, and

its

attendant vices, than the pampered servants of

Innkeepers, musicians, actors, and

the great.

who
to

lead a rambling and eccentric

a similar hazard.

life,

all

men

are exposed

Husbands sometimes teach

their wives to be drunkards

by indulging them

in

toddy, and such fluids, every time they themselves

sit

down

to their libations.

Women

frequently acquire the vice by drinking

porter and ale while nursing.

are usually

recommended

to

These stimulants

them from well-meant

but mistaken motives, by their female attendants.

Many

fine

young women are ruined by

cious practice.

this perni-

Their persons become gross, their

milk unhealthy, and a foundation

for future indulgence in liquor.

is

too often laid

31

The frequent use

kirsch-Wasser,

of cordials, such as noyau, shrub,

The

leads to the practice.

liqueurs

is

Among

and

curacoa,

more nor

neither

active principle of these

than ardent spirits.*

less

may

other causes,

sometimes

anissette,

be mentioned the ex-

cessive use of spirituous tinctures for the cure of hy-

pochondria and indigestion.

tea, especially green,

species

is

Persons

run the same

who use strong

The

risk.

latter

singularly hurtful to the constitution, pro-

ducing hysteria, heartburn, and general debility of

Some

the chylopoetic viscera.

of these

by the use of

are relieved for a time

what was

at first

comes an

essential requisite.

employed

bad

effects

spirits

and

as a medicine, soon be-

Certain occupations have a tendency to induce

Innkeepers, recruiting- sergeants, pu-

drunkenness.
gilists,

&c. are

exposed

all

tation in this respect

in a great degree to

and intemperance,

is

tempa vice

which may be very often justly charged against them.

Commercial

travellers,

also,

taken as a body, are

open to the accusation of indulging too freely

bottle,

although

am

not aware that they carry

such excess as to entitle

as drunkards.

"

Well

many

is

doubly improper.

it

to

of them to be ranked

fed, riding

from town to

* Liqueurs often contain narcotic principles

use

in the

therefore their

32
town, and walking to the houses of the several
tradesmen, they have an employment not only more
agreeable, hut

more conducive

any other dependant on

to health than almost

But they destroy

traffic.

by intemperance

their constitutions

not generally

by drunkenness, but by taking more

Dining

nature requires.

at the

traveller's table,

each drinks his pint or bottle of wine

negus or

liquor than

he then takes

with several of his customers

spirit

and

at night

he must have a glass or two of brandy and

water.

Few commercial travellers

for thirty years

the majority not twenty."*

Some writers
cially if

allege that

am

unmarried women, espe-

somewhat advanced

to liquor than those

I

unable from

Women who
drinkers,

bear the employ

who

in

life,

are

are married.

my own

more given
This point

observation to decide.

indulge in this way, are solitary dram-

and so would men

be,

had not the

arbi-

trary opinions of the world invested the practice in

them with much

Of

opposite sex.

doubt that

less

men

moral turpitude than in the

the two sexes, there can be no

are

much

the more addicted to

all

sorts of intemperance.

Thackrah on the

and Professions,

p. 83.

Effects of the Principal Arts, Trades,

33
Drunkenness appears

We

reditary.

frequently see

there can be

Men

may undoubtedly

from bad example and imitation, but

often arise

it

descending from

it

This

parents to their children.

at least,

some measure he-

to be in

little

question that, in

many

instances

exists as a family predisposition.

of genius are often unfortunately addicted

to drinking.

Nature, as she has gifted them with

greater powers than their fellows, seems also to

have mingled with their cup of

There

is

a melancholy which

cloud over the

imaginations

life

is

more

apt to

of such

bitterness.

come

like a

characters.

Their minds possess a susceptibility and a delicacy

of structure which unfit them for the gross atmo-

sphere of

human nature

wherefore, high talent has

ever been distinguished for sadness and gloom.

Genius

lives in a

world of

of a superior nature

the

its

own:

loftier

it is

the essence

imaginings of the

mind, clothed with a more spiritual and refined verdure.

Few men endowed

with such faculties enjoy

The stream

the ordinary happiness of humanity.

their lives runs harsh

and broken.

Melancholy

thoughts sweep perpetually across their souls

if

these be

of

and

heightened by misfortune, they are

plunged into the deepest misery.

To

relieve these feelings,

many

plans have been

34
adopted.

Dr. Johnson

his habitual

He found

gloom.

removed while

wine under

fled for years to

that the pangs

immediate influence

its

were

lasted, but

he also found that they returned with double force

when

He saw the

that influence passed away.

dan-

gerous precipice on which he stood, and, by an unusual effort of volition, gave

he substituted tea

and

for

excitements of

stead

had

Voltaire and Fonte-

same purpose, used

the

its

to this milder stimulus

recourse in his melancholy.

nelle,

In

over.

it

coffee.

The

Newton and Hobbes were the fumes

of tobacco, while Demosthenes and Haller were sufficiently stimulated

by drinking

freely of cold water.

Such are the differences of constitution.

"

As good be melancholy

still,

as

So says old Burton,

and beggars."
of Melancholy,

never,

likely,

life,

says, that

man

quaintly,

gets a child,

have a good brain."

Darwin, a great authority on

with

Anatomy

The same author

but justly remarks, " If a drunken

will

in his

and there are few who will not

subscribe to his creed.

it

drunken beasts

all

Dr.

subjects connected

he never knew a glutton affected

with the gout, who was not at the same time addicted to liquor.
able that

all

He

also observes, "

it is

remark-

the diseases from drinking spirituous

or fermented liquors are liable to become hereditary,

35
even to the third generation, gradually increasing?
if

the cause be continued,

till

the family becomes

extinct."*

We

need not endeavour to trace further the

remote causes of drunkenness.

drunkard

is

rarely able to recall the particular circumstances

which made him

insensibly,

he

and he

aware.

is

so.

It

The

vice creeps

upon him

is

involved in

is

enough that we know the

its

fetters before

proximate cause, and also the certain consequences.

One

thing

self to

in

is

certain, that a

man who

addicts him-

intemperence, can never be said to be sound

The former

mind or body.

is

a state of partial

insanity, while the effects of the liquor

the latter

is

always more or

and

less diseased in its

actions.

remain

Botanic Garden.

CHAPTER

III.

PHENOMENA OF DRUNKENNES&

The

consequences of drunkenness are dreadful, but

the pleasures of getting drunk are certainly ecstatic.

While the

illusion

lasts,

happiness

care and melancholy are thrown to the

Elysium, with

all

its

complete

is

wind

and

descends upon the

glories,

dazzled imagination of the drinker.

Some

authors have spoken of the pleasure of

being completely drunk

however,

this,

The time

most exquisite period.

is

when

is

not the

a person

is

neither " drunken nor sober, but neighbour to both,"

as

Bishop Andrews says in his "

Ale."

The moment

tions begin to float

is

when

Ex ale tation of

the ethereal emana-

around the brain

when

the

37
soul

is

commencing

from earth

expand

to

when the tongue

wings and

its

feels itself

rise

somewhat

loosened in the mouth, and breaks the previous

taciturnity,

What

if

any such existed.

are the sensations of incipient drunken-

First, an unusual serenity prevails over the

ness?

mind, and the soul of the votary

By

placid satisfaction.
soft

degrees he

and not unmusical humming

is

in

his

ears,

at

seems, to

his

head lighter than usual upon

Then

a species of obscurity, thinner

wear

his shoulders.

with a

sensible of a

He

every pause of the conversation.

himself, to

filled

is

than the finest mist, passes before his eyes, and

makes him

objects rather indistinctly.

see

and appear double.

lights begin to dance

and warmth are

felt

at the

The imagination

heart.

is

The

A gaiety

same time about the

expanded, and

with a thousand delightful images.

He

filled

becomes

loquacious, and pours forth, in enthusiastic language,

the thoughts which are born, as

Now

comes a

spirit

it

were, within him.

of universal contentment

He

with himself and

all

of misery:

dissolved in the bliss of the

ment.

now

it

This

perfect.

order

it

is

is
is

the

As

the world.

acme of the

fit

more

mo-

the ecstacy

yet the sensorium

only shaken,

thinks no

is

is

in tolerable

but the capability of

38
thinking with accuracy

still

time, the drunkard pours out

His

soul.

qualities,

out reserve

may be

heart

them

the secrets of his

good or bad, come forth with-

and now,

if at

seen into.

nonsense, though he

He

all

this

any time, the human

In a short period, he

is

a most inordinate propensity to talk

seized with

so.

About

remains.

also

is

perfectly conscious of doing

commits many foolish things, knowing

The power

to be foolish.

of volition, that

faculty which keeps the will subordinate to the

seems

judgment,

totally

The most

weakened.

delightful time seems to be that immediately before

becoming very
a

man

talkative.

When

this takes place,

turns ridiculous, and his mirth, though

boisterous,

is

At

not so exquisite.

first

more

the intoxi-

cation partakes of sentiment, but, latterly,

it

be-

comes merely animal.

After this the scene thickens.

The drunkard's

imagination gets disordered with the most grotesque

conceptions.

Instead of moderating his drink, he

down more

pours

it

glass

with reckless energy.

perfectly giddy.

or yellow

rapidly than ever

The

glass follows

His head becomes

candles burn blue, or green,

and where there are perhaps only three

on the table, he sees a dozen.

temperament, he

is

According to

his

amorous, or musical, or quarrel-

39

Many

some.

possess a most extraordinary wit

and a great flow of

spirits is

a general attendant.

In the latter stages, the speech

is

thick,

use of the tongue in a great measure

mouth

and the

lost.

His

half open, and idiotic in the expression

is

while his eyes are glazed, wavering, and watery.

He

is

apt to fancy that he has offended

the company, and

imagines that some of those before

another, and

individuals

who

are, in reality, absent or

The muscular powers

even dead.

much

ridiculously profuse with his

Frequently he mistakes one person for

apologies.

him are

is

some one of

affected

this

are, all along,

indeed happens before any

great change takes place in the mind, and goes on

He

progressively increasing.

with

The

steadiness,

can no longer walk

but totters from side to

side.

limbs become powerless, and inadequate to

sustain his weight.

sensible of

He

is,

any deficiency

exciting mirth

by

however, not always

in this respect

and while

his eccentric motions, imagines

most perfect steadiness.

that he walks with the

In attempting to run, he conceives that he passes

To his

over the ground with astonishing rapidity.

distorted eyes
itself,

seem

Houses

all

men, and even inanimate nature

to be drunken, while he alone

reel

from side to side as

c

if

is

sober.

they had lost

40
their balance

Bacchanals

under

his feet,

total

The

air.

table,

last stage

of drunkenness

The man tumbles perhaps

and

carried

is

away

in a state of

In this condition he

stupor to his couch.

to be

from

slip

and leave him walking and flounder-

insensibility.

beneath the

tipsy

like

and the very earth seems to

ing upon the

is

and steeples nod

trees

is

said

dead drunk.

When

the drunkard

is

put to bed,

us suppose

let

that his faculties are not totally absorbed in apoplectic stupor

let us

suppose that he

possesses

still

consciousness and feeling, though these are both

disordered

then begins " the tug of war

comes the misery which

No

previous raptures.

is

doomed

sooner

is

his

;"

then

to succeed his

head

laid

upon

seized with the strongest

the pillow,

than

throbbing.

His heart beats quick and hard against

the ribs.

it

noise like the distant

or rushing of a river,

sough

sough,

become

is

more

is

heard

in his ears

goes the sound.

drowned

and

of a cascade,

fall

sough

His senses now

stupified.

recollection of his carousals, like a

shadowy and

He

indistinct dream, passes before the rnind.

hears,

as in

companions.

dim

still

echo, the cries and laughter of his

Wild

fantastic

thickly around the brain.

fancies

accumulate

His giddiness

is

greater

41
and he

than ever

a heaving

sea.

npon

feels as if in a ship tossed

At

last

he drops insensibly into a

profound slumber.

The

In the morning he awakes in a high fever.

whole body

parched

is

the palms of the hands,

His head

in particular, are like leather.

He

violently painful.

tongue

his

is

inside of the

how
first

lighted

stiff.

sore.

while

The whole

Then look

and languid

sickly, dull,

likewise hot and constricted,

is

and the throat often

often

feels excessive thirst

white, dry, and

mouth

is

them up the evening

The

before,

at his eyes
fire,

which

is all

gone.

stupor like that of the last stage of drunkenness

still

clings about them,

by the

affected

great a change

light.
it

is

and they are disagreeably

The complexion

sustains as

no longer flushed with the

gaiety and excitation, but pale and wayworn, indicating a profound mental and bodily exhaustion.

There

is

gone.

not

left

throbs

probably sickness, and the appetite

Even yet the delirium

him, for his head
violently

and

if

he stumbles with giddiness.

depressed,

still

is

totally

of intoxication has
rings, his heart

still

he attempt getting up,

The mind

also

is

sadly

and the proceedings of the previous

night are painfully remembered.

He

is

sorry for

his conduct, promises solemnly never again so to

42
commit
to

himself,

quench his

mena

of a

and

calls

impatiently for something

Such are the usual pheno-

thirst.

of drunkenness.

fit

we

In the beginning of intoxication

to sleep, especially if

noise and

the

panies,

we indulge

prevent this

are inclined

alone.

In com-

opportunity of conversing

and when a certain quantity has

been drunk, the drowsy tendency wears away.

person
talk

who

wishes to stand out well, should never

much.

This increases the

and hurries on intoxication.

enced drunkard holds

it

effects of the liquor,

Hence, every experi-

to be a piece of prudence

to keep his tongue under restraint.

The

giddiness of intoxication

in darkness than in the light.

way in which

this can

when

knows

alone and in darkness.

always greater

know

be explained

the drunkard never so well

as

is

of no rational

but, certain

it is,

his true condition

Possibly the noise

and light distracted the mind, and made the bodily

sensations be, for the time, in

some measure

There are some persons who get

ing even a small quantity

and

sick

this

unfelt.

from drinksickness

upon the whole a favourable circumstance, as

proves an effectual curb upon them, however

they

may be

disposed to intemperance.

is,

it

much

In such

43
cases, it will generally

be found that the sickness

takes place as soon as vertigo

it

makes

its

appearance

seems, in reality, to be produced by this sensaThis, however,

tion.

is

a rare circumstance, for

though vertigo from ordinary causes has a strong

tendency to produce sickness, that arising from

drunkenness has seldom this

effect.

The nausea and

sickness sometimes occurring in intoxication, proceed

almost always from the surcharged and disordered

state of the

stomach, and very seldom from the

accompanying giddiness.
Intoxication, before

proceeds too

far,

has a

powerful tendency to increase the appetite.

Per-

haps

it

would be more correct

ating liquors,

We

power.

till

this

often see gluttony and drunkenness

the

and excess of
contents

to say, that inebri-

by stimulating the stomach, have

combined together
tinues

it

at

the same time.

This con-

last stage,

when, from overloading

irritation,

the stomach

expels

its

by vomiting.

All along, the action of the kidneys

increased, especially at the

is

commencement of

much
intoxi-

cation.

When

fluid has

been suddenly taken into the stomach, the

a large

usual preliminary

appear.

An

quantity

of intoxicating

symptoms of drunkenness do not

instantaneous

stupefaction

ensues

44
and the person

is

at once

knocked down.

This can-

not be imputed to distention of the cerebral vessels,

but to a sudden operation on the nervous branches

of the stomach.

The

of collapse, and

many

brain

of

In such cases, the face

thrown

is

functions suspended.

its

not at

is

into a state

tumid and

first

The

ruddy, but pale and contracted.

pulse

is

likewise feeble, and the body cold and powerless.

When
off,

symptoms wear

re-action takes place, these

and those of sanguineous apoplexy succeed

such as turgid countenance,

brain have

now become

but slow pulse, and

fall

The

strong stertorous breathing.

filled,

vessels

and there

is

of the
a strong

determination to that organ.

Persons of tender or compassionate minds are par-

be affected

ticularly subject, during intoxication, to

to tears at the sight of

any distressing

even on hearing an affecting

in such characters,

may be

Drunkenness

tale.

said to melt the heart,

and open up the fountains of sorrow.

pathy

is

often ridiculous, and aroused

trifling causes.

tion,

times

weep

Those who have a

combined with
conceive

Their sym-

by the most

living imagina-

this tenderness of heart,

fictitious

bitterly at the

object, or

woe

causes
of their

There are some persons

in

some-

of

distress,

own

creating.

whom

and

drunkenness

45
forth a spirit of piety, or rather of religious

calls

hypocrisy, which

They become

both ludicrous and disgusting.

is

sentimental over their cups

and,

while in a state of debasement most offensive to

God and man, they

the

human

will

weep

heart, entreat

at the

you

to

wickedness of

eschew swearing

and profane company, and have a greater regard

the

for

welfare

of your immortal

soul.

These

sanctimonious drunkards seem to consider ebriety

most venial of

as the

offences.

During a paroxysm of drunkenness, the body

much

less sensible to external stimuli

times

it

is

is

than at other

particularly capable of resisting cold.

Seamen, when absent on shore, are prone to get

intoxicated

and they

will frequently lie for

hours

on the highway, even in the depth of winter without

any bad

drunk man seldom

His frame seems steeled against

shivers from cold.

it,

consequences.

and he holds out with an apathy which is astonish-

ing.

The body

injuries,

in

is,

like

manner, insensible

such as cuts, bruises, &c.

receives, in fighting, the

He

toxication have been

frequently

most severe blows, without

seemingly feeling them, and without, in

aware of the matter

to

till

sobered.

fact,

being

Persons in in-

known to chop off

their fingers,

and otherwise disfigure themselves, laughing

all

4(>

But when the paroxysm

the while at the action.

and the frame weakened, things are changed.

is off,

External

agents

withstood with

then

are

little

vigour, with even less than in the natural state of

The person

the hody.

and

shivers on the slightest

more than usually

is

chill,

subject to fevers and

all

sorts of contagion.

External stimuli frequently break the

Men

fit.

have been instantly sobered by having a bucket of

cold water

stream.

same

thrown upon them, or by

falling into a

Strong emotions of the mind produce the

effect,

such as the sense of danger, or a piece

of good or bad news, suddenly communicated.

There are particular

in

and circumstances

which a man can stand liquor better than

is

in

In the close atmosphere of a large town,

others.

he

situations

soon overpowered

genuine drunkard
perfection.

is

to be

and

it

here that the

is

met with

in the greatest

In the country, especially in a moun-

tainous district, or on the sea-shore, where the air

cold and piercing, a great quantity

The

with impunity.
ardent
yet,

spirits,

and

among them,

can be

called

taken

highlanders drink largely of

they are

often

intoxicated,

there are comparatively few

habitual

seems to deaden

may be

is

drunkards.

its effects,

and

it

keen

who
air

soon evaporates

47
from their constitutions.
are hard wrought, also

without injury

is

and soldiers who

consume enormous quantities

porters and

With

do the same.
tive

Sailors

these

sorts of labourers

all

men

exercise

is

a correc-

but in towns, where no counteracting agency

employed,

it

acts

with

irresistible

power upon the

frame, and soon proves destructive.

great quantity of liquors

may

also be taken

without inebriating, in certain diseases,

such as

spasm, tetanus, gangrene, and retrocedent gout.

Certain circumstances of constitution

make one

person naturally more apt to get intoxicated than

another.

"

Mr.

says

Pitt,"

" would retire in the midst of a

enliven his faculties
Port.

debate, and

enabled him to do this

He was

called a coldness of

warm

writer,

with a couple of bottles of

Pitt's constitution

with impunity.

modern

afflicted

stomach

with what

is

and the quantity of

wine that would have closed the oratory of so professed a Bacchanalian as Sheridan, scarcely excited

the son of Chatham."*

All kinds of intoxicating agents act

rapidly and powerfully upon an
full
is

stomach.

In like manner,

much more

empty than upon a

when the stomach

disordered, and subject to weakness, heartburn,

* Rede's

Memoir

of the Right

c2

Hon. George Canning.

48
any kind, ebriety

disease of

or

produced than when

The stomach may

stimulus,

and

organ

this

resist

sound and healthy.

powerfully, while

it

raw

by half the quantity made

In like manner, he
using one spirit

spirits at a

who

is

in the constant habit of

for the

an equal extent in another, with-

more severe

out experiencing

effects

partaken of his usual beverage.

when the strength of the two

The mind

into toddy.

rum, for instance cannot,

part, indulge to

than

if

he had

This happens even

liquors

is

the same.

exercises a considerable effect upon

drunkenness, and

When

yields

without feeling them much, become perfectly

intoxicated

most

it

have known people who

could drink eight or ten glasses of

sitting

more rapidly

get accustomed to a strong

one much weaker.

to

is

is

in the

may

often control

it

company of a superior

respect, or of a female in

powerfully.

whom we

whose presence

it

would

be indelicate to get intoxicated, a much greater

portion of liquor

where no such

may be

withstood than in societies

restraints operate.

Drunkenness has sometimes a curious

the

memory.

tion

may be

effect

upon

Actions committed during intoxica-

forgotten on a recovery from this state,

and remembered distinctly when the person becomes

again intoxicated.

Drunkenness has thus an an-

alogy to dreaming, in which state circumstances are

49
occasionally brought to

mind which had

The same thing may also occur in

forgotten.

wherein even languages with which

in

entirely been
fevers,

we were familiar

childhood or youth, but had forgotten, are renew-

ed upon the

when

memory and

pass

the disease which recalled

away from
them

is

liquor

as they

again

removed.

With mostpeople intoxication is a gradual

and increases progressively

it

process,

pour down the

but there- are some individuals in

whom

it

takes place suddenly, and without any previous indication of

its

such persons

approach.
sit for

It is

not

uncommon

to see

hours at the bottle without

experiencing any thing beyond a moderate elevation

of spirits, yet assume

all at

once the outrage and bois-

terous irregularity of the most decided drunkenness.

Some drunkards
sical

when

retain their senses after the phy-

powers are quite exhausted.

the

mind

most absurd

is

wrought

Others, even

to a pitch leading to the

actions, preserve a degree of

and observation which enables them

tricks

or, if

to elude the

which their companions are preparing to play

upon them.
dress,

cunning

In such cases, they display great ad-

and take the

first

opportunity of retaliating

such does not occur, of slipping out of the

room unobserved and getting away. Some, while the

whole mind seems locked up
fulness, hear all that

is

in the stupor of forget-

going on.

No

one should

50

ever presume on the intoxicated state of another to

talk of him detractingly in his presence.

rently deprived of
tive listener;
at the

all

moment,

is

may he

sensation, he

and whatever

ill-will

an atten-

though unheeded

is said,

not forgotten afterwards, hut trea-

sured carefully up in the memory.

and

While appa-

Much

discord

frequently arise from such imprudence.

There are persons who are exceedingly profuse,

and fond of giving away their money, watches,
&c. to the company.

rings,

This peculiarity will never,

believe, be found in a miser: avarice

strong under every circumstance.

is

a passion

Drinking does

not loosen the grasp of the covetous man, or open

his heart

The

he

is

for ever the same.

generality of people are apt to talk of their

private affairs

when

They then

intoxicated.

reveal

the most deeply-hidden secrets to their companions.

Others have their minds so happily constituted that

nothing escapes them.

They

are,

even

in their

most

unguarded moments, secret and close as the grave.

The
in

natural disposition

may be

better discovered

drunkenness than at any other time.

society, life is all a disguise.

In modern

Almost every man

walks in masquerade, and his most intimate friend

very often does not

know

his real character.

wear smiles constantly upon

their cheeks,

hearts are unprincipled and treacherous.

Many
whose

Many

LIBRARY OF LEGAL MEDICINE

51
with violent tempers have

Some speak always with

softness of charity itself.

sympathy, who, at

the external calm and

all

soul, are full of gall

and

bitter-

Intoxication tears off the veil, and sets each

ness.

in his true light,

man

bative

whatever that may be.

will quarrel, the

amorous

detractor will abuse his neighbour.

few

exceptions, but they are

The com-

will love, the

I

have known

number.

in

At one

time they seemed more numerous, but closer observation convinced

me

that

thought drunkenness had

most of those

libelled, inherited, at bot-

tom, the genuine dispositions which

The

whom

exceptions, however, which

it

brought

now and

forth.

then occur

are sufficiently striking, and point out the injustice

of always judging of a man's real disposition from

his

To

drunken moments.
"

son,

Not only does

faults of a

use the words of Addi-

this vice

betray the hidden

man, and show them in the most odious

colours, but often occasions faults to

Wine throws

not naturally subject.

himself,

she

is

well

and infuses

qualities into the

man

known maxim

restrictions,

out of

The

" in vino Veritas" therefore,

true,

is

to

be received with

although these, I

am

not by any means so numerous as

would have us

is

mind which

a stranger to in her sober moments."

though very generally

some

which he

to believe.

satisfied, are

many

authors

CHAPTER

IV.

DRUNKENNESS MODIFIED BY TEMPERAMENT.

Under

the last head I have described the usual

phenomena of

intoxication

but

it is

necessary to

remark, that these are apt to be modified by the

physical and moral frame of the drinker.

Great

diversity of opinion exists with regard to the doctrine of the

temperaments

some authors

and others denying their existence.

troversy

it is

needless to enter.

All

affirming,

Into this conI

contend for

that the bodily and mental constitution of every

is

is,

man

not alike, and that on these peculiarities depend

certain differences during a

I.

paroxysm of drunkenness.

Sanguineous Drunkard.

The

sanguine tern-

53
perament seems to

ment of the

feel

most intensely the excite-

Persons of

bottle.

this

stamp have

usually a ruddy complexion, thick neck, small head,

and strong muscular

Their

fibre.

intellect

is

in

general mediocre, for great bodily strength and cor-

responding mental powers are rarely united together.

In such people, the animal propensities

They

prevail over the moral and intellectual ones.

are prone to combativeness and sensuality, and are

either very good-natured or extremely quarrelsome.

All their passions are keen

like the Irish

women,

they will fight for their friends or with them as occasion requires.

They are talkative from the beginning,

and, during confirmed intoxication, perfectly obstre-

perous.

of

all

It is

men

of this class

are the heroes

drunken companies, the patrons of masonic

and getters-up of jovial meet-

lodges, the presidents

ings.

who

With them,

eating and drinking are the

grand ends of human,

Look

life.

at their eyes,

they sparkle at the sight of wine, and

lips

smack and

their teeth

hood of a good dinner

quet

in Siberia.

are highly excited

When
:

water

in

how

how
their

the neighbour-

they would scent out a banintoxicated, their passions

the energies of a hundred minds

then seem concentrated into one focus.

Their mirth,

their anger, their love, their folly, are all equally in-

54
Such men cannot conceal

tense and unquenchable.

In drunkenness, the veil

their feelings.

removed

is

from them, and their characters stand revealed,

The Rod-

in a glass, to the eye of the beholder.

erick

Random

of Smollett had

much

as

of this tem-

perament, blended, however, with more intellect

than usually belongs to

II.

ards,

it.

Melancholy Drunkard.

Melancholy,

drunk-

in

sometimes arises from temperament, but more

frequently from habitual intoxication or misfortune.

Some men

become

are melancholy by nature, but

highly mirthful

when they have drunk a

Men

ble quantity.

considera-

of this tone of mind seem to

enjoy the bottle more exquisitely than even the

sanguineous

class.

The joyousness which

it

excites

breaks in upon their gloom like sunshine upon darkness.

Above

when mirth

all,

the sensations, at the

begins with

care, are inexpressible.

its

moment

magic to charm away

Pleasure

falls in

showers

of fragrance upon their souls; they are at peace

with themselves and

all

mankind, and enjoy, as

were, a foretaste of paradise.

it

Robert Burns was

an example of this variety.

His melancholy was

constitutional, but heightened

by misfortune.

bottle

commonly

dispelled

it,

and gave

The

rise to the

55
most delightful images

however,

sometimes,

it

only aggravated the gloom.

III.

Surly Drunkard.

to mirth

by intoxication

Some men are not excited

:

on the contrary,

Even

them gloomy and discontented.

the sober state are sufficiently gay,

sionally thus altered.

offence

is

mischievous.

They
If at

renders

those

who

in

become occa-

great propensity to take

a characteristic

temperament.

it

among persons

of this

are suspicious, and very often

some former period they have

had a difference with any of the company, they are

sure to revive

it,

although, probably,

long ago cemented on both

gotten by the other party.

it

has been

and even

sides,

People of

tion are very unpleasant companions.

for-

this descrip-

They

are in

general so foul-tongued, quarrelsome, and indecent in

conversation, that established clubs of drinkers have

made it

a practice to exclude them from their society.

IV. Phlegmatic Drunkard.

Persons of

this

perament are heavy-rolling machines, and,

like the

above, are not roused to mirth by liquor.

vital actions are dull

and

spiritless

the

tem-

Their

blood in

their veins as

sluggish as the river Jordan, and

their energies

stagnant as the

Dead

Sea.

They

56
are altogether a negative sort of beings, with passions too inert to lead

They

or very bad.

them

any thing very good

to

are a species of animated clods,

but not thoroughly animated for the vital

fire

of

feeling has got cooled in penetrating their frozen

frames.

new Prometheus would

require

to

breathe into their nostrils, to give them the ordi-

Look

nary glow and warmth of humanity.

man

phlegmatic
spired

is

if

is

passionless,

the expression of his

vacant eye

tame

how dead,

Speak to him

his conversation

and unin-

clammy

how

at a

lips

and

cold, slow,

and

the words

come

forth as

they were drawn from his mouth with a pair of

pincers

and the ideas are as frozen

the bowels of Lapland.

in

effect

upon

his mental

smothering one.

powers

The whole

Liquor produces no
;

or, if it does, it is a

energies of the drink

fall

on his almost impassive frame.

his

drunkenness

is

stupifying

as if concocted

he

From
is

the

first,

seized with a

kind of lethargy, the white of his eyes turns up, he

breathes loud and harshly, and sinks into an apoplectic stupor.

Yet

all this is

perfectly harmless,

and wears away without leaving any mark behind

it.

Such persons are very apt to be played upon

by

their companions.

their

There are few men who,

younger days, have not assisted

in

in

shaving the

57
heads and painting the faces of these

lethargic

drunkards.

V. Nervous Drunkard.

This

is

a very harmless

and very tiresome personage.

Generally of a weak

mind and

he does not become

irritable constitution,

boisterous with mirth, and rarely shows the least

glimmering of wit or mental energy.

and fond of long-winded

tive

in a drivelling, silly

manner.

He

is

talka-

which he

tells

Never warmed

into

stories,

enthusiasm by liquor, he keeps chatting at some

ridiculous tale, very

old

man

much

in the

of a garrulous

in his dotage.*

VI. Choleric Drunkard.

drunkards

whom

They seem

title.

way

There are a variety of

can only class under the above

to possess

few of the

qualities of

the other races, and are chiefly distinguished by an

uncommon
irritable,

and,

They

are quick,

and impatient, but withal good

at heart,

when

The

testiness of disposition.

in

humour, very pleasant and generous.

'

who

represented as speaking, in Bunbury's admirable caricature of the " Long Story," furnishes one
*

old gentleman

is

of the best illustrations I have ever seen of this variety.

It is

worth consulting, both on account of the story-teller, and the

effect his tedious garrulity produces upon the company.

58

They

are easily put out of temper, but

almost immediately.

This disposition

it

is

very pre-

among Welshmen and Highland

valent

returns

lairds.

Mountaineers are usually quick-tempered; but such

men
is
is

are not the worst or most unpleasant.

Sterne

undoubtedly right when he says that more virtue

be

to

found in

warm

Commodore Trunnion
temperament

and

is

than cold dispositions.

marked example of

Captain

Fluellen,

pelled the heroic Pistol to eat the leek,

this

who comis

another.

VII. Periodical Drunkard.There are persons

whose temperaments are

so peculiarly constituted,

that they indulge to excess periodically, and are, in

the intervals of these indulgences, remarkably sober.

This

is

not a very

more than one

common

instance of

case,

it

but

have known

and a gentleman,

dis-

tinguished by the power of his eloquence in the

senate and at the bar,

is

In the cases which

have known, the drunken

mania, for

it

can get no other name, came on three

or four times a-year.

complete sobriety,
drink

said to furnish another.

felt

The

persons, from a state of

the most intense desire for

and no power, short of absolute force or con-

finement could restrain them from the indulgence.

In every case they seemed to be quite aware of the

59
uncontrollable nature of their passion, and proceeded
systematically

by confining themselves

to their room,

and procuring a large quantity of ardent

spirits.

As

soon as this was done, they commenced and drank

to excess

till

vomiting ensued, and the stomach ab-

solutely refused to receive another drop of liquor.

may

This state

few days or a few weeks,

last a

ac-

cording to constitutional strength, or the rapidity

with which the libations are poured down.

During

the continuance of the attack, the individual exhibits

such a state of
peculiar

mind

as

temperament

may be
he

looked for from his

may be

sanguineous, or

melancholy, or surly, or phlegmatic, or nervous, or

choleric.

So soon

thing that

is

on, the

fit

as the

stomach rejects every

swallowed, and severe sickness comes

ceases.

From

that

moment, recovery

takes place, and his former fondness for liquor

succeeded by aversion or disgust.

is

This gains such

ascendancy over him, that he abstains religiously

from

it

for weeks, or months, or even for a year,

as the case

life

may

be.

During

this interval

he leads

of the most exemplary temperance, drinking

nothing but cold water, and probably shunning

every society where he
indulgence.
expired, the

So soon
fit

is

likely to be

exposed to

as this period of sobriety has

again comes on; and he continues

60

game

playing the same

of a long

life.

This

for perhaps the better part

class of

persons I would

call

periodical drunkards.

These
strongly

different varieties

marked

gether that
nates.

not easy to say which predomi-

it is

The most

temperament

lies

sometimes found

other times so blended to-

at

are

agreeable drunkard

is

between the sanguineous and the

The genuine sanguineous

melancholic.

he whose

is

a sad

noisy dog, and so common, that every person must

have met with him.

great

The

many gentlemen

phlegmatic,

think,

is

naval service furnishes a

of this description.
rarer, but

and the surly are not unusual.

The

both the nervous

CHAPTER

V.

DRUNKENNESS MODIFIED BY THE INEBRIATING

AGENT.

Intoxication

is

not only influenced by tempera-

ment, but by the nature of the agent which produces

Thus, ebriety from ardent

it.

some

particulars from that brought

malt liquors, such as porter and

I.

Modified by Ardent

which gives to wine,*

teristic properties.

ale,

differs

ale.

Alcohol

all

and

liquors.

state,

In the Appendix,

the

It is this

spirits, their

In the natural

is

charac-

however,

Alcohol appears to exist in wines, in a very peculiar

of combination.

in

on by opium or

Spirits.-

principle of intoxication in

spirits

state,

have availed myself of

Dr. Paris's valuable remai'ks on this subject.

62
it is

so pungent, that

could not be received into

it

the stomach, even in a moderate quantity, without

producing death.
in dilution

and

It can, therefore,

only be used

we have

in this state

it,

from the

The

strongest ardent spirits, to simple small beer.

first

its

(ardent spirits) being the most concentrated of

combinations, act most rapidly upon the consti-

They

tution.

are

more inflammatory, and

sooner than any of the others.

intoxicate

Swallowed

overdose, they act almost instantaneously

guishing the

body with a sudden stupor.

cite

When

spirits

are

form of a dram, they ex-

in the

a glow of heat in the throat and stomach, suc-

ceeded, in those who are not

use,

extin-

and overcoming the whole

senses

swallowed raw, as

in an

much accustomed to their

by a flushing of the countenance, and a copious

discharge of tears.

Persons

who

They

are strongly diuretic.

indulge too

much

in spirits rarely

get corpulent, unless their indulgence be coupled

with good living.

Their bodies become emaciated;

they get spindle-shanked

hollow

their eyes are glazed

their cheeks fall in

age overtakes them.

a morning

and a premature old

They do not

their brother drunkards.

An

dram makes them

and

eat so well as

insatiable desire for

early risers, and their

breakfast amounts to almost nothing.

63

The

men-

principal varieties of spirits, as already

and

tioned, are rum, brandy, wliisky,

gin.

It is

needless to enter into any detail of the history of

Brandy

these fluids.

soonest

kills

rapidly to the head, and,

more

takes most

it

readily than the

others, tinges the face to a crimson or livid hue.

Rum

probably the next in point of fatality

is

whisky and

after that,

two

qualities of the

gin.

latter,

The

and,

superior diuretic

and the

such differences.

luscious

less

sources from which they are procured,

bly account for

may

am

possi-

at

the

same time aware that some persons entertain a

idea

different

liquors

of

the

fatal

than any of them

be remembered, that
is

more

do not deny.

comparing

its

which

speak of

it,

it

but

it

is

is

to

more than any other ardent

liable to adulteration.

circumstance,

class to

danger of these

some, for instance, conceive that gin

more rapidly

spirit,

relative

lives

may be

That, from this

lost

by

its

use, I

In speaking of gin, however, and

effects
it

with those of the rest of the

belongs, I must be understood to

in its pure condition,

and not

in that

detestable state of sophistication in which such vast

quantities of

When
it is

it

are drunk in

London and elsewhere.

pure, I have no hesitation in affirming that

decidedly more wholesome than either brandy


64
or

rum

and that the popular

tendency to produce dropsy,

An

is

belief of its greater

quite unfounded.

experiment has lately been made for the

purpose of ascertaining the comparative powers of

gin, brandy,
is

and rum upon the human body, which

not less remarkable for the inconsequent conclu-

sions

deduced from

it,

than for the ignorance

it

displays in confounding dead animal matter with

the living fibre.

A piece

It

was made

as follows

of raw liver was put into a glass of gin,

another into a glass of rum, and a third into a glass

That

of brandy.

in the gin was, in a

decomposed

partially

time, not diminished

dissolved.

rum was

It

given time,

that in the rum, in the

and that

in the

same

brandy quite

was concluded from these

results, that

the most wholesome spirit of the three,

and brandy the

least.

The

inferences

deduced

from these premises are not only erroneous, but

glaringly absurd

the premises would even afford

grounds for drawing results of the very opposite

nature

it

might be

said, for instance, that

though

brandy be capable of dissolving dead animal matter,

there

is

no evidence that

living stomach,
less hurtful

more

and that

it

can do the same to the

it

would

in reality

than the others, in so far as

it

prove

would,

effectually than they, dissolve the food con-

65
These experiments,

tained in that organ.

prove nothing

in fact,

and could only have been suggested

by one completely ignorant of the functions of the

There

animal economy.
the

principle

vital

operate

a power inherent in

is

which

upon dead matter.

every practitioner, and

is

the

resists

This

the reason

plausible and recondite speculations

have come to naught

in their trials

The only way

frame.

effects o

ardent

is

laws that

known

why

to

the most

of chemistry

upon the living

to

judge of the respective

spirits, is

by experience and phy-

siological reasoning,

both of which inform us that

the spirit most powerfully diuretic must rank high-

Now

est in the scale of safety.

are

and then persons

met with on whose frames both gin and whisky

have a much more heating

other varieties of spirits.

common, and when

referred

to

effect

This, howeveiv

does

it

than the two

occur,

can

is

not

only be

some unaccountable idiosyncrasy of

constitution.

II.

Modified by Wines.

closely resembles that

Drunkenness from wines

from ardent

spirits.

It

is

equally airy and volatile, more especially if the

light wines, such as
tin,

Champaign, Claret, Chamber-

or Volnay, be drunk.

On

the former, a per-

66
son

may

The

get tipsy several times of a night.

fixed air evolved from

it

produces a feeling analo-

gous to ebriety, independent of the

spirit it contains.

Port, Sherry, and Madeira are heavier wines, and

have a stronger tendency to excite headach and

fever.

The wine-bibber has

usually an ominous rotundity

of face, and, not unfrequently, of corporation.

nose

well studded over with carbuncles of the

is

Claret

complexion

and the red of

cheeks

his

resembles very closely the hue of that wine.

drunkard from ardent

spirits is apt to

miserable, emaciated figure, broken in

fortune

may

His

The

be a poor,

mind and

in

but the votary of the juice of the grape

usually boast the

"paunch well

lined with

capon," and calls to recollection the bluif figure of

Sir

John

III.

Modified by Malt Liquors.

* There

Sherry.

Falstaff over his potations of Sack.*

is

Malt

liquors,

reason to believe that the Sack of Shakspeare was

"Falstaff.

You

rogue! here's lime in this Sack too.

There is nothing but roguery to be found in villanous man.

Yet a coward is worse than a cup of Sack with lime in it."
Lime, it is well known, is added to the grapes in the manufacture of Sherry.
This not only gives the wine what is called
its dry quality, but probably acts by neutralizing a portion of
the malic or tartaric acid.

;:

67
under which

and

we

include

kinds of porter

all

produce the worst species of drunkenness

ales,

as, in

title

addition to the intoxicating principle,

some

noxious ingredients are usually added, for the pur-

pose of preserving them and giving them their

The hop

bitter.

of these fluids

is

highly narcotic,

and brewers often add other substances, to heighten

its

effect,

such as hyoscyamus, opium, belladonna,

cocculus Indicus, lauro cerasus, &c.

alcohol

they contain, and partly by the

In addition to

narcotic principle.
tation

which they undergo

is

than that of spirits or wine.

lowed, this process

by which

liquors,

two ways upon the body, partly

therefore, act in

by the

Malt

fixed air

much

the fermenless

perfect

After being swal-

carried on in the stomach,

is
is

this,

copiously liberated, and the

digestion of delicate stomachs materially impaired.

Cider,

spruce,

ginger,

and table beers, in con-

sequence of their imperfect

fermentation,

produce the same bad

long after their

effects,

often
first

briskness has vanished.

Persons addicted to malt liquors increase enor-

mously

in bulk.

They become loaded with

fat

their chin gets double or triple, the eye prominent,

and the whole face bloated and

culation

is

stupid.

Their

cir-

clogged, while the pulse feels like a

68
and

cord,

During

is

full

and labouring, but not quick.

sleep, the breathing is stertorous.

Every

thing indicates an excess of blood; and

when a

pound or two
obtained.

The

and sizy than

ten,

blood, in such cases,

is

is

more dark

In seven cases out of

in the others.

drunkards

malt-liquor

palsy.

taken away, immense relief

is

of

die

apoplexy or

If they escape this hazard, swelled liver or

dropsy carries them

off.

The abdomen seldom

loses its prominency, but the lower extremities get

ultimately emaciated.

Profuse bleedings frequently

ensue from the nose, and save

life,

by emptying

the blood-vessels of the brain.

The drunkenness

in

question

is

peculiarly of

The most noted examples

British growth.

of

it

are to be found in innkeepers and their wives, recruiting

The
will

sergeants,

guards of stage-coaches, &c.

quantity of malt liquors which such persons

consume

in a

lish pints is quite a

day

is

prodigious.

common

allowance, and not un-

frequently twice that quantity

perceptible effect.

taken without any

is

Many of the

Thames think nothing

Seven Eng-

coal-heavers on the

of drinking daily two gallons

of porter, especially in the

summer

season,

they labour under profuse perspirations.

has informed

me

that he

knew an

when

A friend

instance of one of

69
pints in one day,

them having consumed eighteen

and he

The

states that there are

effects of

many

such instances.*

malt liquors on the body,

immediately rapid as those of ardent

more

stupifying,

The

moved.
levity

more

lasting,

and

last are particularly

and mirth, but the

first

if

not so

spirits,

are

less easily re-

prone to produce

have a stunning

influ-

ence upon the brain, and, in a short time, render

dull

and sluggish the gayest disposition.

They

also

produce sickness and vomiting more readily than

either spirits or wine.

Both wine and malt

liquors have a greater ten-

dency to swell the body than ardent

form blood with greater

more nourishing.

rapidity,

The most

spirits.

and are altogether

dreadful effects, upon

the whole, are brought on

by

ness from malt liquors

the most speedily

The former break down

latter operate

is

They

spirits,

but drunkenfatal.

the body by degrees

the

by some instantaneous apoplexy or

rapid inflammation.

No

one has ever given the respective characters

of the malt-liquor and ardent- spirit drunkard with

greater truth than Hogarth, in his Beer Alley and

* " It

recorded of a Welsh squire, William Lewis, who

died in 1793, that he drank eight gallons of ale per diem, and
is

weighed forty stones."

Wadd's Comments on Corpulency.

70

The

Gin Lane.

first is

cund, and bloated

represented as plump, rubi-

the second as pale, tottering,

and emaciated, and dashed over with the aspect of

blank despair.

IV. Modified by Opium,

The drunkenness pro-

duced by opium has also some characteristics which

it is

The drug

necessary to mention.

employed by the Mahometans.

By

is

principally

their religion,

these people are forbidden the use of wine,* and

And

use opium as a substitute.

a delightful sub-

stitute it is while the first excitation continues

the images
site

it

occasions in the

for

mind are more exqui-

than any produced even by wine.

There

is

reason to believe that the use of this

medicine has, of late years, gained ground in Great

Britain.

We

are told

by the " English Opium-

Eater, " whose powerful and interesting " Confessions" have excited so deep an interest, that the

practice exists

Many

ter.

to

wine,

the

work people

The law
is

at

Manches-

of our fashionable ladies have recourse

when troubled with

it

* "

among

of

vapours, or low spirits

Mahomet which

prohibits the drinking of

a law fitted to the climate of Arabia

and, indeed, before

Mahomet's time, water was the common drink of the Arabs.

The law which forbade the Carthaginians to drink wine, was
also a law of the climate. " Montesquieu, Book xiv. Chap. x.

71
it

about with them for the

is

most pernicious, and no

some of them even carry

This practice

purpose.

way

different

from that of drunkards, who swallow-

wine and other liquors to drive away

the

effects continue, the

first

Opium
While

it

acts differently

disposes

increases

some

whether

fol-

on different constitutions.

to calm,

it

it

arouses others to

Man, speaks of the

at the time,

be love, or hatred, or re-

Lord Karnes,

venge, or benevolence.
of

is

exhilaration.

Whatever passion predominates

fury.
it

intended purpose

greater than can be compensated

is infinitely

by the previous

While

but the melancholy which

sufficiently gained,

lows

care.

in his Sketches

fanatical Faquirs,

who, when

excited by this drug, have been known, with poi-

soned daggers, to

whom
last,

and butcher every European

they could overcome.

one of

sailors,

In the century before

this nation attacked a

body of Dutch

and murdered seventeen of them

The Malays

minute.

opium.

assail

When

are

strongly

violently aroused

times perform what

is

called

by

in

one

addicted to

it,

they some-

Running -a- Muck, which

consists in rushing out in a state of phrensied ex-

citement, heightened

every one

who comes

by

fanaticism,

in their

way.

and murdering

The Turkish

commanders are well aware of the powers of

d2

this

72
drug in inspiring an
quently give

artificial

men when they put them

to their

it

courage; and fre-

on any enterprise of great danger.

Some minds

by opium.

are rendered melancholy

Its usual effect,

however,

and happy sensations.

is

The

to give rise to lively

late

Duchess of Gordon

is

said to have used

iii

great parties, where she wished to shine hy the

it

freely, previous to

appearing

gaiety of her conversation and brilliancy of her wit.

A
to

celebrated pleader at the Scotch bar

reported

is

do the same thing, and always with a happy

effect.

In this country opium

is

much

used, but seldom

with the view of producing intoxication.

indeed, deny that

by

intoxication

is

it

can do

meant a

so, strictly

Some,

speaking.

If

state precisely similar to

that from over-indulgence in vinous or spirituous

liquors, they are

undoubtedly right

but drunken-

ness merits a wider latitude of signification.

ecstacies of

opium are much more entrancing than

There

those of wine.

more

mental

imagination.

The.

is

more poetry

aggrandizement

Wine,

in

in its visions

more

common with

it,

range of
invigorates

the animal powers and propensities, but opium, in a

more

peculiar manner, strengthens those proper to

man, and

gives, for a period

amounting to hours, a

7S
It inspires

higher tone to the intellectual faculties.

the mind with a thousand delightful images,

the

lifts

soul from earth, and casts a halo of poetic thought

and feeling over the

Under

tive.

its

most unimagina-

spirits of the

influence, the

mind wears no longer

that blank passionless aspect which, even in gifted

natures,

it is

On

apt to assume.

the contrary,

it is

clothed with beauty " as with a garment," and

colours every thought that passes through

the hues of
feelings

man

wonder and romance.

it

with

Such are the

which the luxurious and opulent Mussul-

seeks to enjoy.

To

stir

up the languid current

of his mind, satiated with excess of pleasure and

rendered sluggish by indolence, he has recourse to

that

remedy which

his

in greatest perfection.

own

genial climate produces

Seated perhaps amid the

luxuries of Oriental splendour

with fountains bub-

bling around, and the citron shading

canopy, and scattering perfume on

him with

he

all sides

its

lets

loose the reins of an imagination conversant from

infancy with every thing gorgeous and magnificent.

The

veil

which shades the world of fancy

drawn, and the wonders lying behind

view he sees palaces and temples

;

the Paradise of

of amaranth,

Mahomet, with

may

its

it

is

with-

exposed to

in the clouds

or

houris and bowers

stand revealed to his excited

Every thing

senses.

steeped in poetic exaggera-

The zephyrs seem converted

tion.
sic,

is

the trees bear golden

fruit,

into aerial

the rose blushes with

unaccustomed beauty and perfume.

word,

Earth, in a

brought nearer to the sky, and becomes

is

one vast Eden of pleasure.

of opium

mu-

but

in

Such are the first

proportion as they are great, so

the depression which succeeds them.

exhaustion invariably come after

the drug

is

Languor and
remove which,

to

again had recourse

is

effects

to,

and becomes

almost an essential of existence.

Opium

retains at all times its

power of exciting

the imagination, provided sufficient doses are taken.

But,

when

disease

ings

has been continued so long as to bring

it

upon the

constitution, the pleasurable feel-

wear away, and are succeeded by others of a

Instead of disposing the mind

very different kind.

to be happy,

now

it

demon, and

calls

The

is

fancy

acts

upon

like the spell of a

up phantoms of horror and disgust.

still

as powerful as

turned in another direction.

all

it

Formerly

objects with the light of heaven

them with the

ever,

attributes of hell.

now

but
it

it

it

is

clothed
invests

Goblins, spectres,

and every kind of distempered vision haunt the

mind, peopling

The

sleep

is

it

with dreary and revolting imagery.

no longer cheered with

its

former sights

75
of happiness.
till,

Frightful dreams usurp their place,

at last, the

person becomes the victim of an

Nor

almost perpetual misery.*

is

this confined to

the mind alone, for the body suffers in an equal de-

Emaciation, loss of appetite, sickness, vomit-

gree.
ing,

and a

total disorganization

of the digestive

functions, as well as of the mental powers, are sure

to ensue,
evil habit

Opium

and never

fail

to terminate in death, if the

which brings them on

is

continued.

resembles the other agents of intoxication

The following description, by a modern traveller, of a scene

witnessed by him in the East, gives a lively picture of the effects
*

of this drug:
" There is a decoction of the head and seeds of the poppy,

which they

call

Coquenar, for the

sale

of which there are

taverns in every quarter of the town, similar to our coffeehouses.

It is extremely

observe carefully those

drinking

it,

amusing

who

to visit these houses,

and

to

resort there for the purpose of

both before they have taken the dose, before

it

begins

and while it is operating. On entering- the tavern,

they are dejected and languishing soon after they have taken
two or three cups of this beverage, they are peevish, and as it
were, enraged ; every thing displeases them.
They find fault
with every thing, and quarrel with one another, but in the
course of its operation they make it up again ; and, each one
giving himself up to his predominant passion, the lover speaks
sweet things to his idol another, half asleep, laughs in his sleeve
a third talks big and blusters a fourth tells ridiculous stories.
In a word, a person would believe himself to be really in a
mad-house. A kind of lethargy and stupidity succeed to this
disorderly gaiety ; but the Persians, far from treating it as it
deserves, call it an ecstacy, and maintain that there is something
exquisite and heavenly in this state."*Chardin.
to operate,

p,

in this, that the

and that

fondness for

at last,

it

it

increases with use,

becomes nearly

essential for

The

bodily comfort and peace of mind.

quantity

which may be taken varies exceedingly, and depends

wholly upon age, constitution, and habit.

drop of laudanum has been known to

born child

and four grains of

stroyed an adult.

&c,

phrensies,

solid

kill

single

a new-

opium have de-

Certain diseases, such as fevers,

facilitate the action of

opium upon

the system; others, such as diarrhoea, cramp, &c.

resist

it

and a quantity which would destroy

in the former,

the latter.

would have

By

habit,

little

life

perceptible effect in

enormous quantities of the

drug may be taken with comparative impunity.

There are many persons

in this

country

a practice of swallowing half an ounce of

who make
laudanum

night and morning, and some will even take from

one to two drachms daily of solid opium.

Teriakis, or opium-eaters

The

of Constantinople, will

sometimes swallow a hundred grains at a single

dose.

Nay,

it is

them will take

confidently affirmed that

at once three

drachms

in the

some of
morning,

and repeat the same dose at night, with no other

effect

than a pleasing exhilaration of

spirits.

The

" English Opium-Eater" himself furnishes one of

the most extraordinary instances on record of the

77

power of habit

He

this drug.

bringing the body to withstand

in

took daily eight thousand drops of

laudanum, containing three hundred and twenty grains

This enormous quantity he reduced sud-

of opium.

denly, and without any considerable effort, to one

" Instantaneously,"

thousand drops, or forty grains.

says he,

" and as

if

by magic, the cloud of pro-

foundest melancholy which rested upon

some black vapours which

like

have seen

from the summits of the mountains, drew

day

passed

off

with

its

murky

my

brain,

roll

away

off in

one

banners, as simul-

taneously as a ship that has been stranded, and

floated off

is

by the spring-tide."

The circumstance

of the

body being brought by

degrees to withstand a great quantity of opium

is

not solitary, but exists as a general rule with regard

and

to all stimulants

in the habit of drinking ale,

take

narcotics.

person

who

is

wine, or spirits, will

much more with impunity than one who

is

not

and the faculty of withstanding these agents goes

on strengthening
after

which

it

place, there
debility.

till

it

acquires a certain point,

becomes weakened.
is

When this takes

either organic disease

or general

confirmed drunkard, whose constitu-

tion has suffered from indulgence, cannot take so

much

liquor, without feeling

it,

as one

who

is

in the

78
liabit

of taking

unimpaired.

probably

glass,

3iis

It

is,

but whose strength

yet

is

the same, though

suspect,

with regard to opium.

in a less degree,

Mithridates, king of Pontus, affords an instance

of the effects of habit in enabling the body to withstand poisons

that physicians

and on the same

principle,

resembles wine,

spirit,

than those

it

persons whose frames are not similarly

and

fortified.

ales, in affect-

Taken

ing the brain and disposing to apoplexy.

in an over- dose,

find

and nurses who are much exposed

to infection, are less liable to take

Opium

we

it is

fatal in

from six

to twenty-four

hours, according to the quantity swallowed, and the

constitution, habits,
its

&c, of the person submitted

The

operation.

following

the

are

symptoms of poisoning from opium.

succeeded by stupor

to

principal

Giddiness

insensibility to light, while

the eyes are closed, and the pupil immoveable, and

sometimes dilated.

and

The

pulse

feeble, but, occasionally,

common

apoplexy.

perceptible, but

is

generally small

is

slow and

The breathing

is

vomiting.

and pale or

livid.

apt to become stertorous.

:

ceptible in the breath.

skin

cadaverous

is

narcotic odour

The

Foam

in other cases

The countenance

as in

at first is scarcely

sometimes issues from the mouth

there

full,

is

often per-

is cold,

and the

79
body exceedingly relaxed

By

vulsed.

now and

then

con-

it is

being struck, shaken, or excited any

way, the person sometimes recovers for a short

period from his stupor, and stares wildly around

At

him, but only to relapse into lethargy.

last

death ensues, but shortly before this event, a deceitful

show of animation

ance, and

occasionally

may impose upon

makes

its

superficial observers.

I extract the following interesting case of

eating from a

"

An

London paper

appear-

opium-

inquest was held at Walpole lately, on the

who had

body of Rebecca Eason, aged

five years,

been diseased from her

was unable

birth,

to

walk

or articulate, and from her size, did not appear to

be more than five weeks

old.

The mother had

for

many

years been in the habit of taking opium in

large

quantities,

a-

day

;*)

and,

(nearly a quarter

it is

supposed, had entailed a disease

on her child which caused

to a

mere

birth.

skeleton, and

Verdict

'

of an ounce

its

death

had been

Died by the

it

was reduced

in that state

visitation of

from

God

but from the great quantity of opium taken by the

mother during her pregnancy of the

of suckling

Equal

it,

said child,

she had greatly injured

to nearly three

and

its health.'

thousand drops of laudanum.

80
It

appeared that the mother of the deceased had had

five children

that she began to take

the birth and weaning of her

and

remarkably healthy

is

children have

all

opium

first child,

after

which was

and that the other

lingered and died in the same em-

aciated state as the child

this investigation.

who was

The mother

is

the subject of

under thirty

she was severely censured by the coroner for in-

dulging in so pernicious a practice."

V. Modified by Tobacco.
ness

is

excited

A variety of drunken-

by tobacco.

duced into Europe from the

This luxury was intro-

New

World,

in 1559,

by a Spanish gentleman, named Hernandez de

Toledo,

who brought

From

and Portugal.

French ambassador
Paris,

where

it

a small quantity into Spain

thence,

by the agency of the

at Lisbon,

was used

in the

it

found

its

way

to

form of powder by

Catherine de Medicis, the abandoned instigator of

the massacre of the Protestants on St. Bartholo-

mew's day.

This woman, therefore,

may be

con-

sidered the inventor of snuff, as well as the contriver

of that most atrocious transaction.

It

then came

under the patronage of the Cardinal Santa Croce,

the Pope's nuncio, who, returning from his embassy
at the Spanish

and Portuguese courts, carried the

81
plant to his
little

own

country, and thus acquired a fame

inferior to that which, at another period,

he

had won by piously bringing a portion of the real

cross

from the Holy Land.

It

was received with

general enthusiasm in the Papal States, and hardly

less

favourably in England, into which

was

it

duced by Sir Walter Raleigh, in 1585.

however, without opposition that

it

It

intro-

was

gained a footing

either in this country or in the rest of Europe,

principal opponents

were the

and the sovereign princes

was declared sinful; and

by the former,

in 1624,

when

was renewed

in

Its

priests, the physicians,

its

use

Pope Urban VIII.

published a bull, excommunicating

guilty of taking snuff

not,

all

persons found

This bull

in church.

1690 by Pope Innocent

and about

twenty-nine years afterwards, the Sultan Amurath

IV. made smoking a capital offence, on the ground

of

its

producing

ing was forbidden in

having the nose cut

erland,

it

For a long time smok-

infertility.

off

Russia,
:

under the pain of

and in some parts of Switz-

was likewise made a

prosecution

the

subject of public

public regulations of the Canton

of Berne, in 1661, placing the prohibition of smok-

ing in the
ately

under

British

list

of the ten commoudments, immedi-

that

against

Solomon James

I.

adultery.

Nay,

did not think

it

that

beneath

82
the royal dignity to take up bis pen upon the sub-

He accordingly,

ject.

in 1603, published his

" Counterblaste to Tobacco,"

in

remarkable passage occurs

some

famous

which the following

It is

a custom loathe-

to the eye, hatefull to the nose, harmfull to the

brain e, dangerous to the lungs, and, in the black

stinking fume thereof, nearest resembling the horri-

smoke of the

ble Stygian

But notwithstanding

this

wrath, the plant extended

this

moment

The

pit that is bottomless."*

regal

itself far

and sacerdotal

and wide, and

is

at

the most universal luxury in existence.

effects of tobacco are considerably different

from those of any other inebriating agent.

of quickening,

* " Tobacco,"

it

lowers the pulse, and,

King James

Instead

when used

farther observes, "

is

to

the lively

image and pattern of hell, for it hath, by allusion, in it all the

parts and vices of the world, whereby hell may be gained ; to
wit, first, it is a smoke ; so are all the vanities of this world.
Secondly, it delighteth them that take it ; so do all the pleasures
of the world delight the men of the world.
Thirdly, it maketh
men drunken and light in the head ; so do all the vanities of the
world, men are drunken therewith.
Fourthly, he that taketh
tobacco cannot leave
sures of the world

it

it

doth bewitch him

make men

even so the plea-

them they are, for

And, farther, besides all

loath to leave

the most part, enchanted with them.

this, it is like hell in

the very substance of

it,

for

it is

a stinking

And, moreover, his majesty

is hell."
"
declares, that
were he to invite the devil to a dinner, he
should have three dishes ; first, a pig ; second, a poll of ling

loathsome thing, and so

and mustard

and, third, a pipe of tobacco for digestion."

83
excess, produces languor, depression of the system,

giddiness,

confusion of ideas, violent pain in the

stomach, vomiting, convulsions, and even death.

two or

essential oil is so intensely powerful, that

three drops inserted into a

almost instantly fatal.*

plant, for the

raw wound, would prove

Mr. Barrow,

made by

speaks of the use

in his travels,

the Hottentots of this

"

purpose of destroying snakes.

he, " applied

Hottentot," says
short end of his

some of

wooden tobacco pipe

it

mouth

The

as instantaneous as an electric shock

from the

to the

of a snake while darting out his tongue.

was

Its

effect

with a

convulsive motion that was momentary, the snake

half untwisted itself, and never stirred

the

more

and

muscles were so contracted, that the whole

hard and

animal

felt

When

used in moderation, tobacco has a soothing

rigid, as if dried in the sun."

upon the mind, disposing

effect

to placid enjoyment?

and mellowing every passion into repose.

therefore, are inebriating

indulge in

* It

it

appears

may
from

action,

The former

ing

Mr.

Brodie's

experiments, that

the

very differently from the in-

acts instantly

on the heart, suspending

its

even while the animal continues to inspire, and destroy-

life

solely

and those who habitually

with propriety be denominated

essential oil of tobacco operates

fusion.

Its effects,

by producing syncope.

The

latter appears to operate

on the brain, leaving the circulation unaffected.


84
drunkards.

In whatever form

it

used,

is

pro-

it

duces sickness, stupor, bewilderment, and staggering in those unaccustomed to

form

in

which

it

its

can be taken that

injurious and disgusting.

There

use.

is

not decidedly

is

The whole, from

snuffing

to plugging, are at once so utterly uncleanly

unnatural, that

it is

and

what manner they

themselves into civilized society.

ever insinuated

incredible in

no

vast quantity of valuable time

votaries of tobacco, especially

is

wasted by the

by the smokers

and

that the devotees of snuff are not greatly behind in

this respect, will

calculation of

be shown by the following singular

Lord Stanhope:

" Every professed, inveterate, and incurable snufftaker," says his Lordship, " at a moderate computation, takes

one pinch in ten minutes.

Every

pinch,

with the agreeable ceremony of blowing and wiping

the nose, and other incidental circumstances, con-

sumes a minute and a

half.

One minute and

a half

out of every ten, allowing sixteen hours to a snuff-

taking day, amounts to two hours and twenty-four

minutes out of every natural day, or one day out of

ten.

One day

six days

out of every ten, amounts to thirty-

and a half

in a year.

Hence,

if

we

suppose

the practice to be persisted in forty years, two entire

years of the snuff-taker's

life will

be dedicated

85
to tickling his nose,

The expense

and two more to blowing

it.

of snuff, snuff-boxes, and handkerchiefs

will be the subject of a second essay, in

which

it

will

appear that this luxury encroaches as much on the

income of the snuff-taker as

that

it

does on his time

and

by proper application of the time and money

thus lost to the public, a fund might be constituted

for the discharge of the national debt."

But

this is

not the worst of snuffing, for though a

moderate quantity taken

now and

may do no

then,

harm, yet, in the extent to which habitual snuffers

carry

it, it is

which

positively pernicious.

lines the

The membrane

nose gets thickened, the olfactory

nerves blunted, and the sense of smell consequently

Nor

impaired.
tions

is

this all, for,

by the strong

which are made when the powder

some of the
stomach.

is

inspira-

drawn up,

latter is pretty sure to escape into the

This organ

is

thence directly subjected to

a powerful medicine, which not only acts as a narcotic,

but produces heartburn, and every other symp-

tom of

indigestion.

Napoleon owed

It is generally believed that

his death to the

stomach produced by excessive

morbid

state of his

snuffing.

Snuffing

has also a strong tendency to give a determination

to the head,

and on

this

account plethoric subjects

should be the very last ever to enter upon the habit.

86
If

it

were attended with no other inconvenience, the

black loathsome discharge from the nose, and swell-

ing and rubicundity of this organ, with other

cir-

cumstances equally disagreeable, ought to deter

every

man from becoming

a snuffer.

The smoker, while engaged

man

even a happier

peculiar satisfaction

at his occupation, is

An

than the snuffer.

beams upon

air of

his countenance;

and, as he puffs forth volumes of fragrance, he seems

to dwell in an atmosphere of contented happiness.

His

have not the elevated and magnificent

illusions

by opium or wine.

character of those brought on

There

is

nothing of Raphael or Michael Angelo in

their composition
tian schools
osto's

nothing of the Roman or Vene-

nothing of Milton's sublimity, or Ari-

dazzling romance

equally delightful, and in

His visions stand

opium or wine,

in the

as the

but there

its

relation to those of

pictures of Ostade to

the Italian ones of Paul Veronese

Irving to Lord

There

sart.

He

them.

Byron

is

or

as Izaak

does not

let his

Washington

Walton to Frois-

it

imagination run riot in

to the

and meditates delightfully

region.

as

an air of delightful homeliness about

the clouds, but restrains

earth,

something

way, equally perfect.

same

Dutch

is

lower sphere of

in this less elevated

If his fancy be unusually brilliant, or some-

87
what heated by previous drinking, he may see thousands of strange forms floating in the tobacco smoke.

He may

people

it,

according to his temperament,

with agreeable or revolting images

and gems springing up, as

in

with

flowers

dreams, before him

or with reptiles, serpents, and the whole host of

skimming, like motes in the sunshine,

diablerie,

amid

curling wreaths.

its

This

that can be said in favour of smoking,

is all

and quite enough to render the habit too common

any hope of

to leave

weapons of
the Sultan

its

suppression, either

more summary plan of

ridicule, or the

Amurath.

In no sense, except as afford-

ing a temporary gratification, can

defended.

It pollutes

it

be justified or

the breath, blackens the teeth,

wastes the saliva which

is

required for digestion,

and injures the complexion.

is

by the

In addition to

this, it

apt to produce dyspepsia, and other disorders of

the stomach

to apoplexy.

and, in corpulent subjects,

At

young men are

it

manly

to be able to

ber, without reflecting that there

woman

in the country

who would
E

in their

They seem

smoke a
is

is

to be seen

walking the streets with cigars

mouths, annoying the passengers.

consider

disposes

the present moment, smoking

fashionable, and crowds of

at all hours

it

certain

to

num-

scarcely an old

not beat them to

88
naught with their own weapons, and that they would
gain no sort of honour were they able to outsnioke
all

As the practice,

the burgomasters of Amsterdam.

however, seems more resorted to by these young

gentlemen for the sake of

little

and of exhibiting a

effect,

of the haut ton, than for any thing else,

likely soon to die a natural death

ticularly as jockeys

among them

and porters have

it is

par-

lately taken

the field in the same way, being determined that no

class of the

community

monopoly of

street smoking.

The

observations

shall enjoy the exclusive

made upon

ing and smoking, apply in a

chewing.

This

is

still

the worst

which tobacco can be used.

the effects of snuff-

stronger degree to

way

for the health in

The waste

of saliva

is

greater than even in smoking, and the derangements

of the digestive organs proportionably severe.

All

confirmed chewers are more than usually subject to

dyspepsia and hypochondriasis

and many of them

are afflicted with liver complaint, brought on

by

their imprudent habit.

The most
disgusting

innocent, and, at the

way

of using tobacco,

is

same time most

plugging, which

consists in inserting a short roll of the plant in the

nostril,

and allowing

it

to

the person feels disposed.

remain there so long as

Fortunately this habit

is

89
as rare as

that
I

k will

it is

abominable

never become

and

it is

common

in

hoped

to be

Great Britain.

have observed, that persons who are much ad-

dicted to liquor have an inordinate liking to tobacco

in all its different

forms

and

remarkable that

it is

in the early stages of ebriety almost every

This

desirous of having a pinch of snuff.

it is

not easy to explain, but the former

man

is

last fact

may be

ac-

counted for by that incessant craving after excitement

which clings to the system of the confirmed drunkard.

From

several of the foregoing circumstances,

we

are justified in considering tobacco closely allied to

intoxicating liquors, and

At

species of drunkards.

when used

to excess,

its

it

confirmed votaries as a
least, it is certain that

gives birth to

many

of the

corporeal and mental manifestations of ebriety.

VI. Modified by Nitrous Oxide.

ness, if

oxide,

is

it

The

drunken-

merit that name, from inhaling nitrous

likewise of a character widely differing from

intoxication in general.

This gas was discovered by

Dr. Priestley, but its peculiar

body were

first

Davy, who,

effects

upon the human

perceived in 1799, by Sir

Humphry

in the following year, published a

elaborate account of

its

very

nature and properties, inter-

spersed with details by some of the most eminent

90
literary

and

scientific characters

they experienced on receiving

of the sensations
into their lungs.

it

According to these statements, on breathing the

gas the pulse

accelerated, and a feeling of heat

is

expansion pervades the chest.

The most

and

vivid and

highly pleasurable ideas pass, at the same time,

through the mind

and the imagination

to a pitch of entrancing ecstacy.

rendered more acute, the face

body seems so

The hearing
flushed,

him-

up and mounting into the

theatrical attitudes

is

and the

light that the person conceives

self capable of rising

Some assume

is

exalted

is

air.

others laugh im-

moderately, and stamp upon the ground.

There

is

an universal increase of muscular power, attended

with the most exquisite delight.
there are
vision

melancholy,

giddiness,

and

indistinct

but generally the feelings are those of per-

fect pleasure.

After these strange

ceased, no debility ensues, like that

follows high excitement.

is

In a few cases

On

have

effects

which commonly

the contrary, the

mind

strong and collected, and the body unusually vig-

orous for some hours after the operation.

At

the time of the discovery of the effects of ni-

trous oxide, strong hopes were excited that

prove useful in various diseases.

nately, have not

been realized.

it

might

These, unfortu-

Even

the alleged

91

now fallen

properties of the gas have

That

credit.

dis-

has produced remarkable effects

it

cannot be denied, but there

many

ing that, in

some

into

is

much reason

cases, these

by the

sure brought about

were

for think-

in a great

mea-

influence of imagination.

Philosophers seem to be divided on this point, and

their conflicting testimonies

Having

cile.

tried the

it

experiment of inhaling the

gas myself, and having seen

is

originally published of

its

cases,

it

tried

much

have no doubt that there

many

not easy to recon-

is

properties, although in

imagination has

produces

it

differs so

that

it

is

others, I

truth in the reports

made

these

The

greater than they really are.

which

upon

appear

intoxication

entirely one sui generis,

much from that produced by

and

other agents,

can hardly be looked upon as the same

thing.

The

effects of nitrous

considerable,
others.

The

oxide upon myself, though

were not so striking

as I

have seen upon

principal feelings produced,

diness

and violent beating

in the

acme of drunkenness. There was

propensity to laugh
in

my own

risible

case,

it

were gid-

in the head, such as occur

also a strong

occurs to me, however, that

and probably

in

some

others, the

tendency might be controlled by a strong

effort of volition, in the

same way

as in

most cases

92
of drunkenness, were the effort imperatively requisite.

Altogether I experienced nearly the sensa-

tions of highly excited ebriety.

There was the same

seeming lightness and expansion of the head, the

same mirthfulness of

spirit,

and the same inordinate

propensity to do foolish things, knowing them to be

foolish, as occur in

perfectly aware

drunkenness in general.

what

persuaded, with some

was about, and

effort,

was

could, I

am

have subjected the

whimsies of fancy to the soberer dictates ofjudgment.

In a word, the gas produced precisely a temporary

paroxysm of drunkenness, and such a determination

of blood upwards as rendered the complexion livid,

and

left

behind some degree of headach.

Such are

the effects upon myself, but with most people, there

is

a total unconsciousness of the part they are acting.

They perform

the most extravagant pranks, and on

recovering their self-possession are totally ignorant

Sometimes the gas has an op-

of the circumstance.

posite effect, and the person instantly drops

insensible, as if struck

by lightning: he

however, immediately.

Those who wish

more of

this curious

upon themselves.

recovers,
to

subject, should read

Davy's work, but, above

all,

down

know

Sir

H.

they should try the gas

In the meantime

fore the reader the details, in their

I shall

lay be-

own words,

of

93
by Messrs. Edgeworth

the sensations experienced

and Coleridge, and by Dr. Kinglake.

Mr. Edgeworth's Case.

" My

first

sensation

was an universal and considerable tremor.

my

perceived some giddiness in

dizziness in

my

sight

head, and a violent

these sensations

then

by degrees

subsided, and I felt a great propensity to bite through

the

wooden mouth-piece, or the tube

through which
breathed

all

inspired the

of the

After

air.

bag
had

the air that was in the bag, I eagerly

wished for more,

then

a strong propensity to

felt

laugh, and did burst into a violent

fit

of laughter, and

capered about the room without having the power of

restraining myself.

By degrees, these

sided, except the tremor,

after I

had breathed the

my knees.

The

of the time, or

my

what

feelings,

which lasted for an hour

air,

and

I felt

a weakness in

principal feeling through the

cal part of the effect,

ing

feelings sub-

should

was a

call

whole

the characteristi-

total difficulty of restrain-

both corporeal and mental,

other words, not having any

Mr. Coleridge's Case.

command

" The

or, in

of myself."

first

time

I in-

spired the nitrous oxide, I felt an highly pleasurable

sensation of warmth over

my whole frame, resembling

remember

that which I once

after returning

from a walk

make, was that of laughing

ing at me.
last,

my

My

eyes

went

sensation

felt

heart beat as

On removing

down.

"

in the

The only motion which

room.

the

to have experienced

off

The second

snow

into a

warm

I felt inclined to

who were

at those

look-

distended, and, towards

if it

were leaping up and

the mouth-piece, the whole

almost instantly.

time, I felt the

same pleasurable

sensation of warmth, but not, I think, in quite so

great a degree.

would have on

some
other

my

wished to know what

impressions: I fixed

effect,

eye on

tears.

the

time.

first

The

any

except that they became dimmer and

through

My

at last as if I

heart beat

had seen them

more

violently than

This was after a hearty dinner.

third time, I

was more violently acted on

Towards the

than in the two former.

not avoid, nor indeed
ing the ground with
piece

my

trees in the distance, but I did not find

dimmer, and looked

"

effect it

was removed,

felt

my
I

any wish

feet

last, I

could

to avoid, beat-

and, after the mouth-

remained for a few seconds

motionless, in great ecstacy.

"

The fourth time was immediately after breakfast.

The
I

first

few inspirations

thought Mr.

affected

me

so

little,

Davy had given me atmospheric

that
air;

95
but soon

the

felt

warmth beginning about

my chest,

and spreading upward and downward, so that

could feel

its

my

progress over

heart did not beat so violently

my sensations were

intense or apparently

highly pleasurable, not so

local,

My

whole frame.

but of more unmingled pleasure than

had

ever before experienced."

Dr. Kinglake's
it

was limited

Case. "

air.

tions, a sense of additional

energy,

if

of

to four quarts, diluted with an equal

quantity of atmospheric

it

My first inspiration

After a few inspira-

freedom and power

(call

you please) agreeably pervaded the

gion of the lungs

this

re-

was quickly succeeded by an

almost delirious but highly pleasurable sensation in

the brain, which was soon diffused over the whole

frame, imparting to the muscular power at once an

increased disposition and tone for action

mental

effect of the

effects

were

and delight,

voli-

power of voluntary motion. These

in a greater or less

during about

but the

excitement was such as to absorb

in a sort of intoxicating placidity

tion, or rather the

five

minutes,

when

degree protracted
the former state

returned, with the difference however of feeling

more

cheerful and alert, for several hours after.

" It seemed also to have had the further effect of

e 2

96
reviving rheumatic irritations in the shoulder and
knee-joints,

which had not been previously

No

many months.

felt for

perceptible change was induced

in the pulse, either at or

subsequent to the time of

inhaling the gas.

"

The

produced by a second

effects

trial of its

powers, were more extensive, and concentrated on

the brain.
luted,

In this instance, nearly six quarts undi-

were accurately and

former occasion,

it

its

the

immediately proved agreeably

respirable, but before the

exhausted,

As on

fully inhaled.

whole quantity was quite

agency was exerted so strongly on

the brain, as progressively to suspend the senses of

seeing, hearing, feeling,

At

volition itself.

augmented both

and ultimately the power of

this period, the pulse

in force

and frequency

was much
slight con-

vulsive twitches of the muscles of the arms

also induced;

were

no painful sensation, nausea, or lan-

guor, however, either preceded, accompanied, or fol-

lowed

this state,

nor did a minute elapse before the

brain rallied, and resumed

a sense of glowing

its

wonted faculties, when

warmth extending over the

sys-

tem, was speedily succeeded by a re-instatement of

the equilibrium of health.

" The more permanent

effects

were (as

experiment) an invigorated feel of

vital

in the first

power, im-

97
proved

spirits, transient irritations in different parts,

but not so characteristically rheumatic as in the

former instance.
"

Among the circumstances most worthy of regard

in considering the properties

this

of

powerful aerial agent,

and administration of

may be

ranked, the fact

being, contrary to the prevailing opinion, both

its

highly respirable, and salutary

brain and system at large with a

that

it

impresses the

more or

less strong

and durable degree of pleasurable sensation

that,

unlike the effect of other violently exciting agents,

no sensible exhaustion or diminution of

accrues from the exertions of
that

its

its

vital

stimulant property

most excessive operation even,

is

permanently nor transiently debilitating; and

that
to

it

fairly promises,

prove an extremely

power
;

neither
finally,

under judicious application,

efficient

remedy, as well in

the vast tribe of diseases originating from deficient

irritability

and

sensibility, as in those

proceeding

from morbid associations, and modifications of those

vital principles."*

The

quarts.

doses in these experiments, were

from

five to

seven

CHAPTER

VI.

ENUMERATION OF THE LESS COMMON

INTOXICATING AGENTS.

In

this

Chapter,

I shall

content myself with the enu-

meration of a few of the

agents.

To

detail all

less

common

intoxicating"

the productions of nature

which have the power of inebriating, would be an

endless and uninteresting topic.

Hemlock.

A powerful

ness, elevation of spirits,

ebriety.

It

narcotic,

producing giddi-

and other symptoms of

was by an infusion of the

plant that Socrates

Leopard' s-bane.

leaf of this

was poisoned.

(Arnica montana.) Properties

analogous to those of hemlock and other narcotics.

Bangue,

This

is

the leaf of a species of wild

99
hemp, growing on the shores of Turkey, and of the
Grecian Archipelago.

possesses

It

properties of opium, and

classes of

Mussulmen

Before being used,

leaves are either
fine

is

many

of the

used by the poorer

as a substitute for this drug.

dried,

it is

chewed

and the exsiccated

entire, or

powder, and made into

reduced into a

Its effects are to

pills.

elevate the spirits, dispel melancholy, and give in-

creased energy to the corporeal faculties

followed

by languor both of body and mind.

Hop.

Similar

rior in degree.

Wolf's-bane.

opium, only infe-

in its effects to

Used

in porter brewing.

{Aconitum napellus.) A most deadly

narcotic, producing, in small doses, the usual

symp-

toms of ebriety,such as giddiness, elevation of spirits,

When

&c.

taken to excess

Cocculus Indicus.
this

The

berry are considerable.

it is

inevitably fatal.

intoxicating powers of
It is

used by the brew-

ers to increase the strength of porter

is

and

ales

and

sometimes thrown into ponds for the purpose of

intoxicating the fishes, that they

more

may

thereby be

easily caught.

Foxglove.
narcotic,

(Digitalis.)

Likewise

powerful

and capable of producing many of the

symptoms of drunkenness.

It has the peculiar effect

of lowering, instead of raising the pulse.

100
Nightshade.

(Belladona.) This

is

most virulent narcotics we possess.

hop, and cocculus Indicus,

it is

one of the

Like opium,

used by brewers to

augment the intoxicating properties of malt

liquors.

" The Scots," says Buchanan, " mixed a quantity

of the juice of the belladonna with the bread and

drink with which, by their truce, they were bound

to supply the Danes,

which so intoxicated them,

that the Scots killed the greater part of Sweno's

army."
"

Some

children ate, in a garden, the fruit of the

belladonna, (deadly nightshade,)

had burning

fever,

with convulsions, and very strong

palpitations of the heart

became completely

they lost their senses, and

delirious

years of age, died the next day

tained

some

some seeds
was
"

livid,

One

Shortly after, they

one of them, four

:

the stomach con-

berries of the belladonna crushed,

;

it

exhibited three ulcers

and

the heart

and the pericardium without serosity."*

child ate four ripe berries of the bella-

donna, another ate six.

Both one and the other

were guilty of extravagancies which astonished the

mother

their pupils

were dilated

nances no longer remained the same

Journal Generate de Medecine,

lix.

their counte;

they had a

xxiv. p. 224.

101
cheerful delirium, accompanied

physician being called

The

with fever.

found them in a state of

in,

great agitation, talking at random, running, jumping,

laughing sardonically

ple,

and pulses hurried.

of

their countenances pur-

He

them half a grain of emetic

of glauber

salt,

administered to each
tartar

and a drachm

in four or five ounces of

water

they had copious evacuations during seven or eight

hours, and the

Henbane.
ties

symptoms disappeared."*

(Hyoscyamus^) Similar

in its proper-

The

intoxicating

to nightshade

properties

of

and opium.

hyoscyamus appear to have been

known from a very

early period.

plant that the Assassin Prince,

" Old

Man

was with

commonly

called the

them

into his service.

following eloquent passage from a

writer will prove interesting

" There

was

at

modern

Alamoot, and also at Masiat, in

Syria, a delicious garden,

encompassed with lofty

adorned with trees and flowers of every kind

walls,

with murmuring brooks

and translucent lakes

with bowers of roses and trelisses of the vine

halls

this

of the Mountain," inebriated his follow-

ers preparatory to installing

The

It

airy

and splendid kiosks, furnished with carpets of

Gazette de Sante, 11 Thermidor, an xv. p 508.

102
Persia and silks of Byzantium.

Beautiful maidens

and blooming boys were the inhabitants of

licious spot,

birds, the

which resounded with the melody of

murmur

of streams, and the tones and

voices of instruments
pleasure.

When

respired contentment and

all

the chief had noticed any youth

and resolution, he

to be distinguished for strength

invited

him

this de-

where he placed him be-

to a banquet,

him on the happiness

side himself, conversed with

reserved for the faithful, and contrived to administer

to

him an intoxicating draught, prepared from the

While

hyoscyamus.

insensible,

he was conveyed to

the garden of delight, and there awakened by the

On

application of vinegar.

Paradise met his view

opening his eyes,

all

the black-eyed and blue-

robed houris surrounded him, obedient to his wishes

sweet music
served up

filled his ears

in

the most

the richest viands were

costly

vessels,

choicest wines sparkled in golden cups.

and the

The

for-

tunate youth believed himself really in the Paradise

of the Prophet, and the language of his attendants

confirmed the delusion.

of enjoyment, and nature
tion, the opiate

When

he had had his

was yielding

fill

to exhaus-

was again administered, and the

sleeper transported back to the side of the chief, to

whom

he communicated what had passed, and who

103
assured him of the truth and reality of

him such was the

experienced, telling

after,

same time, the

bliss

reserved

Imaum, and

enjoin-

strictest secrecy.

Ever

for the obedient servants of the

ing, at the

he had

all

the rapturous vision possessed the imagina-

tion of the deluded enthusiast,

when

the hour

mands of

and he panted for

death, received in obeying the com-

him

his superior, should dismiss

to the

bowers of Paradise."*

Palm Wine.

This

prepared from the juice

is

which exudes from the palm

are very inebriating

and

it

tree.
is

Its properties

an amusing

fact to

witness the stupor and giddiness into which the

lizards frequenting these trees are thrown,

by par-

They

exhibit

taking of the juice which yields

all

the usual

Camphor.

phenomena of

The

it.

intoxication.

intoxicating properties of cam-

phor are considerable.

It elevates the spirits, in-

creases voluntary motion, and gives rise to vertigo

and these

effects, as in

the case of

all narcotics,

are

succeeded by drowsiness, lassitude, and general deIn large doses,

pression.

syncope,

delirium, and even death, take place.

convulsions,
It

is

some-

times used as a substitute for opium in cases of de-

Von Hammer's

Hist, of the Assassins.

104
where, from particular circumstances, the

lirium,

be taken, or does not produce

latter either cannot

its

usual effects.

The common

camphor being an antidote

unfounded.
vents

it

It

belief,

however, of

to this medicine,

is

quite

neither decomposes opium, nor pre-

from acting poisonously upon the system

but, in consequence of its stimulating properties,

may

it

be advantageously given in small doses to

remove the stupor and coma produced by opium.

This aromatic possesses moderate

Saffron

toxicating properties.

Taken

in-

in sufficient doses,

it

accelerates the pulse, produces giddiness, raises the

spirits,

and gives

a word,

it

rise to

paroxysms of laughter.

many

exhibits

of the

phenomena

In

occa-

sioned by over-indulgence in liquors, only in a very

inferior degree.

Darnel.
Clery.

-Possesses slight intoxicating properties.

Possesses

Carbonic Acid
ates, as is

slight intoxicating properties.

Carbonic acid partially inebri-

seen in drinking ginger beer, cider,

Cham-

paign, or even soda water, in which no alcoholic

principle exists.

Ethers.-Ethers, when taken in quantity, give

rise to a species of intoxication,

that

from ardent

which resembles

spirits in all respects,

being more fugacious.

except in

105
Intense Cold,

Intense

cold produces giddiness,

thickness of speech, confusion of ideas, and other

symptoms of drunkenness.
of the effects so produced

men who were exposed

perature.

"

Captain Parry speaks

upon two young gentle-

to

an extremely low tem-

They looked

wild," says he, " spoke

thick and indistinctly, and

it

from them a rational answer

w as
r

to

impossible to draw

any of our questions.

After being on board for a short time, the mental

faculties

not

till

appeared gradually to return, and

it

was

then that a looker-on could easily persuade

himself that they had not been drinking too freely."

CHAPTER

VII.

DIFFERENCES IN THE ACTION OF OPIUM

AND ALCOHOL.

The modus

operandi of opium upon the body

the former

the

by

con-

The latter

siderably different from that of alcohol.

intoxicates chiefly

is

by acting directly upon the nerves,

by acting secondarily upon them, through

medium

of absorption.

This

is

easily

proved

injecting a quantity of each into the cellular

tissue of

any animal, and comparing the

those produced

stomach.

M.

when

either

Orfila* details

is

effects

with

received into the

some

interesting ex-

periments which he made upon dogs.

In applying

the watery extract of opium to them in the

* Toxicologic Generate.

first

107
manner, (by injection into the cellular tissue,) imconvulsions, and debility ensued,

mediate stupor,

and proved

the contrary, even a larger quantity

into the

When, on

an hour or two.

fatal in

stomach of the animal,

was introduced

it

survived ten,

twelve or eighteen hours, although the oesophagus

was purposely

tied to prevent vomiting.

ation of alcohol

was the reverse of

this

The

oper-

for,

when

injected into the cellular substance, the effects

slight

when

but

were

carried into the stomach, they

were powerful and almost instantaneous.

This

proves that opium acts chiefly by being taken up by

the absorbents, as this

is

done much more rapidly

by the drug being directly applied

to a

raw

surface

than in the stomach, where the various secretions

and processes of digestion retard

its

absorption.

Besides, alcohol taken in quantity produces instant

stupefaction.

It is

no sooner swallowed than the

person drops down insensible.

absorption

Here

no time for

the whole energies of the spirit are ex-

erted against the nervous system.

privation of

opium.

is

power never occurs

There

is

The same
after

rapid

swallowing

always an interval, and generally

one of some extent, between the swallowing and the

stupor which succeeds.
acts in this

manner,

is

Another proof

that

the circumstance of

its

opium
being

108

much more speedily

into

fatal that alcohol,

when

injected

Three or four grains

the blood-vessels.

in

solution, forced into the carotid artery of a dog, will

kill

him

in a

few minutes.

Alcohol, used in the

same manner, would not bring on death

for several

fe-

ll

ours.

In addition

drunkenness

is

it

may be

produced by inhaling the gas of

toxicating liquors.

from the

spirits

severity.

stated, that a species of

Those employed

cask, feel

it

in-

in bottling

frequently with great

This proves that there

is

a close sympathy

between the nerves of the nose and lungs, and those

From

of the stomach.

all

these circumstances,

pretty evident that intoxication from spirits

duced more by the direct action of the

the nerves of the latter organ, than

Mr. Brodie supposes that there

whatever of alcohol, and supports

number of

striking facts.*

The following

doctrine

"

1.

is

fluid

it is

pro-

upon

by absorption.
is

no absorption

his views

with a

This, however,

is

on which he supports his

In experiments where animals have heen killed
are the grounds

by the injection of spirits into the stomach, I have found this

organ to bear the marks of great inflammation, but never any
preternatural appearances whatever in the brain. 2. The effects
of spirits taken into the stomach, in the last experiment, were so
instantaneous, that

it

appears impossible that absorption should

have taken place before they were produced. 3. A person

who is intoxicated frequently becomes suddenly sober after

109
length to which
that

cannot go.

though such absorption

produce drunkenness,

why

may

alcohol

not necessary to

is

nor can I conceive any

not be taken into the

culation as well as any other fluid.

supposing that

The

it is

inclined to think

generally takes place to a

it

greater or lesser degree

reason

am

cir-

My reasons for

absorbed are the following:

1.

blood, breath, and perspiration of a confirmed

drunkard

differ

from those of a sober man

the

former being darker, and the two latter strongly

impregnated with a spirituous odour.

spiration of the wine-drinker
his favourite liquor

gundy, or Claret
shirt

colour
3.

it

after a
is

not

is

2.

The

often of the hue of

debauch on Port, Bur-

uncommon

or sheets in which he

lies,

to see the

tinted to a rosy

by the moisture which exudes from

his body.

Madder, mercury, and sulphur are received

the circulation unchanged

per-

into

the former dyeing the

bones, and the others exhaling through the pores of

In the experiments which I have just related,

I mixed tincture of rhubarb with the spirits, knowing, from the
experiments of Mr. Home and Mr. William Brande, that this
(rhubarb) when absorbed into the circulation, was readily
separated from the blood by the kidneys, and that very small
quantities might be detected in the urine by the addition of
potash ; but though I never failed to find urine in the bladder,
I never detected rhubarb in it." Phil. Trans, of the Roy.
Soc. ofLond. 1811. Part. I. p. 178.
vomiting.

4.

110
the skin, so as to communicate their peculiar odours
to the person,

and even discolour coins and other

metallic substances in

these reasons

is

his

same

is

and passes through

The

the

alcohol

collateral evidence

phenomenon

as well

doctrine of absorption

who

conceives that

alcohol de-oxygenizes the blood, and causes

it

to give

an unusual portion of hydrogen gas.

quantity of this gas in the bodies of drunkards

great, that
it

the

may do

it,

supported by Dr. Trotter,*

out

cir-

and the third furnishes

as spirituous liquors.

of

first

received into the

of other agents exhibiting this

is

The

a direct proof of absorption

second shows, that as wine

culation,

pockets.

many have attempted

to explain

The
is

so

from

the circumstances of Spontaneous Combustion, by

which

it is

alleged, the

human frame has been some-

times destroyed, by being burned to ashes.

* Essay on Drunkenness.

CHAPTER

VIIL

PHYSIOLOGY OF DRUNKENNESS.

In administering medicines, the practitioner has a

natural desire to learn the

duce their

effects

means by which they pro-

upon the body.

Thus, he

is

not

contented with knowing that squill acts as a diuretic,

and that mercury increases the secretion of the bile.

He

inquires

by what process they do so

stands that the

first

and under-

excites into increased action the

secretory arteries of the kidneys, and the last the

secretory veins of the liver.

not

rest

satisfied

with the

In like manner, he does

trite

knowledge that

wines, and spirits, and ales, produce intoxication

he extends his researches beyond

naturally anxious

to

ascertain

this point,

and

is

by what peculiar

112
of the system these agents give rise to so

action

extraordinary an

effect.

we have

All the agents of which

spoken, with

the exception of tobacco, whose action from the

is

first

decidedly sedative, operate partly by stimulating

They

the frame.

cause the heart to throb

more

vigorously, and the blood to circulate freer, while,

same time, they exert a peculiar action upon

at the

the nervous system.

is

If

The

nature of this action,

it

probable, will never be satisfactorily explained.

mere stimulation were

all

that

drunkenness ought to be present in

where

it

speaking,

matory

is

never met with.

its

or more properly

It,

in inflam-

Inebriating agents, there-

with few exceptions, have a twofold action.

act

by increasing the

influencing the nerves

there can be no doubt,

Having

better to

symptom

I.

cases

and after violent exercise, such as

fever,

They both

two.

many

symptoms, ought to exist

running or hard walking.

fore,

was wanted,

stated

is

and the
the

this

consider the

circulation,

and by

latter operation,

more important of the

general

cause

fact,

it

will

be

of each individual

in detail.

Vertigo.

This

is

partly produced

by the

ocular delusions under which the drunkard labours,

113
but

it is

owing

principally

actually greater

when

to other causes

as

the eyes are shut than

it is

when

they are openthese causes, by the exclusion of

light,

being

Vertigo,

unaccountably increased.

from intoxication,

far less liable to

is

produce sick-

ness and vomiting than from any other cause

when

it

does produce them,

siderable degree.

it

is

and

to a very incon-

These symptoms,

in ninety-nine

cases out of a hundred, arise from the disordered

and not, as

state of the stomach,

from

mentioned,

There

are, indeed,

the

we have else-where

accompanying

giddiness.

who

a certain class of subjects

vomit and become pale, as soon as vertigo comes

over them, but such are few in number compared

with those whose stomachs are unaffected by

sensation.

this

In swinging, smoking, sailing at sea, on

turning rapidly round, sickness and vomiting are

apt to occur

and there seems no doubt that they

proceed in a great measure from the vertigo brought

on by these

actions.

ness, therefore, as it

The

giddiness of drunken-

very rarely sickens, must be

presumed

to

In

well as in some other affections,

this, as

have some characters peculiar to

to be the consequence of a close

seems

sympathy between

the brain and nerves of the stomach

affects the latter organ, or

it

itself.

and whatever

any other viscus strongly

114
sympathizing with
inebriating agents

it,

may

bring

on equally with

it

calculi in the ureters or biliary

ducts are illustrations of this fact.

the giddiness

is

In intoxication,

more strongly marked, because

the powers both of body and mind are temporarily

impaired, and the sensorium so disordered as to be

unable to regulate the conduct.

A degree of vertigo may be produced by loading

the stomach too rapidly and copiously after a long
fast.

Common

food, in this instance,

amounts to a

strong stimulus in consequence of the state of the

stomach, in which there was an unnatural want of

excitement.

This organ was in a state of torpor

and a stimulus which,

in ordinary circumstances,

would hardly have been

highly exciting.

For

proves, in reality,

felt,

the same reason, objects have

an unnatural luminousness when a person

brought from intense darkness to a

II.

Double

brilliant light.

may be

readily accounted for

influence of increased circulation in the brain

upon the nerves of

fevers, the
is

suddenly

Vision. The double vision which

occurs in drunkenness

by the

is

sight.

In frenzy, and various

same phenomenon occurs.

supplied with vessels

and

is

it

any unusual impulse of blood

Every nerve

conceivable that

into the optics

may

115
so far affect that pair as to derange their actions.

Whence, they convey

which

itself

is

too

false impressions to the brain,

much thrown

brium to remedy, even

stances

were

retina.

The refraction

secreted
tion,

that under any circum-

possible, the distorted

images of the

of light in the tears, which are

more copiously than usual during

may

intoxica-

also assist in multiplying objects to the eye.

III. Staggering

toms

if

off its just equili-

are, in like

and Stammering.

These symp-

manner, to be explained from the

disordered state of the brain and nervous system.

When

the organ of sensation

possible that parts

is

affected, it is im-

whose actions depend upon

The nervous

perform their functions well.

it

can

fluid

is

probably carried to the muscles in a broken and

irregular current, and the filaments which are scatter-

ed over the body are themselves directly stunned

and paralyzed

hence, the insensibility to pain, and

other external impressions.

This insensibility ex-

tends everywhere, even to the organs of deglutition

and speech.

The

utterance

indicating a loss of

power

is

thick and indistinct,

in the lingual nerves

which give action to the tongue

want of energy seems to prevail

branches which give

it

taste.

and the same

in the gustatory

116
IV. Heat and Flushing.

These

result

from the

strong determination of blood to the surface of the

body.

This reddens and tumefies the face and eyes,

and excites an universal glow of heat.

cause of animal heat, and the more
to

any part/ the greater

Blood

it is

is

the

determined

the quantity of caloric

is

evolved therefrom.

V. Hinging in

the

Ears.

This

by the generally increased

is

accounted for

action within the head,

and more particularly by the throbbing of the

which run

ternal carotid arteries

neighbourhood of the

VI. Elevation of
of intoxication

is

gical principles.

in the

in-

immediate

ears.

Spirits.

The mental

pleasure

not easily explained on physiolo-

We feel a

delight in being rocked

gently, in swinging on a chair, or in being tickled.

These undoubtedly
manner,

it

act

would be

upon the nerves, but

idle to

in

what

attempt investigating.

Intoxicating agents no doubt do the same thing.

The mental

manifestations produced by their influ-

ence depend almost entirely upon the nerves, and

are, unlike the corporeal ones, in a great

independent of vascular excitement.

measure

The power

of

exciting the feelings inherent in these principles,

117
can only be accounted for by supposing a most

inti-

mate relation to subsist between the body and the

The

mind.

medium

brain, through the

vous branches,

is

the source of

of

its

ner-

excitement.

all this

These branches receive the impressions and convey

them

whence they are show-

to their fountain-head,

ered like sparkling rain- drops over the mind, in a

No

thousand fantastic varieties.

bodily affection

ever influences the mind but through the remote or

proximate agency of

this organ.

No

enthroned

though material

itself,

wizard power both upon matter and

spirit.

in the citadel of thought, and,

acts with

It sits

other texture has the same pervading principle.

If the lungs be diseased,

cough

if

the liver, jaundice or dropsy

mach, indigestion

we have

we have expectoration and

but when the brain

not merely

many

severe affections of the mind

if
is

the stoaffected,

bodily symptoms, but

;

nor are such affections

ever produced by any organ but through the agency

of the brain.
city

It,

therefore, acts in a double capa-

upon the frame, being both the source of the

corporeal feelings, and of the mental manifestations.

Admitting

this truth, there

apprehending
ful a

why

little difficulty in

intoxication produces so power-

mental influence.

resistless

can be

This must proceed from a

impulse being given to the brain, by virtue

118
of the peculiar action of inebriating agents upon the

That organ of the mind

nerves.

suddenly-

is

Not only does the

endowed with increased energy.

more

rapidly, but an

action, sui generis, is given to its

whole substance.

Mere

we have

blood circulate through

increase of circulation, as

stated, is not sufficient

principle at

it

and

falls

bees, or the distant

its

may

texture
be,

At first,

cause of drunkenness.
eifect,

there must be

work upon

whatever

principle,

ing

it

some other

and

which

is

the main

ebriety has a sooth-

of a cascade.

hum

of

Then

to

these soft dreams of Elysium succeed a state of

dening energy and excitement in the brain.

thoughts which emanate from
are

more

this

is

it

over the spirit like the

murmur

already

its prolific

fervid and original than ever

mad-

The

tabernacle,

they rush

out with augmented copiousness, and sparkle over

the understanding like the aurora borealis, or the
eccentric scintillations of light

In a word, the organ

is

diseased action, for this

upon a summer

cloud.

excited to a high, but not a

is

coupled with pain, and,

produces

afflicting

ideas.

instead

of pleasurable,

But

energies, like those of any other part, are

its

apt to be over-excited.

balance

is

When this

takes place, the

broken; the mind gets tumultuous and

disordered, and the ideas inconsistent, wavering, and

119

Then come

absurd.

the torpor and exhaustion sub-

sequent on such excessive stimulus.

The person

drowsiness or stupor, and his mind, as well

falls into

as his body, is followed

by languor corresponding

to the previous excitation.

Such

is

elucidate

a slight and unsatisfactory attempt to

some of the more prominent phenomena

of drunkenness.

Some

are omitted as being too

obvious to require explanation, and others have been

elsewhere cursorily accounted for in different parts

of the work.

f 2

CHAPTER

METHOD OF CURING THE

I.

From

Liquors.

IX.

FIT OF DRUNKENNESS.

Generally

no remedy for drunkenness equal

sooner the stomach
better,

and

this

by drinking
fauces.

is

may,

speaking, there
to vomiting.

emptied of

in

most

cases,

freely of tepid water,

On more

obstinate

emetics will be necessary.

its

The

contents the

be accomplished

and tickling the

occasions,

The

is

powerful

best for this pur-

pose, are ten grains of sulphate of copper, half a

drachm of sulphate of
emetic.

zinc, or five grains

of tartar

Either of these should be dissolved in

a small quantity of tepid water,

swallowed.

Should

this

treatment

and instantly
fail in effecting

vomiting, and dangerous symptoms supervene, the

121

pump

stomach

tions to the

Cold applica-

should be employed.

head are likewise

In

useful.

all cases,

the head ought to be well elevated, and the neckcloth removed, that there

Where

the circulation.

where the pulse

may be no impediment
there

slow and

is

to

is

total insensibility,

full,

the pupils dilated,

the face flushed, and the breathing stertorous,

comes a question whether blooding might be

be-

it

useful.

Darwin* and Trotter speak discouragingly of the

Asa

practice.

that

many

general rule

persons

think

who would have

to themselves,

have

turely bled.

In

tiously,

lost their lives

cases

all

it

it is

bad

recovered,

should be done cau-

Vomiting

and other means should invariably be

first

course to, and

is

her

own power

may be

tried.

they

to

fail,

if left

by being prema-

and not for a considerable time.

if

and

and nature

had

re-

unable of

overcome the stupor, blooding

In this respect, liquors

opium, the insensibility from which

is

differ

from

benefited

by

abstraction of blood.

There is one variety of drunkenness

blooding and cold are inadmissible.
a person

is

struck down, as

it

Zoonomia.

which both

This

is

when

were, by drinking

suddenly a great quantity of ardent

in

spirits.

Here

122
lie

overcome by an instantaneous stupor:

is

countenance

and

ghastly and pale, his pulse feeble,

is

body

his

cold.

tinue, there is

by

ment, the case

While these symptoms con-

off,

and are succeeded,

flushing, heat,
is

acetate of

as they

and general excite-

changed, and must be treated as

any other where such symptoms

The

When,

no remedy but vomiting.

however, they wear

usually are,

his

ammonia

lar properties in restoring

is

exist.

said to possess singu-

from intoxication.

This

was ascertained by M. Masurer, a French

fact

chemist.

According to him, from twenty to thirty

drops in a glass of water,

most

will, in

cases, relieve

the patient from the sense of giddiness and oppression of the brain
sufficient, half

or, if that

the same

or ten minutes after.

quantity should be in-

may be

again given in eight

In some cases the remedy

will occasion nausea or vomiting, which, however,

will

be salutary to the patient, as the state of the

brain

is

much aggravated by

and subsequent indigestion.

the load on the stomach

It is also farther stated

that the value of this medicine

from

its

is

greatly enhanced

not occasioning that heat of the stomach

and subsequent inflammation which are apt to be

produced by pure ammonia.
all

the virtues attributed to

Whether
it,

it

possesses

cannot say from

us
personal observation, having never had occasion to

use

ment
and

in

it

is,

tion,

any case which came under

hut

think

it

at all events,

at least

my

manage-

promises to be useful,

worthy of a

trial.

must men-

however, that the acetate of ammonia

is

seldom

to be procured in the highly concentrated state in

which

it

is

used by

M. Masurer.

great difficulty of crystallizing

except in the fluid

state, in

it, it

it is

of the

Aq. Acet. Ammon. or

to the

rarely seen

is

which condition

recommended by the French chemist.

which

Owing

it

is

The form

in

almost always used in this country,

is

that

Spirit of Mindererus,

in doses of half

an ounce or an ounce, but whether

in this shape

would be equally

it

ating the effects

effectual in obvi-

of drunkenness, remains to be

seen.

Mr. Broomley of Deptford recommends a draught

composed of two drachms of Aq. Ammon. Aromat.
in

two ounces of water,

as an effectual

remedy

in

drunkenness.

The carbonate
good

effect.

of

ammonia might be used with

M. Dupuy,

director to the Veterinary

School at Toulouse, tried a curious experiment with

this

medicine upon a horse.

intoxicated the animal

by

Having previously

injecting a demiletre of

alcohol into the jugular vein, he injected five grains

124
of the carbonate of ammonia, dissolved in an ounce
of water, into the same vein,

when

the effects of the

alcohol immediately ceased.

We have

already mentioned that the excitement

of drunkenness
In the

is

first stage,

succeeded by universal languor.

the drunkard

is

and capable of withstanding vigorously

In the second, there

influences.

and exhaustion, and he

to every impression,

is

is

them

The

all

external

general torpor

more than usually

subject

whether of cold or contagion.

Persons are often picked up half dead

stage.

of energy,

full

in this

second

stimulus of intoxication had enabled

to endure the chill of the atmosphere, but the

succeeding weakness
before of

left

its severity.

them more

susceptible than

In this state the body will

not sustain any farther abstraction of stimuli

blooding

and

Vomiting

is

instances

cold

would

be highly

and

injurious.

here equally necessary, as in

all

other

but the person must be kept in a

warm

temperature, and cherished with light and nourish-

with

ing food

soups, if such can be procured, and

even with negus, should the prostration of strength

be very great.

paroxysm of

periodical drunkenness

may be

sometimes shortened by putting such small quantities of tartar

emetic into the liquor which the per-

125
son indulges
ever,
It

in,

as to bring

on nausea.

must be done with secrecy and

may

This,

how-

caution.

here be mentioned, though not with a

view of recommending the

practice, that the vege-

table acids have a strong effect both in counteract-

To illustrate this
fact, the following circumstance may be mentioned:
ing and removing drunkenness.

About twenty years ago, an English regiment was

men

stationed in Glasgow, the

mon

of which, as

is

com-

became enamoured of whisky.

in all regiments,

This liquor, to which they gave the whimsical de-

nomination of white
nearly

unknown

dulged

in

England

in

to such

it

by a

to

them

being

and they soon

in-

an extent, as to attract the cen-

Being obliged

sure of their officers.

ters

was new

ale,

to be at quar-

certain hour, they found out the plan of

sobering themselves by drinking large quantities of

vinegar, perhaps a gill or

two

at a draught.

except in very bad cases, had the desired

This,

and

effect,

enabled them to enter the barrack-court, or appear

on parade,

in a state of tolerable sobriety.

power of the vegetable

tion, is well

shown

The

acids in resisting intoxica-

in the case of cold

punch

larger portion of which can be withstood than of

either grog or toddy, even
spirit is precisely the

same.

when

the quantity of

126
There

is

nothing which has so strong a tendency

to dispel the effects of a debauch as hard

cise, especially if

exer-

Aperients and

the air be cold.

diaphoretics are also extremely useful for the

same

purpose.

For some days

after drinking too

much, the food

should be light and unirritating, consisting principally of vegetables.

body, and dispose

II.

it

From Opium.

Animal food

is

apt to heat the

to inflammatory complaints.*

When

a dangerous quantity

of opium has been taken, the treatment, in the

instance,

is

first

the same as with regard to spirits, or

any other intoxicating

fluid.

by the administration of

Immediate vomiting,

similar emetics,

is

to be

In speaking of the treatment, it is necessary to guard against

confounding other affections with drunkenness: " There is a

species of delirium that often attends the accession of typhus

from contagion, that I have known to he mistaken for

ehriety.
Among seamen and soldiers, whose habits of intoxica-

fever,

tion are

common,

it

will sometimes require nice discernment to

decide; for the vacant stare in the countenance, the look of

idiotism,

incoherent speech, faultering voice, and

tottering

walk, are so alike in both cases, that the naval and military sur-

geon ought at all times to be very cautious how he gives up a

man to punishment, under these suspicious appearances. Nay,
the circumstance of his having come from a tavern, with even
the effluvium of liquor about him, are signs not always to be
trusted ; for these haunts of seamen and soldiers are often the
sources of infection. "

Trotter.

127
attempted, and

when

encouraged by

warm

it

it

should be

is

reason to

has taken place,

drinks,

till

there

believe that the stomach has been freed of the poison.

These drinks, however, should not be given before

vomiting

is

produced,

ing to excite

it,

for, in

the event of their

they remain upon the stomach, and

thus dissolve the opium and promote

its

But when vomiting occurs from the

emetics,

Warm

it

will in all probability be

drinks,

fail-

action of the

encouraged by

and the stomach thus more

cleared of the poison.

absorption.

effectually

Large quantities of a strong

infusion of coffee ought then to be given, or the

vegetable acids, such as vinegar or lemon-juice,

mixed with water.

These serve to mitigate the

bad consequences which often follow, even

opium has been brought completely up.

after the

If the per-

son show signs of apoplexy, more especially

if

he be

of a plethoric habit, the jugular vein, or temporal

artery should be opened, and a considerable quantity of

down

blood taken away.

Indeed,

it

may

be laid

as a general rule, that as soon as the poison

rejected, the patient

is

ought to be bled, and the oper-

ation should be repeated according to circumstances.

Every means must be used

stupor.

room

to

He

to

arouse him from

must be moved about,

if possible,

room, hartshorn applied to his

from

nostrils,

and

128
all

him from sinking

plans adopted to prevent

For

lethargy.

this purpose,

camphor,

into

asafcetida, or

musk, might be administered with advantage.

is

It

good practice to sponge the body well with

also a

cold water; and the affusion of cold water on the

head and over the body,

cases

more

is still

where vomiting cannot be brought about by

the ordinary means,

two grains of

M.

Orfila suggests that one or

tartar emetic, dissolved in an ounce or

two of water, might be

pump must be had

Purgatives are latterly necessary.

recourse to.

Many

practitioners consider vinegar

vegetable acids antidotes to opium.

Orfila has

ous.

most

satisfactorily

shown

and the other

This opinion
to be errone-

In a series of well-conducted and conclusive

experiments made by him,

table acids aggravate the

it

appears that the vege-

symptoms of poisoning by

opium, whenever they are not vomited.

them on more

rapidly, render

They hurry

them more

produce death at an earlier period, and give

inflammation of the stomach
ever occurs
effects,

their

In

injected into the veins.

desperate cases, the stomach

M.

In

effectual.

it

when they

violent,
rise to

an event which hardly

are not employed.

These

would appear, are partly produced by

power of dissolving opium, which they do

ter than the

mere unassisted

fluids of the

bet-

stomach

129
consequently the absorption

when

only time

is

more

acids can he of use,

The

energetic.

after the per-

is

They

by vomiting.

son has brought up the poison

then mitigate the subsequent symptoms, and pro-

mote recovery

but

if

they be swallowed before

vomiting takes place, and

if this act

cannot by any

means be brought about, they aggravate the

order,

and death ensues more rapidly than

if

dis-

they

had not been taken.

Coffee has likewise a good effect

opium

after the

is

got off the stomach

when taken
but

it

differs

from the acids

in this, that it

circumstances,

increase

opium

unremoved, the coffee may be con-

is

still

sidered merely inert

the

and

does not, under any

it is,

Afterwards, however,

beneficial

effects

as

it

be taken or

produces the same

lemonade, tartaric

According to

vinegar.

it

the

therefore, a matter

of indifference whether at this time

not.

While

danger.

acid,

Orfila, the infusion is

or

more

powerful as an antidote than the decoction.

Drunkenness
narcotics,

or

such as hemlock,

hyoscyamus, &c.

manner

III.

poisoning

as that

is

from

the

belladonna,

other

aconite,

treated in precisely the same

from opium.

From Tobacco.-If

a person feel giddy or

130
languid from the use of this luxury, he should lay
himself

down on

his back,

Should

cool air.

exposed to a current of

this fail of reviving

him, let him

either swallow

twenty or thirty drops of hartshorn,

mixed with a

glass of cold water, or an ounce of

When

vinegar moderately diluted.

tobacco has

been received into the stomach, so as to produce

dangerous symptoms, a powerful emetic must immediately be given, and vomiting encouraged by
copious drinks,
this,

vinegar

till

the poison

is

brought up.

After

ought to be freely exhibited, and

lethargy prevented by the external and internal

use

of stimuli.

symptoms appear,

If apoplectic

blooding must be had recourse

to.

The same

rule

applies here, with regard to acids, as in the case of

opium.

They should never be given

stomach

is

thoroughly liberated of

its

till

the

contents

by

previous vomiting.

Accidents happen oftener with tobacco than

commonly supposed.

is

Severe languor, retching, and

convulsive attacks sometimes ensue from the application of ointment,

made with

cure of the ring- worm

French poet,

and Santeuil, the celebrated

lost his life in

unknowingly drunk a

this plant, for the

consequence of having

glass of wine, into

been put some Spanish

snuff.

which had

131
IV.

From

of this gas

Nitrous Oxide,

is

Though the inhalation

seldom attended with any

risk, yet, in

very plethoric habits, there might be a determination of

blood to the head, sufficient to produce

If a person, therefore, becomes, after

apoplexy.

the experiment, convulsed, stupified, and livid in

the countenance, and

if

symptoms do not soon

these

wear away, some means must be adopted

In general, a free exposure to fresh

removal.

and dashing cold water over the

sufficient

for their

but

if

the affection

resist this plan, it will then

some blood from the arm,

from the jugular vein.

face, will

is

air,

be quite

so obstinate as to

be necessary to draw

or,

When,

what

is still

better,

in delicate subjects,

hysteria and other nervous

symptoms are produced,

blooding

is

not necessary

all

that

is

requisite to

be done being the application of cold water to the

brow

or temples, and of hartshorn to the nostrils.

In obstinate cases, twenty or thirty drops of the

latter in a glass of water,

advantage.

may be

administered with

CHAPTER

X.

PATHOLOGY OF DRUNKENNESS.

The evil consequences of drinking,

both

in a physical

and moral point of view, seem to have been known

from the most remote antiquity.

mentioned
that the

in Scripture

They are

expressly

nor can there be a doubt

Homeric fiction of the companions of Ulysses

being turned into swine by the enchanted cup of

Circe, plainly implied the bestial degradation into

which men bring themselves by coming under the

dominion of so detestable a habit.

Having men-

tioned these circumstances in favour of the accuracy

of ancient knowledge,
detail

the

effects

we

shall

simply proceed to

of drunkenness, so far as the

medical practitioner

is

professionally interested in

133

The moral consequences belong

knowing them.
more properly

to the legislator

and divine, and do

not require to be here particularly considered.

I.

State of the Liver.

One of the most

consequences of drunkenness

This

may

affect

is

any organ, but

acute inflammation.
its

attacks are prin-

cipally confined to the brain, the stomach,

It

liver.
its

is

common

and the

unnecessary to enter into any detail of

nature and treatment.

same as when

it

These are precisely the

proceeds from any other cause.

The inflammation

of drunkenness

majority of cases, chronic

is,

in

a great

and the viscus which,

nine cases out of ten, suffers,

is

in

the liver.

Liquors, from the earliest ages, have been

known

to affect this organ.

Probably the story of Pro-

metheus stealing

from heaven and animating

fire

clay, alluded to the effects of

body

wine upon the human

and the punishment of having

voured by a vulture,

may

the consequences which

by over-indulgence

highly

Man

affected.

diseased.

his liver de-

be supposed to refer to

men draw upon themselves

this

organ becoming thereby

is

not the only animal so

Swine who are fed on the refuse of

breweries, have their livers enlarged in the same

manner.

Their other viscera become also indurated,

134
and

so tough, that unless killed early,

their flesh

Some

they are unfit to be eaten.

London are

said to

fowl-dealers in

mix gin with the food of the

by which means they are

swelled to a great

fattened,

and their

birds,
livers

The French manage

size.

enlarge this organ in geese, by piercing

it

to

shortly

after the creatures are fledged.*

Neither malt liquors nor wine have so rapid and

decided an effect upon the liver as ardent
Indeed,

it

is

alleged,

although I cannot go this

length, that the wine that

the liver

affect

spirits.

is

and the

perfectly pure does not

fact

of our continental

neighbours being much less troubled with hepatic

complaints than the wine-drinkers

among

gives some countenance to the allegation

well

known

ourselves,
;

for

it is

that to suit the British market, the

vinous liquors used in this country are sophisticated

with brandy.

In wine that

is

perfectly pure the

alcohol exists in such a state of chemical combination, as greatly to

modify its

effects

upon the system.

In the wine generally to be met with,

exists

* "

mechanically

much

or uncombined, and

They have a custom

all

of

it

this

of fostering a liver complaint in

which encourages its growth to the enormous

weight of some pounds ; and this diseased viscus is considered
a great delicacy." Matthew's Diary of an Invalid.

their geese,

135
portion of spirit acts precisely in the same

manner

as if separately used.*

The

liver

a viscus which, in confirmed topers,

is

never escapes

and

withstands

it

better

disease

*han any other vital part, except, perhaps, the spleen.

Sometimes, by a slow chronic action,

to double its usual size,

and yet the person

The

and

it is

enlarged

totally disorganized,

comparatively

suffers

little.

disease frequently arises in tropical climates,

from warmth and other natural causes, but an

excess in spirituous liquors

cause than

is

is

more frequently the

generally imagined.

The consequences which follow

chronic inflamma-

tion of the liver, are very extensive.

general,

is

bile, in

not secreted in due quantity or quality,

consequently digestion

want of

The

is

defective, the bowels,

their usual stimulus,

become

torpid.

from

The

person gets jaundiced, his skin becoming yellow, dry,

and rough, and the white of

As

his eyes discoloured.

the enlargement goes on, the free passage of

blood in the veins

throw out lymph

is

impeded, and their extremities

this accumulating,

forms dropsy,

a disease with which a great proportion of drunkards

are ultimately

more or
*

less affected.

Vide Appendix No.

I.

136

The jaundice

A very slight cause will often bring

consideration.

on

it

Dropsy

consequently, not always dangerous.

is,

is,

not an original

is

merely a symptom of the one under

disease, but

it

of drunkenness

for the

most

diseased liver, but sometimes,

dram-drinkers,

it

arises

symptomatic of

part, also

more

from general debility of the

In the former case, effusion always takes

system.

place in the cavity of the abdomen.

there

especially in

In the

latter,

general anasarca throughout the body,

is

usually coupled with

more or

less topical affection.

In every instance, dropsy, whether general or

is

local,

a very dangerous disease.

II. State

stomach

is

of the Stomach,

more

inflammation.

subject

Like the

is

The organ

is

an inch, or even an inch

its

extremely insidious,

frequently proceeding great lengths before

discovered.

from

slow action going on within

This disease

the

than acute

chronic

to

liver,

It is also apt to get indurated,

long-continued,
substance.

fyc.

it

is

often thickened to half

and

its

different tunics

so matted together that they cannot be separated.

The

pyloric orifice becomes, in

tracted.

The

cardiac

ganization, and so

may

may

many

suffer the

the oesophagus

cases, con-

same
;

disor-

but these

137

common, and,

are less

must be admitted, more

When the stomach is much, thickened,

rapidly fatal.
it

it

may sometimes

be

At

the left ribs.

felt like

point there

this

uneasy pain, which

is

a hard ball below

augmented upon pressure.

may

Indigestion or spasm

arise

from a mere im-

perfect action of this organ, without

its

structure

but

when

any disease of

organic derangement takes

In the latter

place, they are constant attendants.

case

it is

extremely

on the stomach
little

difficult for

it

also a dull

is

any food

to

What

speedily vomited.

is

retained undergoes a painful fermentation,

is

There

which produces sickness and heartburn.

at the

remain

same time, much obstinacy

is,

in the bowels,

and the body becomes emaciated.

generally produced

This disease, though

dissipation, originates

and

affects

stomach
to

become

made use

sometimes from other causes,

Whenever

the soberest people.

neglected,

is

when

acidity

is

the foundation

may

the

allowed

habitual, or indigestible food too

of,

by

much

be laid for slow

inflammation, terminating in schirrus and

all its

bad

consequences.

Vomiting of
very

common

drunkards.

bilious matter in the mornings,

circumstance

But there

is

among

all

is

classes of

another kind of vomiting,

138

much more dangerous,

and that

is

to which they are subject

when inflammation

the stomach takes place.

much

not

of the villous coat of

In such a state there

is

acute pain, but rather a dull feeling of

uneasiness over the abdomen, attended with the

throwing up of a dark, crude matter, resembling

coffee grounds.

have seen two cases in which the

vomiting stopped suddenly, in consequence of meIn these, the affection soon

tastasis to the head.

proved

fatal,

the persons being seized with indis-

low delirium, and general want

tinctness of vision,

of muscular power
also totally

On
the

the action of the kidneys was

suspended for three days before death.

examination, post mortem, there was effusion in

ventricles

inflammation

of

the

along

the

brain,

besides

inner

extensive

surface

of

the

uj)per portion of the alimentary canal.

Bilious complaints, which were formerly in a great

measure unknown to the common people, are now

exceedinglycommon among them, and proceed

in a

great measure from the indulgence in ardent spirits

to

which that

There

is

class of society is so

much

addicted.

nothing more indicative of health, than

a good appetite for breakfast

from the depraved

relish for this meal.

but confirmed topers,

state of their stomachs, lose all

139
Persons of this description are generally of a

who

costive habit of body, but a debauch, with those

are

constitutionally sober,

is,

for the

most

part,

followed by more or less diarrhoea.

In the latter stages of a drunkard's

he has

still

life,

though

the relish for liquor as strongly as ever,

he no longer enjoys his former power of withstanding

it.

This proceeds from general weakness of

the system, and

more

particularly of the stomach.

This organ gets debilitated, and soon gives way,

while the person
often vomits

likewise

fails

is

much

intoxicated

what he had swallowed.

;

and, to restore

it,

easier,

and

His appetite

he has recourse to

various bitters, which only aggravate the matter,

especially as they are in

medium

of ardent spirits.

ous remedies.
of

weak

most cases taken under the

Bitters are often danger-

When used moderately,

in cases

digestion from natural causes, they fre-

quently produce the best effects

tinuance of them
is

and

is

but a long con-

invariably injurious.

There

most

bitters,

a narcotic principle residing in

which physicians have too much overlooked.

It

destroys the sensibility of the stomach, determines

to the head,

This was the

and predisposes
effects of the

to apoplexy

and palsy.

famous Portland Pow-

140
der,* so celebrated many years ago for the cure of gout;

and similar consequences will,

bitters as

in the long-run, follow

they are commonly administered.

Persons

addicted to intemperance, have an inordinate liking

for these substances

let

them be ever

they are swallowed greedily, especially

if

dissolved

Their fondness for purl, herb-ale, and

in spirits.

other pernicious morning drinks,

There

so nauseous,

is

is

equally striking.

nothing more characteristic of a tippler

than an indifference to tea, and beverages of a like

When

nature.

may

woman

exhibits this quality,

reasonably suspect her of indulging in liquor.

drunkards partake of tea, they usually saturate

If

largely with ardent spirits.

is

we

too

weak a stimulus

may

is

Inflammation

of this

often a consequence of intemperance.

follow immediately after a debauch, or

arise secondarily

unadulterated fluid

for their unnatural appetites.

III. State of the Brain,

organ

The

from an excess of

The Portland Powder

it

it

irritation

It

may
being

consisted of equal parts of the roots

of round birth wort and gentian, of the leaves of germander and

ground

and of the tops of the lesser centaury, all dried.

Drs. Cullen, Darwin, and Murray of Gottingen, with many
other eminent physicians, bear testimony to the pernicious
effects of this compound.
pine,

141
applied to the body, during the" stage of debility.

Even

an abstraction of stimulus, as by applying too

much

cold to the head,

may bring it on

in this latter

state.

Dr. Armstrong,

in his lectures,

inflammation of the brain and

ceeding,

among

speaks of a chronic

its

membranes, pro-

other causes, from the free use of

strong wines and liquors.

According to him,

much more common

than before, forty years

after,

it is

of age, although he has seen several instances occur-

ring in

The

young persons.

brain gets diseased,

the diameter of the vessels being diminished, while

and

their coats are thickened

usual.

less transparent

than

In some places they swell out and assume

a varicose appearance.

The organ

itself

has no

longer the same delicate and elastic texture, becoming either'unnaturally hard, or of a morbid softness.
Slight effusions in the various cavities are apt to

take place.

Under these circumstances, there

To

strong risk of apoplexy.

this structure is to

ascribed the mental debasement, the loss of

and gradual extinction of the

I believe that

exhibit

the brains of

more or

IV. State of

less of the

the

all

is

be

memory,

intellectual powers.

confirmed drunkards

above appearances.

Kidneys.

the action of the kidneys

is

During

intoxication

always much increased


142
and

this is a favourable circumstance, as,

any thing

the bad effects of drink-

The kidney, however,

ing.
is

else, it carries off

more than

confirmed drunkards,

in

apt to become permanently diseased, and secretes

its

accustomed

in

the

increase

with unusual

fluid

activity, not

only

moments of drunkenness, when such an

but at

useful,

is

periods, even

all

when

the person abstains from every sort of indulgence.

The

disease called diabetes

consists

is

thus produced, which

a morbid increase

in

of the

secretion,

accompanied with a diseased state of the texture of

This affection

the kidneys.

V. State of
this

organ

hence

it

is

&c. and to

in

Bladder.

the

is

mostly

fatal.

Drunkenness

common with

affects

almost every other;

subject to paralysis, spasm, induration,

all

bad consequences thence resulting

such as pain, incontinence, and retention of urine.

VI. State of

Blood and Breath.

the

The

blood

of a professed drunkard, as already stated, differs

from that of a sober man.

It is

more dark, and

approaches to the character of venous.

tint of those carbuncles

the face,

is

no proof

which supplies them

air,

is

The ruddy

which are apt to form upon

to the contrary, as the blood

crimsoned by exposure to the

on the same principle as that by which the blood

143
in the

pulmonary

arteries receives purification

The blood

the process of breathing.

liquor

drinker

is

more thick and

by

of a malt-

not merely darker,

but also

sizy than in other cases, owing",

no

doubt, to the very nutritious nature of his habitual

beverage.

The

breath of a drunkard

is

has always a spirituous odour.

to the state of the stomach,

disgustingly bad, and

This

is

partly

owing

which communicates the

flavour of its customary contents to respiration; and

partly, also, there can

tion of the liquor

be

little

doubt, to the absorp-

by the blood, through the medium

of the lacteals.

VII. State of

the

Perspiration.

tion of a confirmed drunkard

is

The

perspira-

as offensive as his

breath, and has often a strong spirituous odour.

have met with two instances, the one in a Claret,

the other in a Port drinker, in which the moisture

which exuded

from their bodies had a ruddy

complexion, similar to that of the wine on which

they had committed their debauch.

VIII. State of

the

Eyes,

fyc.

The

eyes

affected with acute or chronic inflammation.

all

drunkards have the latter more or

less.

may

be

Almost
Their

144
eyes are red and watery, and have an expression so
peculiar,

that the cause can never

This, and a certain

which are

want of firmness about the

loose, gross,

and sensual, betray

Drunkenness impairs

the toper.

cacy of the retina

be mistaken.

is

vision.

lips,

at once

The

probably affected; and

deliit

is

evident, that, from long-continued inflammation, the

tunica adnata which covers the cornea must lose

original clearness

and transparency.

Most drunkards have a

redness of the nostrils.

constant tenderness and

This, I conceive, arises from

The same

the state of the stomach and oesophagus.

membrane which
to the nose

its

lines

them

prolonged upwards

is

and mouth, and

carries thus far its

fa

irritability.

There

is

no organ which so rapidly betrays the

Bacchanalian propensities of
It

owner

its

not only becomes red and

fiery,

as the nose.
like that of

Bardolph,* but acquires a general increase of size

* " Falstaff.

Thou

art our admiral

thorn in the poop ; but 'tis

knight of the burning lamp.

thou bearest the Ianin the nose of thee thou art the
:

Sir John, my face does you no harm.

" Falstaff. No, I'll be sworn! I make as good use of it as
many a man doth of a death's head or a memento mori. I
" When thou
never see thy face but 1 think of hell- fire."

" Bardolph. Why,

rann'st

up Gads-hill

in the night to catch

my horse, if I

did not

think thou hadst been an ignis fatuus, or a ball of wildfire,

145
displaying upon

surface various small pimples,

its

either wholly of a deep crimson hue, or tipped with

yellow, in consequence of an accumulation of viscid

The

matter within them.

rest of the face often

presents the same carbuncled appearances.

I

have remarked that drunkards who have a

livid,

and pimpled

plaint than those

In this

case the

surface of the

face, are less subject to liver

who

determination of blood to the

body seems

to prevent that fluid

The same

otherwise would be.

observed in sober persons

hepatic affection.

who

While there

it

go

it

sometimes

are troubled with

is

a copious rush

in than they are

annoyed

liver getting into disorder.

IX. State of the Skin.

The skin of a drunkard,

especially if he be advanced in
there's

fact is

as

face or body, they are comparatively well,

but no sooner does

by the

com-

are free from such eruptions.

from being directed so forcibly to the viscera

upon the

foul,

no purchase in money.

an everlasting

life,

has seldom the

O! thou art a perpetual triumph

thou hast saved me a thousand

marks in links and torches, walking with, me in the night
betwixt tavern and tavern ; but the Sack thou hast drunk me
would have bought me lights as good cheap, at the dearest
chandler's in Europe.
I have maintained that salamander of
yours with fire any time this two and thirty years heaven
reward me for it !"
bonfire light

146
appearance of health.
jaundiced in

livid or

and

There

scaly.

Darwin, under the

is

its
is

become either

It is apt to

complexion, and feels rough

a disease spoken of

title

of Psora Ebriorum, which

" Elderly

peculiar to people of this description.

people," says he, "

by Dr.

who have been much

addicted to

spirituous drinks, as beer, wine, or alcohol, are liable

to an eruption all over their bodies

tended with very

afflicting itching,

which

at-

is

and which they

probably propagate from one part of their bodies to

another with their
selves,"

own

nails

by scratching them-

have met with several cases of

disease,

which

morbid

action,

is

only one of the

which the skin

is

this

many forms

of

apt to assume in

drunkards.

X.

State of the Hair,

The hair of drunkards

generally dry, slow of growth, and liable to

out

is

come

they are consequently more subject to baldness

than other people.

At

the same time,

it

would be

exceedingly unjust to suspect any one, whose hair

was of

we

this description, of

indulgence in liquors, for

frequently find in the soberest persons that the

hairs are arid,

Baldness with
affection,

few

in

number, and prone

such persons

but in drunkards

it is

is

to decay.

merely a

local

constitutional,

and

147
proceeds from that general defect of vital energy

which pervades their whole system.

XI. Inflammations.
subject to

all

Drunkards are exceedingly

kinds of inflammation, both from the

direct excitement of the liquor,

and from their often

remaining out in a state of intoxication, exposed to

Hence inflammatory

cold and damp.

affections of the

lungs, intestines, bladder, kidneys, brain,

from these sources.

Rheumatism

the neglect and exposure of a

XII. Gout.
drunkenness,
together.

or

is

often traced to

of drunkenness.

the offspring of gluttony,

sensuality,

most

occurs

It

wine-bibber.

when

Gout

fit

is

&c, arising

or

them

of

frequently

very slight cause

may

hereditary predisposition exists

all

put

with the
bring

it

on

but in other

circumstances considerable excess will be required

before

it

afflicting

makes

its

appearance.

It is

one of the most

consequences of intemperance, and seems

to have been

known

as such

mention being made of

and Galen.

Among

it

the

from an early age

by Hippocrates, Aretseus,

Roman

ladies gout

was

very prevalent during the latter times of the empire

and, at the present day, there are few noblemen

who

148
have

not to hand

it

down

to their offspring as a

portion of their heritage.

XIII. Tremors,
ant upon almost

nervous

A general tremor

all

Even

an attend-

This proceeds from

drunkards.

irritability.

is

who

those

are habitually-

temperate, have a quivering in their hands next

morning,

While

if

they indulge overnight in a debauch.

it lasts,

a person cannot hold any thing with-

Among

out shaking, neither can he write steadily.

those

who have long devoted

teries of Silenus, this

affecting the

sort

themselves to the mys-

amounts

whole body, and even the

On

of paralytic trembling.

they frequently feel

sleep,

in the cold

steadily,

to a species of palsy,

fit

it

lips,

with a

awaking from

so strongly, as to

seem

of an ague, being neither able to walk

nor articulate

distinctly.

It is singular

that the very cause of this distemper should be

ployed for

its

cure.

When the confirmed

em-

drunkard

awakes with tremor, he immediately swallows a

dram

the most violent shaking

The opium-eater

means.

method

to

remove the

quieted by this

has recourse to the same

agitation produced

dose of opium, he takes another.

is

is

only adding fuel to the

fire

by one

This, in both cases,

-the tremors coming

149
on

shorter

at

and larger doses being

intervals,

required for their removal.

Drunkards are more subject than any other

class

of people to apoplexy and palsy.

XIV.

Palpitation of the Heart,

This

is

a very

distressing consequence of drunkenness, producing

difficult

breathing, and such a determination to the

head as often brings on giddiness.

apt to feel
tigo

is

it

Drunkards are

as they step out of bed,

frequently so great as to

and the ver-

make them

stumble.

There are some sober persons who are much an-

noyed by this

affection.

In them

it

may

arise

from

spasmodic action of the fibres of the heart, nervous

irritability,

or organic disease, such as aneurism, or

angina pectoris.

XV.

Hysteria.

Female drunkards are very sub-

ject to hysterical affections.

fibre in

women, and a

make them

feel

There

is

a delicacy of

susceptibility of mind,

which

more acutely than the other sex

external influences.

Hence

their

all

whole system

is

often violently affected with hysterics and other

varieties of nervous weakness.

These

affections

are not always traced to their true cause, which

often neither

more nor

less

is

than dram-drinking.

150

When

a woman's nose becomes crimsoned at the

somewhat

point, her eyes

than before, and her

red,

lips fuller

intellectual in their expression,

something wrong

XVI.

is

Epilepsy.

and

less firm

we may

and

suspect that

going on.

Drunkenness

may bring on
and may excite it into

epilepsy, or falling sickness,

action in those

and more watery

who have

the disease from other

Many persons cannot get slightly intoxicated

causes.

without having an epileptic or other convulsive

attack.

These fits generally arise

in the early stages,

before drunkenness has got to a height.

If they

do

not occur early, the individual will probably escape

them altogether

XVII.

for the time.

Sterility,

This

is

a state to which con-

firmed drunkards are very subject.

The

children of

such persons are, in general, neither numerous nor

healthy.

From

the general defect of vital

the parental system, they are apt to be

power

in

puny and

emaciated, and more than ordinarily liable to inherit

all

the diseases of those from

On

whom they are sprung.

this account, the chances of

diminished

proof of

among

long

life

are

much

the children of such parents.

this, it is

In

only necessary to remark, that

151
according to the

London

bills

of mortality, one-half

of the children born in the metropolis die before

attaining their third year

while, of the children

of the Society of Friends, a class remarkable for

sobriety and regularity of

all

kinds, one-half actually

attain the age of forty-seven years.

originates

doubtless,

difference,

in

Much

of this

superior

the

degree of comfort, and correct general habits of the

Quakers, which incline them to bestow every care

in the rearing of their offspring,

power

to obtain the

and put

in their

it

means of combating

disease

but the main-spring of this superior comfort and

regularity

doubtless temperance

is

people possess in an eminent degree.

this class of

XVIII. Emaciation.

Emaciation

characteristic of the spirit drinker.

before his

a virtue which

time,

into

the

is

peculiarly

He wears away,

" lean and

slippered

pantaloon" spoken of by Shakspeare in his " Stages

of

Human

live long

Life."

All drunkards, however,

enough, became emaciated.

hollow, the cheeks

fall in,

The

if

they

eyes get

and wrinkles soon furrow

the countenance with the marks of age.

The fat

is

absorbed from every part, and the rounded plumpness which formerly characterized the

wears away.

The whole form

body soon

gets lank and debilk

152
tated.
is

There

is

a want of due warmth, and the hand

usually covered with a chill

The

clammy

occurrence of emaciation

dered at

in

who

persons

are

much

perspiration.

not to be won-

is

addicted to ardent

besides being possessed of

spirits, for alcohol,

no

nutritive properties, prevents the due chymification

of the food, and consequently deteriorates the quality,

The

besides diminishing the quantity of chyle.

principle of nutrition being thus affected, the person

becomes emaciated as a natural consequence.

XIX.

Corpulency.

are, for the

most

Malt liquor and wine drinkers

part, corpulent, a state of

which rarely attends the

at the

spirit drinker, unless

same time, a bon

vivant.

he be,

Both wines and

malt liquors are more nourishing than

their use, the blood becomes, as

body

it

spirits.

Under

were, enriched,

and an universal deposition of fat takes place throughout the system.

The omentum and muscles of the

belly are, in a particular manner, loaded with this

secretion

whence the abdominal protuberance so

remarkable in persons
wines and

ales.

As

who

the abdomen

becomes most enlarged, so

retains

its

indulge themselves in

enlargement.

is it

It

is

the part which

that which longest

seldom parts with

indeed, even in the last stages,

when

it,

the rest of the

153
body

is

doubt that the parts which

first

lose their corpulency

Nothing

are the lower extremities.

mon

There can be no

in a state of emaciation.

is

more com-

than to see a pair of spindle-shanks tottering

under the weight of an enormous corporation, to

which they seem attached more like

ages, than natural

way

give

After

and

The next

members.

They

are the shoulders.

their former firmness

this,

and

stitution as fifteen

parts which

fall flat,

and lose

and rotundity of organization.

five

years do as

much

to the con-

would have done under a system

The worst symp-

of strict temperance and sobriety.

that can befall a corpulent man,

So long

of his lower extremities.*

firm,

append-

the whole body becomes loose, flabby,

inelastic

tom

artificial

is

the decline

as they continue

and correspond with the rest of the body,

a proof that there

is

still

when they gradually get

the scroll of youth, that are

characters of age ?

but

attenuated, while other

* This circumstance has not

Shakspeare. " Chief Justice.

vigour remaining

it is

escaped

Do you

the observation of

down your name in

written down old, with all the

Have you not

set

a moist eye, a dry hand, a

an increasing
belly ?
Is not your voice broken, your wind short, your chin
double, your wit single, and every part about you blasted with
antiquity; and will you yet call yourself young? Fie, fie, fie,
!"
Sir John
yellow cheek, a white heard, a decreasing

leg,

154
parts retain their original fulness, there can be no

sign

more sure

that his

constitution

is

down, and that he will never again enjoy

breaking

his

wonted

strength.

XX.

Premature Old Age,

Drunkenness

has a

dreadful effect in anticipating the effects of age.

It

chases
victims and

causes time to pace on with giant strides

youth from the constitution of

clothes

its

them prematurely with the grey garniture

of years.

How

often do

we

see the sunken eye,

the shrivelled cheek, the feeble, tottering step, and

hoary head, in
the

men who have

autumn of

scarcely entered into

To

their existence.

distressing picture,
in the mornings,

we have

witness this

only to walk out early

and see those gaunt, melancholy

shadows of mortality, betaking themselves to the ginshops, as to the altar of

some dreadful demon, and

quaffing the poisoned cup to his honour, as the Car-

thaginians propitiated the deity of their worship,

flinging their children into the fire

within his brazen image.

Most of

persons are young, or middle-aged

some drunkards
in

by

which burned
these

unhappy

men and though

;

attain a green old age, they are

number compared with those who

into the grave ere the days of their

few

sink untimely

youth have well

155
passed by.*

Nothing

is

more common than

man

if

he stood on the borders of fourscore.

of

The

fifty as

effect of

to see

hoary, emaciated, and wrinkled, as

intemperance in shortening

life is

strikingly exemplified in the contrast afforded

by

other classes of society to the Quakers, a set of

people of

whom I must

again speak favourably.

appears from accurate calculation, that in

It

London

only one person in forty attains the age of fourscore,

while
bial,

among

and who have long

use of ardent
that age

It is

spirits,

is

prover-

set themselves against the

not less than one in ten reaches

a most striking difference, and one which

carries its

of

the Quakers, whose sobriety

own

inference along with

remarked by an eminent

more than a hundred men

it.

practitioner, that

in a glass-manufactory,

three drank nothing but water, and these three ap-

peared to be of their proper age, while the rest

who

Let nobody tell me that there are numbers who, though

they live most irregularly, attain, in health and spirits, those
remote periods of life attained by the most sober ; for this
argument being grounded on a case full of uncertainty and
hazard, and which, besides, so seldom occurs as to look more
like a miracle than the work of nature, men should not suffer
* "

themselves to be thereby persuaded to live irregularly, nature

having been too liberal to those who did so without suffering

by

it;

a favour which very few have

Carnaro on Health.

any right

to expect."

156
indulged in strong drinks seemed ten or twelve years
older than they proved to be.

XXI.

is

conclusive.*

Ulcers.--Ulcers often break out on the

bodies of drunkards.
irritable,

This

Sometimes they are

and

but in general they possess an indolent

Of whatever kind

character.

may

they

be, they are

always aggravated in such constitutions.

cause gives rise to them
in health,

fiery

slight

and a cut or bruise which,

would have healed

in a

few days, frequent-

When

ly degenerates into a foul sloughy sore.

drunkards are affected with scrofula, scurvy, or any

cutaneous

disease whatever, they always, ceteris

paribus, suffer

XXII.

more than other people.

Melancholy

Though

drunkards

over

their cups are the happiest of mankind, yet, in their

solitary hours, they are the

* "

The workmen

of whisky bound to

most wretched.

Gnaw-

in provision stores have large allowances

them

These are
employers, for the purpose of

in their engagements.

them daily by their

urging them, by excitement, to extraordinary exertion. And
what is the effect of this murderous system? The men are
ruined, scarcely one of them being capable of work beyond fifty
served out to

years of age, though none but the most able-bodied

enter such employment."

the reader.

which

can

Beecher's Sermons on Intemperance,

with an Introductory Essay by John Edgar.

lent little work,

men

I cordially

This

recommend

is

an

excel-

to the perusal of

157
ing care, heightened perhaps by remorse, preys upon

While

their conscience.

sober, they are distressed

both in body and mind, and

their misery in oblivion.

hard fate drove to

pangs of low

drown

Those, especially,

whom

this desperate

weapon they employ

away

to drive

Every time

it is

less capable of scaring the fiend of

more

effectual in

remedy,

feel the

The

with sevenfold force.

spirits

upon themselves.

the bowl to

fly to

care

used,

turned

is

it

becomes

melancholy, and

wounding him that uses

it.

All drunkards are apt to become peevish and

They turn enemies

discontented with the world.

to the established order of things, and, instead of

looking to themselves, absurdly blame the govern-

ment

as the origin of their misfortunes.

XXIII. Madness.

This

terrible infliction often

When

proceeds from drunkenness.

there

is

here-

ditary predisposition, indulgence in liquor

is

more

is

none.

apt to call

into action than

it

The mind and body

another; and

must

suffer

when

more or

less.
is

there

reciprocally

the one

structure of the brain

health

act

when

is

upon one

injured the other

In intemperance, the

no longer the same

as in

and the mind, that immortal part of man,

158
whose

upon

depend

manifestations

organ,

this

suffers a corresponding injury.

Intoxication

may affect

the

mind

in

two ways.

person, after excessive indulgence in liquor,

may be

seized with delirium, and run into a state of violent

outrage and madness.

suddenly on

the

In this case the disease comes

man

is fierce

requires a strait jacket to keep

and

him

intractable,

and

Some

in order.

never get drunk without being insanely outrageous

they attack, without distinction,
their way,

foam

This

danger.

at the

lit

all

who come

mouth, and lose

either goes off in a

all

in

sense of

few hours, or

More

degenerates into a confirmed attack of lunacy.

generally, however, the

madness of intoxication

is

of another character, partaking of the nature of

idiotism, into

which

state the

mind

resolves

itself,

in consequence of a long-continued falling off in the

intellectual powers.

Drunkenness, according to the reports of Beth-

lehem Hospital, and other similar

insane,

is

institutions for the

one of the most common causes of lunacy.

may be mentioned
two hundred and eighty-six lunatics now
In support of this

fact, it

Richmond Asylum, Dublin, one-half owe

ness to drinking

that of
in the

their

mad-

and there are few but must have

159

by

witnessed the wreck of the most powerful minds,

It has a

destructive habit.

this
effect

more deplorable

upon posterity than any other

entails,

it

not only bodily disease upon the innocent

offspring, but also the

mind.

practice, for

Madness of

the increase

more

afflicting diseases of

late years has

among

the

been greatly on

the lower classes, and can only

be referred to the alarming progress of drunkenness,

which prevails now

the poor than ever

to a
it

much

greater extent

among

did at any former period.*

Vr

XXIV.

Delirium Tremens.

and treatment of

Both the symptoms

be men-

this affection require to

tioned, because, unlike the diseases already

rated,

and

is

it

enume-

invariably originates in the abuse of stimuli,

cured in a manner peculiar to

Those who indulge

itself.

in spirits, especially

raw, are

most subject to delirium tremens, although wine,

malt liquor, opium, and even ether,

may

give rise

* It has

been considered unnecessary to enter into any detail

of the nature and treatment of the foregoing diseases, because
they may originate from many other causes besides drunkenness and when they do arise from this source, they acquire no
;

Their treatment is also precisely the

same as in ordinary cases it being always understood, that the
bad habit which brought them on must be abandoned before
any good can result from medicine. The disease, however,
which follows is different, and requires particular consideration.

peculiarity of character.

160
to

it,

if

The sudden

used in immoderate quantities.

cessation of drinking in a confirmed toper, or a

course of violent or long protracted intemperance

may

equally occasion

the

disease.

man, for

instance, of the former description, breaks his leg, or

is

seized with

to

abandon

some complaint, which compels him

This

his potations.

of such abstinence

is

in

consequence

attacked with delirium tre-

In another man,

mens.

man

it

is

induced by a long

course of tippling, or by a hard drinking-bout of

several days' continuance.

The

disease generally comes on with lassitude,

loss of appetite,

The

pulse

is

and frequent exacerbations of

weak and

with a chilly moisture.

quick, and the

cold.

body covered

The countenance

is pale,

there are usually tremors of the limbs, anxiety, and

a total disrelish for the

Then succeed

common amusements

retching, vomiting, and

much

of

life.

oppres-

sion at the pit of the stomach, with sometimes slimy

When

stools.

the person sleeps, which

is

but

seldom, he frequently starts in the utmost terror,

having his imagination haunted by frightful dreams.

To

the

first

slightest

coldness, glows of heat succeed, and the

renewed agitation of body or mind, sends

out a profuse perspiration.

furred.

The tongue

is

dry and

Every object appears unnatural and hideous.

161
There

Black or luminous bodies seem to

spectres.

before the person

sorts of
is

float

he conceives that vermin and

them

His

off.

own

ideas are wholly confined to himself and his

of which he entertains the most disordered

He

notions.

forgets those

imagines that he

who

his attendants,

and other

and

is

irritated

beyond measure by

Calculations, buildings,

schemes often occupy

fantastic

belief that every person

ruin him,

is

ing there

is

mind

his

confederated to

commonly entertained.

Towards morn-

much

and sometimes

often

is

sickness

This state generally

vomiting.

away from home,

is

are around him, frequently abuses

the slightest contradiction.

and a

all

impure things are crawling upon him, and

constantly endeavouring to pick

affairs,

by

a constant dread of being haunted

is

lasts

from four

ten days, and goes off after a refreshing sleep

to

but

sometimes, either from the original violence of the

disease, or

from improper treatment,

Such, in nine cases out of ten,

is

it

proves

the character of

Sometimes, however, the symp-

delirium tremens.

toms vary, and instead of a weak there

pulse

instead of the face being pallid,

and the eyes

the surface

fiery

is

fatal.

instead of a cold

hot and dry.

is

it is

a full

flushed

clammy

skin,

This state only occurs

in vigorous plethoric subjects.

habitually sober

162

man who
is

more

has thoughtlessly rushed into a debauch,

likely to be attacked in this

manner than a

Indeed, I never met with an

professed drunkard.

instance of the latter having- this modification of the

disease.

When the
he
is

patient perishes from delirium tremens

generally carried off in convulsions.

is

There

another termination which the disease sometimes

assumes

it

may run

when

Indeed,

idiotism.

into

madness or confirmed
continues

it

the time mentioned, there

is

much beyond

danger of the mind

becoming permanently alienated.

Subsultus, low delirium, very cold skin, short

disturbed sleep, contracted pupil, strabismus, rapid

intermittent pulse, and frequent vomiting, are indi-

When

of great danger.

cations

affected with subsultus

terror, the

danger

is

the patient

from which he recovers

is

in

extreme.

In treating delirium tremens, particular attention

must be paid

to the nature of the disease,

and constitution of the

patient.

In

the

first

mentioned, and by far the most frequent variety,

blooding, which

mend,

is

some physicians

most pernicious.

one instance where

tice.

As

there

is

life

foolishly recom-

have known more than

was destroyed by

generally

much

this prac-

gastric irritation,

163
as

indicated

is

by the

foul tongue, black

and viscid

evacuations and irritable state of the stomach, I com-

mence the treatment by administering

of calomel.

As

a smart dose

soon as this has operated,

tepid water strongly impregnated with

I direct

salt,

to be

dashed over the body, and the patient immediately

thereafter to be well dried and put to bed.

then

administer laudanum in doses of from forty to sixty

drops, according to circumstances, combining with

each dose from six to twelve grains of the car-

bonate of ammonia
then

till

sleep

is

this I repeat

procured.

It

every

now and

may sometimes be

necessary to give such doses every two hours, or

even every hour, for twelve or twenty successive

hours, before the effect

drop
is

in doses

is

proportioned to

more than three times

The

produced.
its

strength,

black

which

that of laudanum,

be used as a substitute for the latter

may

the acetate

or muriate of morphia in doses of a quarter or

half a grain,

is

also a

good medicine, having

less

tendency to produce stupor or headach than laud-

anum, and therefore preferable

patient

is

in cases

of a plethoric habit of body.

where the
It

must be

admitted, however, that their effects are less to be

depended upon than those of laudanum, which, in

all

common

cases will, I believe, be found the best

164
remedy.

The

great object of the treatment

is

to

soothe the apprehensions of the patient, and procure him rest.

place there

is

begins to give

So soon as a sound sleep takes

generally a

way

but

and the disease

crisis,

till

sible to arrest its progress

this occurs it is

and

impos-

effect a cure.

moderate quantity of wine will be necessary, especially if

he has been a confirmed drinker, and labours

Perhaps the best way of

under much weakness.

administering wine
latter

is

Where wine

being dropped into the wine.

cannot be had, porter

in

along with the laudanum, the

may

be advantageously given

The

combination with laudanum.

means, indeed, after the

purging, are opium,

first

wine, ammonia, and tepid effusion

be tried two, three, or four times

hours, as occasion requires.

principal

the latter

in the

may

twenty-four

The mind is,

at the

same

time, to be soothed in the gentlest manner, the

whimsical ideas of the patient to be humoured, and

his fancies indulged as far as possible.

restraint or contradiction are

recommend

blisters to the head,

every case, injurious.

of the

most

So soon

All kinds of

hurtful.

Some

but these are, in

as all the

disease have disappeared

should be administered, but during

symptoms

some purgative
its

progress

must rely almost wholly upon stimulants.

To

we

cure,

165
by means of

stimuli, a complaint

which arose from

an over-indulgence in such agents,

paradoxical

is

apparently

but experience confirms the propriety

of the practice where, a priori,

we might

expect the

contrary.

In the second variety of the disease, the same

objections do not apply to blood-letting as in the
first,

but even there, great caution

especially if the disease has

of time,

tongue

if

the pulse

foul.

At

have an excellent
after

till

this

experiment.

first,

is

necessary,

gone on for any length

quick and feeble or the

general blooding will often

effect,

stage

is

but should

it

will

we

not be called

prove a hazardous

Local blooding will then sometimes

be serviceable where general blooding could not be

safely attempted.

The

patient should be purged

well with calomel, have his head shaved^ and kept

cool with wet cloths, and sinapisms applied to his
feet.

When

the bowels are well evacuated, and no

symptoms of coma
the

first

exist, opiates

variety, but in smaller

must be given
and

as in

less frequently

repeated doses.

Much

yet remains to be

known with regard

the pathology of delirium tremens.

to

I believe that

physicians have committed a dangerous error, in

considering these two varieties as modifications of

166
the same disease.
affections

In

my

opinion they are distinct

and onght to be known under different

This cannot be better shown than in the

names.

conflicting opinions with regard to the real nature

of the disease.

Dr. Clutterbuck, having apparently

the second variety

in his eye,

rium tremens

from congestion or inflammation

of the brain
considers

it

arises

conceives that deli-

while Dr. Ryan, referring to the

first,

a nervous affection, originating in that

species of excitement often

accompanying

debility.

very evident, that such different conditions

It is

require

different

delirium tremens
variety,

and

The genuine

curative means.
is

that described under the

agree with Dr.

Ryan

in the

first

view he

takes of the character of this singular disease.

General Remarks.
diseases brought on
still

Such

are

the princij

by drunkenness.

There are

several others which have not been enumerated

nor

is

there any affection incident to either the

body or mind which the vice does not aggravate

into double activity.

The number

of persons

who

die in consequence of complaints so produced,

much

is

greater than unprofessional people imagine.

This fact

is

well

known

to medical men,

who

are

aware that many of the cases they are called upon

167
to attend, originate in liquor, although

the circumstance

totally

is

unknown

This

patient or his friends.

either to the

particularly the case

is

with regard to affections of the

liver,

other viscera concerned in digestion.

in his reports of the diseases of

conviction that considerably

of

all

very often

stomach, and

Dr. Willan,

London,

states his

more than one-eighth

the deaths which take place in persons above

twenty years

old,

happen prematurely through ex-

cess in drinking spirits.

quences less striking

Nor

are the moral conse-

Mr. Poynter,

for three years

Under- Sheriff of London and Westminster, made

the following declaration before a Committee of the

House

of

Commons

"

have long been in the

habit of hearing criminals refer

drinking, so that I

now

the cause of their ruin.

of

all

all

all

their misery to

almost cease to ask them

This

evil lies at the root

other evils of this city and elsewhere.

the convicts for murder with

whom

Nearly

have con-

versed, have admitted themselves to have been under

the influence of liquor at the time of the act."

"

By

due observation for nearly twenty years," says the

great

Judge Hales,

" I have found that if the

mur-

ders and manslaughters, the burglaries and robberies,

and

riots

tions, rapes,

and tumults, the

adulteries, fornica-

and other great enormities, that have

168
happened

in that time,

were divided

into five parts,

four of them have been the issues and product of

excessive drinking

of tavern

and ale-house meet-

According to the Caledonian Mercury of

ings."

October 26, 1829, no fewer than ninety males,

and one hundred and thirty females^

intoxication,

were brought

in a state of

to the different police

watchhouses of Edinburgh, in the course of the

previous

many

week

years.

being

Nor

is

the

greatest

Glasgow, in

whit better than Edinburgh.

number

for

this respect,

On March

1830,

1,

of forty-five cases brought before the police magis*

trate in
it is

Glasgow, forty were for drunkenness

correctly ascertained that

and

more than nine thou-

sand cases of drunkenness are annually brought

before the police, from this city and suburbs
frightful picture of vice.

In the ingenious Intro-

ductory Essay attached to the Rev. Dr. Beecher's

Sermons on Intemperance, the following passage

occurs,

and

I think,

instead of exaggerating

it

rather

underrates the number of drunkards in the quarter

alluded

to.

" Supposing that one-half of the eighteen

hundred licensed houses

for the sale of spirits

which

are in that city, send forth each a drunken man,

every day, there are, in Glasgow, nine hundred

drunken men, day

after day, spreading

around them

169
beggary, and wretchedness, and crime

I"

Had

the

author given to each licensed house, one drunkard

on an average,

do not think he would have over-

stepped the bounds of truth.

As

it is,

what a

ture of demoralization and wretchedness does

exhibit

it

pic-

not

CHAPTER XL

SLEEP OF DRUNKARDS.

To

enter at large upon the subject of sleep would

require a volume.
it

so far as

it is

At

present

I shall

only consider

modified by drunkenness.

The drunkard seldom knows

the delicious and

refreshing slumbers of the temperate man.

restless,

and

tosses in

falling asleep.
able.

Even

is

is

bed for an hour or two before

then, his rest

is

not comfort-

He awakes frequently during night,

time his mouth

He

and each

dry, his skin parched, and his

head, for the most part, painful and throbbing.

These symptoms, from the

stitution, occur

but

if

he

lie

irritable state of his con-

even when he goes soberly to bed

down heated with

liquor,

he

feels

them

171
with double force.
in

state

Most persons who

much

of intoxication, have

asleep

fall

headach,

Some

exhaustion and general fever, on awaking.

constitutions

are

lulled

to

by

rest

others rendered excessively restless

are no gainers

by the

abundantly afterwards.

difference,

liquors,

and

but the

first

as they suffer

Phlegmatic drunkards drop

into

slumber more readily than the others

sleep

is,

in reality, a sort of apoplectic stupor.

Dreams,

I.

their

Dreams may be readily supposed to

be common, from the deranged manifestations of

the stomach and brain which occur in intoxication.

They

are usually of a painful nature, and leave a

gloomy impression upon the mind.

In general,

they are less palpable to the understanding than

They come

those which occur in soberness.

like

painful grotesque conceptions across the imagination

and though

this faculty

can

into shape, meaning, or consistence,

with melancholy ideas.

embody nothing
it is

yet haunted

These visions depend much

on the mental constitution of the person, and are

modified by his habitual tone of thinking.

It

is,

however, to be remarked, that while the waking

thoughts

of the

drunkard are

full

of sprightly

172
images, those of his sleep are usually tinged with a

shade of perplexing melancholy.

Nightmare.

II.

Drunkards

more

are

afflicted

than other people with this disorder, in so far as

they are equally subject to

and

liable to others,

exempted.

all

the ordinary causes,

from which sober people are

Intoxication

is

fertile

in

producing

reveries and dreams, those playthings of the fancy

and
idea,

it

may

also give rise to such a distortion of

up incubus, and

as to call

all

its

frightful

accompaniments.

III.

Sleep-walking.

affection to

Somnambulism

which drunkards are more

their neighbours.

is

liable

in particular, it

of very imperfect sleep.

consciousness
their beds

is

may

is

that, in

occur in a state

Drunkards, even when

not quite abolished, frequently leave

and walk about the room.

perfectly well

than

apprehend that the slumber

never profound when this takes place, and

drunkenness

another

what they are about, and

They know
recollect

afterwards, but if questioned, either at the

it

moment

or at any future period, they are totally unable to

give any reason for their conduct,

Sometimes

173
after getting up,

they stand a

vour to account for

ately to bed.

rising,

There

is

time and endea-

little

then go again deliber-

often, in the

behaviour of

these individuals, a strange mixture of folly and

Persons half tipsy have been known to

rationality.
arise
all

and go out of doors

in their night-dress,

being

the while sensible of what they were doing, and

aware of

its

absurdity.

The drunken somnambuSometimes the

lism has not always this character.

reflecting faculties are so absorbed in slumber, that

the person has no consciousness of what he does.

From

drinking, the affection

is

always more dan-

gerous than from any other cause, as the muscles

have no longer their former strength, and are unable

to support the person in his hazardous expeditions.
If he gets

upon a house-top, he does not balance

himself properly, from giddiness; he

liable to falls

consequently

and accidents of every kind.

sidered, with justice, dangerous to

walker.

is

In a drunken

fit,

there

It is con-

awaken a
is less

sleep-

risk than

under other circumstances, the mind being so far

confused by intoxication, as to be, in some measure,
insensible to the shock.

IV.

Sleep-talking.

For

the same reason that

drunkards are peculiarly prone to somnambulism

174
are they subject to sleep-talking, which
modification of the other.

The

merely a

is

imagination, being

vehemently excited by the drunken dream, embodies

itself often in speech,

which however

is,

in almost

every case, extremely incoherent, and wants the

rationality sometimes possessed

by the conversation

of sleep-talkers under other circumstances.

CHAPTER

XII,

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION OF DRUNKARDS.

Whether
mulate

such a quantity of hydrogen

in the bodies of

bustion,

accu-

drunkards as to sustain com-

not easy to determine.

is

may

This subject

is,

indeed, one which has never been satisfactorily in-

vestigated

and, notwithstanding the cases brought

forward in support of the doctrine, the general

opinion seems to be, that the whole
least so

much

article

fable, or at

involved in obscurity as to afford no

just grounds for belief.

on this point,

is

is

in the

by Pierre Aime

The

principal information

Journal de Physique, in an
Lair, a copy of which

was

published in the sixth volume of the Philosophical

Transactions,

by Mr. Alexander

Tilloch.

A number

176
*

of cases are there given

lar that the

advanced

and

it is

not a

singu-

little

whole of them are those of women

life.

When we

consider that writers like

Vicq d'Azyr, Le Cat, Maffei, Jacobseus,

Bianchini, and

mony

in

Mason Good, have given

support of such

facts, it requires

them unfounded

to believe

in truth.

time, in perusing the cases themselves,

to divest the

in

mind of an idea

that

Rolli,

their testi-

some

At

the

effort

same

it is difficult

some misstatement

or other exists, either as to their alleged cause or

their actual nature

and that

their relaters

have been

led into an unintentional misrepresentation.

The

most curious

that

fact connected

with

this subject

is,

the combustion appears seldom to be sufficiently

strong to inflame combustible substances with which

it

comes

it

destroys the body, which in other circumstances

is

hardly combustible at
* "

their

in contact,

At a

period

when

such as woollen or cotton, while

all.*

Sometimes the body

criminals were condemned to expiate

crimes in the flames,

it

is

well

known what

a large

quantity of combustible materials was required for burning

their bodies.

baker's boy

named Renaud being

several

years ago condemned to be burned at Caen, two large cart-

consume the body; and at

the end of more than ten hours some remains were still visible.
loads of fagots were required to

In this country, the extreme incombustibility of the

human

body was exemplified in the case of Mrs. King, who, having

been murdered by a foreigner, was afterwards burned by him
but in the execution of this plan he was engaged for several

177

is

consumed by an open flame

other times there

flickering over

it

merely a smothered heat or

is

without any visible flame.

at

fire,

It is farther alleged that

water, instead of allaying, aggravates the combus-

This species of burning, indeed,

tion.

and bears no resemblance

sui generis,

we

of combustion with which

most cases

may be

it

M. Fodere remarks,

itself.

any species

to

it is

fire,

Mere

body
in

it

or a stroke of

wholly peculiar to

that hydrogen gas

developed in certain cases of disease, even

living

In

breaks out spontaneously, although

but in every case

perfectly

are acquainted.

occasioned by a candle, a

lightning

is

is

in the

and he seems inclined to join with M.

attributing

what

is

spontaneous

called

combustion, to the united action of hydrogen and

electricity

in the first instance, favoured

accumulation of animal

this

it is

and the impregnation of

In the present state of our know-

spirituous liquors.
ledge,

oil,

by the

needless to hazard any conjectures upon

mysterious subject.

The

best

way

is

to give

a case or two, and let the reader judge for himself.

Case of
fifty,

Mary

Clues.

was much addicted

weeks, and, after

all,

" This

woman, aged

to intoxication.

did not succeed in

its

Paris and Fonblanque's Medical Jurisprudence.

Her pro-

completion."

178
pensity to this vice had increased after the death of

her husband, which happened a year and a half before

for about a year, scarcely a

day had passed

in

the course of which she did not drink at least half

a pint of

rum

ally declined,

Her

or aniseed water.

health gradu-

and about the beginning of February,

she was attacked by the jaundice and confined to

her bed.

and not

Though she was

in a condition to

incapable of much action,

work, she

still

continued

her old habit of drinking every day, and smoking a

pipe of tobacco.

The bed

in

which she lay stood

parallel to the

chimney of the apartment,

distance from

of about three feet.

it

morning, the 1st of March, she

On

fell

at the

Saturday

on the

floor,

and her extreme weakness having prevented her

from getting up, she remained

in that state

The

one entered and put her to bed.

night she wished to be

left

alone

till

some

following

woman

quitted

her at half-past eleven, and, according to custom,

shut the door and locked
fire

two large pieces of

it.

coal,

She had put on the

and placed a light

candlestick on a chair at the head of the bed.

half-past five in the morning,

smoke was seen

in a

At

issuing

through the window, and the door being speedily

broke open, some flames which were

were soon extinguished.

in the

room

Between the bed and the

179
chimney were found the remains of the unfortunate
Clues

one leg and a thigh were

entire,

still

but

there remained nothing of the skin, the muscles,

and the

The bones

viscera.

breast, the spine,

entirely calcined,

and the upper extremities were

and covered with a whitish

The people were much

escence.

furniture had sustained so

of the bed which

most

the

wood

efflor-

surprised that the

The

injury.

little

side

was next the chimney had suffered

of

it

was

feather-bed, the clothes,

I

of the cranium, the

slightly burned, but the

and covering were

safe.

entered the apartment about two hours after

it

had been opened, and observed that the walls and

every thing in

it

were blackened

with a very disagreeable vapour

that

it

was

filled

but that nothing

except the body exhibited any strong traces of

fire."

This case
for 1773,
in the

and

first
is

appeared

in the

Annual

Register

a fair specimen of the cases collected

Journal de Physique.

that the combustion

There

was spontaneous,

is

no evidence

as

it

may have

been occasioned either by lightning, or by contact

with

the

fire.

The only circumstance which

militates against the latter supposition,

trifling

is

the very

degree of burning that was found

apartment.

in

the

180

Case of Grace Pitt.

" Grace

Pitt, the wife

of a fishmonger in the parish of St. Clement, Ipswich,

aged about

sixty,

had contracted a

habit,

which

down

she continued for several years, of coming

every night from her bed-room, half dressed, to

smoke a

pipe.

daughter,

who

was absent
after

the night of the 9th of April,

Her

got up from her bed as usual.

she

1744,

On

till

slept with her, did not perceive she

next morning when she awoke, soon

which she put on her

clothes,

and going down

mother stretched out on

into the kitchen, found her

the right side, with her head near the grate

body extended on the hearth, with the

which was of

floor,

a log of wood,
flame.

On

deal,

having the appearance of

consumed by a

fire

without apparent
girl

ran

and poured over her mother's body

some water contained

to extinguish the fire

two large

in

vessels in order

while the foetid odour and

smoke which exhaled from the body, almost

cated some of the
to

the

legs on the

beholding this spectacle, the

in great haste

neighbours

the girl's assistance.

who had

The trunk was

suffo-

hastened
in

some

measure incinerated, and resembled a heap of coals

covered with white ashes.
legs,

and the thighs, had

burning.

This woman,

it is

The head,

the arms, the

also participated in the

said,

had drunk a large

181
quantity of spirituous liquors in consequence of being

overjoyed to hear that one of her daughters had

returned from Gibralter.
grate,

There was no

fire in

and the candle had burned entirely out

the

in the

socket of the candlestick, which was close to her.

Besides, there were found near the

consumed body,

the clothes of a child and a paper screen, which had

sustained no injury

woman

fire.

The

is

to be found in the Transactions of

Royal Society of London^ and

most decided, and

tioned at the time in

of

much

one of the

is

least equivocal instances of this

species of combustion to be

subject

dress of this

consisted of a cotton gown."

This case
the

by the

met with.

was men-

the journals, and was the

all

speculation

reality of its occurrence

It

and remark.

The

was attested by many wit-

nesses,

and three several accounts of it, by

hands,

all

different

nearly coincide.

Case of Don Gio Maria Bertholi.

" Hav-

ing spent the day in travelling about the country,

he arrived in the evening at the house of his brotherin-law.

He

immediately requested to be shown to

his destined apartment,

where he had a handkerchief

placed between his shirt and shoulders

and, being

182
left

A few

alone betook himself to his devotions.

minutes had scarcely elapsed when an extraordinary

was heard

noise

the unfortunate

chamber, and the

in the

cries of

man were particularly distinguished

the people of the house, hastily entering the room,

found him extended on the

floor,

and surrounded by

a light flame, which receded (a mesure) as they

approached, and finally vanished.

On

the follow-

ing morning, the patient was examined by Mr.

Battlaglia,

arm almost
flesh

who found

the integuments of the right

and pendant from the

entirely detached,

from the shoulders to the thighs, the integu-

ments were equally injured

and on the right hand,

the part most injured, mortification had

commenced, which,
scarification, rapidly

immediate

notwithstanding

extended

itself.

already

The

patient

complained of burning thirst, was horribly convulsed,

and was exhausted by continual vomiting, accompanied by fever and delirium.

after

two hours of comatose

On

the fourth day,

insensibility,

During the whole period of

he expired.
it

was

impossible to trace any symptomatic affection.

short

his sufferings,

time previous to his death,

M.

Battlaglia

observed with astonishment that putrefaction had

made

so

much progress

the body already exhaled

183
an insufferable odour; worms crawled from

on

it

the bed, and the nails had become detached from

the left hand.

"

The account given by the unhappy

that he felt a stroke like the

patient was,

blow of a cudgel on

the right hand, and at the same time he saw a

lambent flame attach

itself to his shirt,

which was

immediately reduced to ashes, his wristbands, at

same

the

being

time,

utterly

The

untouched.

handkerchief which, as before-mentioned, was placed

between
free

his shoulders

and his

shirt,

from any trace of burning

was

entire,

his breeches

and

were

equally uninjured, but though not a hair of his head

was burned,

his coif

was

totally

The

consumed.

weather, on the night of the accident, was calm, and

the air very pure

no empyreumatic or bituminous

odour was perceived

free

from smoke

in the

room, which was also

was no vestige of

there

except that the lamp which had been

full

of

fire,

was

oil,

found dry, and the wick reduced to a cinder."

This case

is

from the work of Fodere, and

is

given as abridged by Paris and Fonblanque, in their

excellent treatise

on Medical Jurisprudence.

occurred in 1776, and

to be

of

it

met

with.

is

one of the best authenticated

am

was a drunkard

It

not aware that the subject

if
i

he were not, and

if

the

184
facts

be really true,

taneous combustion

we must

may

conclude that spon-

occur in sober persons as

well as in the dissipated.

Madame Millet. "

Case of

Le

Cat, " spent several

months

at

Having," says

Rheims,

in the

years 1724 and 1725, I lodged at the house of Sieur

Millet,

The

whose wife got intoxicated every day.

domestic economy of the family was managed by a

pretty young
in

order that

must not omit

to remark,

the circumstances which accom-

all

panied the fact

understood.

which

girl,

am

This

about to

relate,

woman was

may be

better

found consumed on

the 20th of February, 1725, at the distance of a

foot and a half

from the hearth

in her kitchen.

part of the head only, with a portion of the lower

extremities, and a

combustion.

few of the

vertebrae,

had escaped

A foot and a half of the flooring under

the body had been consumed, but a kneading trough

and a powdering

tub,

which were very near the

body, sustained no injury.

M.

Chriteen, a surgeon,

examined the remains of the body with every judicial

formality.

Jean

Millet, the husband, being inter-

rogated by the judges

who

instituted the inquiry

into the affair, declared, that about eight in the

evening, on the 9th of February, he had retired to

185
rest with his wife,

into the kitchen,

who

not being able to sleep, went

where he thought she was warming

herself ; that, having fallen asleep, he

was awakened

about two o'clock by an infectious odour, and that,

having run to the kitchen, he found the remains of

his wife in the state described in the report of the

physicians and surgeons.

The

judges, having no

suspicion of the real cause of this event, prosecuted

the affair with the utmost diligence.

It

was very

Millet that he had a handsome

unfortunate for

servant-maid, for neither his probity nor innocence

were able

him from the suspicion of having

to save

got rid of his wife by a concerted plot, and of having

arranged the rest of the circumstances in such a

manner

as to give

it

the appearance of an accident.

He

experienced, therefore, the whole severity of the

law

and though, by an appeal to a superior and

very enlightened court, which discovered the cause

of the combustion, he came off victorious, he suffered
so

much from

uneasiness of mind, that he was

obliged to pass the remainder of his days in an

hospital."

The above
to

it,

for

it

case has a peculiar importance attached

shows

that, in

consequence of combustion,

possibly spontaneous, persons have been accused of

186
murder.

Fodere, in his work, alludes to several

cases of this kind.

Some

chemists have attempted to account for this

kind of combustion, by the formation of phosphuretted hydrogen in the body.

This gas, as

known, inflames on exposure

there be a doubt that

generated,

if

to the air

well

nor can

a sufficient quantity were

the body might be easily enough con-

If such an accumulation can

sumed.

is

to take place, there

an end to conjecture

is

have before us a cause

and we

sufficiently potent to account

Altogether

for the burning.

be proved ever

am

inclined to think,

that although most of the related cases rest on vague

report,

and are unsupported by such proofs

warrant us

in placing

as

would

much reliance upon them,

sufficient evidence nevertheless exists, to

show

yet
that

such a phenomenon as spontaneous combustion has

actually taken place, although doubtless the

of cases has been

much exaggerated.

number

Dr. Mason

Good, justly observes, " There may be some

diffi-

culty in giving credit to so marvellous a diathesis

yet,

examples of

its

existence,

and of

its

leading to

a migratory and fatal combustion are so numerous,

and so well authenticated, and press upon us from

so

many

different countries

and

eras, that

it

would

187
" It can no

be absurd to withhold our assent."

longer be doubted," says Dr. Gordon Smith, " that

persons have retired to their chambers in the usual

manner, and

in place of the individual, a

and perhaps part of

his bones,

few

cinders,

were found."

In-

flammable eructations are said to occur occasionally

when the body has been

northern latitudes,

in

exposed to intense cold after excessive indulgence

spirituous liquors

in

peasant

is

narrated,

and the case of a Bohemian

who

lost his life in

consequence

of a column of ignited inflammable air issuing from

mouth, and baffling extinction.

his

well as others of the same kind,

is

This case, as
alleged to have

arisen from phosphuretted hydrogen, generated

by

some chemical combination of alcohol and animal

substances in the stomach.

be

in these relations I

What

notwithstanding, repeated from so

it is

nearly as

as to give

them our

thing, however,

that
in

is

difficult to

fiction

many

and

may

They

do not pretend to say.

wear unquestionably the aspect of a

that

truth there

are,

quarters,

doubt them altogether

entire belief.

There

is

which may be safely denied

one

and

the fact of drunkards having been blown up

consequence of their breath or eructations catching

fire

from the application of a lighted candle.

tales are principally of

These

American extraction

and

188
seem elaborated by that propensity

for the marvel-

lous for which our transatlantic brethren have, of late

been distinguished.

years,

Upon

the whole, this subject

and has never been

is

extremely obscure,

satisfactorily treated

by any

me

to exist

Sufficient evidence appears to

writer.

any information

in support of the occurrence, but

as to the

malady,

remote or proximate cause of this singular

is

as yet exceedingly defective

and unsatis-

factory,

In a memoir lately read before the Academie des

Sciences, the following are stated to be the chief cir-

cumstances connected with spontaneous combustion

"

1.

The

greater part of the persons

fallen victims to

it,

of alcoholic liquors.

have made an immoderate use

2.

The combustion

always general, but sometimes

It is

much

rarer

who have

is

is

almost

only partial.

3.

among men than among women,

and they are principally old women.

one case of the combustion of a

girl

of age, and that was only partial.

There

is

but

seventeen years

4.

The body and

the viscera are invariably burnt, while the feet, the

hands, and the top of the skull almost always escape

combustion.
to burn a
in

these

5.

Although

common

it

requires several fagots

corpse, incineration takes place

spontaneous combustions without

any

189
effect

on the most combustible matters in the neigh-

bourhood.

In an extraordinary instance of a double

combustion operating upon two persons

in

one room,

neither the apartment nor the furniture was burnt.

6.

of

It has

an

not been at

all

body

inflamed

proved that the presence

necessary

is

spontaneous human combustions.

7.

from extinguishing the flame, seems

activity;

Water, so

to give

far

more

it

and when the flame has disappeared,

secret combustion goes on.

8.

Spontaneous com-

more frequent in winter than

bustions are
9.

develop

to

in

summer.

General combustions are not susceptible of cure,

only partial.

10.

Those who undergo spontaneous

combustion are the prey of a very strong internal

heat.

11.

The combustion

bursts out

and consumes the body in a few hours,

parts of the
tification.

once,

all at

12.

The

body not attacked are struck with mor13.

In persons

who have been

attacked

with spontaneous combustion, a putrid degeneracy

takes place which soon leads to gangrene."

In this singular malady medicine

The combustion

is

of no avail.

kept up by causes apparently

beyond the reach of remedy, and

case, life is extinct before the

ceived.

is

in almost

phenomenon

every

is

per-

CHAPTER

XIIL

DRUNKENNESS JUDICIALLY CONSIDERED.

Not
self

down upon him-

only does the drunkard draw

many

Loth of body and mind, but

diseases,

in his intoxication,

if,

he commit any crime or misde-

meanour, he becomes, like other subjects, amenable

to the pains of law.

worse

from

off

In this respect, indeed, he

than sober persons, for drunkenness, far

palliating,

is

held to aggravate every offence

the law does not regard

"

crime.

"

who

thereby

is
;

it

as

any extenuation of

drunkard," says Sir

voluntarius

demon,

but what hurt or

drunkenness doth aggravate

King

is

ill

it."

Edward Coke,

hath

no privilege

soever he doth, his

In the case of the

versus Maclauchlin, March, 1737, the plea of

191
drunkenness, set up

in mitigation of punishment,

not allowed by the court.

says

he

never found

murder

a case of

Douglas, 1667.

it

Sir

George Mackenzie
and that in

sustained,

it

was repelled

Spott

Matthew Hales,

Sir

et

delictum."

" those

modica

who presume

must submit
state of the

to

to

law

is

commit crimes when drunk,

it

was decreed by

Pittacus, that

crime when

should receive a double punishment,"

itself,

prompted him

This

not peculiar to modern times.

who committed

the crime

agree

practice, that

in legal

punishment when sober."

In ancient Greece
" he

maxim

all

clear

non excused nee minuit

ebrietas

It is a

versus

c. 4, is

against the validity of the defence, and

that " levis

was

intoxicated,
viz.

one for

and the other for the ebriety which

to

commit

The Athenians not

it.

only punished offences done in drunkenness with

increased severity, but,

by an enactment of Solon,

made

inebriation in a magistrate was

Roman law

capital.

The

was, in some measure, an exception,

and admitted ebriety as a plea for any misdeeds

committed under
capitcdis

pcena

its

influence

per vinum delapsis

Notwithstanding

remittitur.

this

tenderness to offences by drunkards, the Romans,

at

one period, were inconsistent enough to punish

the vice itself with death,

I

if

found occurring in a

192

woman.
I.,

By two

James

acts passed in the reign of

drunkenness was punishable with

fine,

and,

fail-

ing payment, with sitting publicly for six hours in

7.

By

of these acts, Justices of the Peace

may

proceed against drunkards at the Sessions, by

way

the stocks; 4 Jac. I.e. 5, and 21 Jac.

the

first

of indictment
till

and

I. c.

remained in operation

this act

the 10th of October, 1828, at which time,

the act of the 9 Geo. IV.

c.

61, 35, the

by

law for

the suppression of drunkenness was repealed, with-

out providing any punishment for offenders in this

respect.

Previous to

this period, the ecclesiastical

courts could take cognizance of the offence, and

punish

it

accordingly.

As

the law stands at present,

therefore, drunkenness, per

acts of violence

se, is

not punishable, but

committed under

its

influence are

held to be aggravated rather than otherwise

can the person bring

it

In proof of

a bond signed in a

and

is

fit

this, it

who

may be

signed

it

it

upon

chance

stated, that

can be shown that

was inebriated by the

collusion or contrivance of those to

was given.

may

of intoxication, holds in law,

perfectly binding, unless

the person

nor

forward as an extenuation

of any folly or misdemeanour which he

to commit.

whom

the bond

judge or magistrate found drunk

the bench, is liable to

removal from his

office

193
and decisions pronounced by him

Such persons cannot,

held to be null and void.

while acting ex

claim the

officio,

repeal in the ancient law

itself

an outrage on

meanour.

Even

in

in that state are

benefit of the

their offence being in

justice, and, therefore, a

blasphemy, uttered

in a state of

ebriety, the defence goes for nothing, as

from the

following

given

case,

Arguments and Decisions,

in

misde-

is

manifest

Maclaurin's

p. 731.

" Nov. 22, 1697. Patrick Kinninmouth, of that

was brought to

The

last

alleged,

trial for

The

indictment

had affirmed Christ was a bastard, and

that he had said,

side,

blasphemy and adultery.

charge was passed from.

He

Ilk,

If

any woman had God on one

and Christ on the other, he would stow [cut]

the lugs [ears] out of her head in spite of

both.'

He

pleaded chiefly that he was drunk or

mad when he
utter them.

uttered these expressions, if he did

The

court found the libel relevant to

infer the pains libelled,

defence,

them

i. e.

death

and found the

That the pannel was furious or distracted

his wits relevant

in

but repelled the alledgeance of

fury or distraction arising from drunkenness."

It thus appears that the

and England agree

laws both of Scotland

in considering

drunkenness no

palliation of crime, but rather the reverse

and

it is

194
well that

it is so,

counterfeited,

seeing that ebriety could be easily

and made a cloak

By

of atrocious offences.

for the

commission

the laws, drunkenness

is

looked upon as criminal, and this being the case,

they could not consistently allow one

crime to

mitigate the penalties due to another.

There

only one case where drunkenness can

is

ever be alleged in mitigation of punishment

is,

where

it

that

has induced " a state of mind perfectly

akin to insanity."

It

is,

causes of that disease.

one of the

common

partition line

between

in fact,

The

intoxication and insanity,

may hence become

a sub-

ject of discussion.

" William

M'Donough was

indicted and tried for

the murder of his wife, before the

the State of Massachusetts, in

Supreme Court of

November, 1817.

It

appeared in testimony, that several years previous

he had received a severe injury of the head
although relieved of

this,

yet

its

that

were such

effects

At

these

periods he complained greatly of his head.

The

as

occasionally to render

him

insane.

use of spirituous liquors immediately induced a

return of the paroxysms, and in one of them, thus
induced, he murdered his wife.

propriety found guilty.

He was

with great

The voluntary

use

of a

stimulus which, he was fully aware, would disorder

195
his

mind, fully placed him under the power of the

law."*
" In the State of

New

York, we have a statute

which places the property of habitual drunkards

under the care of the chancellor,

The

as that of lunatics.

each town may,

in the

same manner

overseers of the poor in

when they

discover a person to be

an habitual drunkard, apply to the chancellor for

power and

the exercise of his

certain

cases,

aggrieved,

it

Avhether he

when

may be
is

investigated

actually

what he

is,

by

Rydgway

" In

in

is

six freeholders,

described to be,

prima facie, evidence of the

[This act was passed March

fact."f

And

the person considers himself

and their declaration

case

jurisdiction.

v.

16, 1821.]

Darwin, Lord Eldon

cites

where a commission of lunacy was supported

who, when sober, was a very

against a person,
sensible

man, but being

intoxication,

in

a constant state

of

he was incapable of managing his

property.";):

*
\

Beck on Medical Jurisprudence.

f Ibid.

Collinson on Lunacy.

" The laws against intoxication are enforced with great

Whoever is seen drunk, is fined, for the first
rigour in Sweden.
offence, three dollars

fourth, a

still

for the second, six, for the third

larger sum, and

is

and

also deprived of the right of

voting at elections, and of being appointed a representative.

He

is,

besides, publicly exposed in the parish

church on the

196
same individual is found committing
the same offence a fifth time, he is shut up in a house of correction, and condemned to six months' hard lahour ; and if he
is again guilty, of a twelvemonth's punishment of a similar
If the offence has heen committed in public, such
description.
as at a fair, an auction, &c. the fine is doubled ; and if the
offender has made his appearance in a church, the punishment
Whoever is convicted of having induced
is still more severe.
another to intoxicate himself, is fined three dollars, which sum is
following Sunday.

If the

doubled

if

the person

is

a minor.

this offence loses his benefice

any considerable
he

is

dismissed.

An ecclesiastic who

falls into

who

occupies

if it is

a layman

and perhaps
never admitted as an excuse
when drunk is buried igno-

post, his functions are suspended,

Drunkenness is
and whoever dies

any crime
miniously, and deprived of the prayers of the church.
It is
forbidden to give, and more explicitly to sell, any spirituous
liquors to students, workmen, servants, apprentices, and private
Whoever is observed drunk in the streets, or making
soldiers.
a noise in a tavern, is sure to be taken to prison and detained
till sober, without, however, being on that account exempted
from the fines. Half of these fines goes to the informers, (who
for

are generally police officers,) the other half to the poor.

delinquent has no money, he

is

If the

kept in prison until some one

pays for him, or until he has worked out his enlargement.

Twice a-year these ordinances are read aloud from the pulpit

by the clergy; and every tavern-keeper is bound, under the

penalty of a heavy fine, to have a copy of them hung up in
the principal rooms of his house." Schubert's Travels in
Sweden.

CHAPTER

XIV.

METHOD OF CURING THE HABIT OF DRUNKENNESS.

To remove
in whom it

the habit of drunkenness from any one

has been long established,

We

peculiar difficulty.

is

a task of

have not only to contend

against the cravings of the body, but against those

of the

mind

and

in struggling

in reality, carrying

with both,

on a combat with nature

The system no longer performs

its

we

are,

herself.

functions in the

usual manner; and to restore these functions to

their previous tone of action,
it

would be

to give

them an

is

more

difficult

than

action altogether the

reverse of nature and of health.

The first
of

all

step to be adopted,

liquors or substances

is

the discontinuance

which have the power of

198
intoxicating.

dropped
his

The only

question

is

should they be

by degrees ?

at once, or

Dr. Trotter,

in

Essay on Drunkenness, has entered into a long

train of argument, to prove that, in all cases, they

ought to be given up

He

instanter.

contends, that,

being in themselves injurious, their sudden discontinuance cannot possibly be attended with harm.

But

his reasonings

on

are not conclusive.

is

a bad thing, but

pure

air,

dark unwholesome dungeon

confined to such a place, have

sick if suddenly

exposed to the light and

on recovering their liberty

done by degrees, no

though ingenious,

has been remarked, that those

it

who have been long

become

this point,

evil effects

had

this

been

would have ensued.

removal from an unhealthy climate (to which

years had habituated a

man)

to a healthy one, has

sometimes been attended with similar consequences.

Even

old ulcers cannot always be quickly healed up

with safety.

Inebriation becomes,

second nature, and

is

it

were, a

not to be rapidly changed with

impunity, more than other natures.

advances the same opinion.

"cannot leave

as

Spurzheim*

" Drunkards," says he,

off their

bad habits suddenly, without

injuring their health."

Dr. Darwin speaks in like

terms of the injurious

*

View

effects of too

sudden a change;

of the Elementary Principles of Education.

199
and for these, and other reasons about to be
I

detailed,

am disposed, upon the whole, to coincide with them.

If

we

will be satisfied that

states of action.

of which there
action, of
is

we

consider attentively the system of man,

it

accommodates

It will

itself to various

perform a healthy action,

only one state,

is

or a diseased

The former

which there are a hundred.

uniform, and homogeneous.

may be

It

raised or

lowered, according to the state of the circulation,

but

its

nature

when

it

is

ever the same

when

assumes new characters

that changes

it is

The

the action of health, but of disease.

may be

latter

multiplied to infinity, and varies with a

thousand circumstances
affected,

no longer

such as the organ which

and the substance which

drunkenness in the long run,

it is

Now,

taken.

one of those

The system no longer

eased actions.
original purity

is

is

acts

operated upon by a

is

dis-

with

its

fictitious

excitement, and, in the course of time, assumes a

state quite foreign to its original constitution

action

which, however unhealthy, becomes,

mately, in some measure, natural.

opium

for a long time,

rid of

it,

in the
if

an

because

system

it

we

its

When we

use

cannot immediately get

has given rise to a false action

which would

deprived of

ulti-

suffer a

sudden disorder

accustomed stimulus.

To

illus-

200
trate this,

it

may be

when Abbas

mentioned, that

the Great published an edict to prohibit the use of

coquenar, (the juice of boiled poppies,) on account

of

its

dismal effects on the constitution, a great

mortality followed, which was only stopped at last

by restoring the use of the prohibited beverage.

Disease, under such circumstances, triumphs over
health,

and has established so strong a hold upon the

body, that

dislodged with difficulty by

it is

When we wish

ful possessor.

or any other narcotic to which

we must do
action

we

are accustomed,
let

the healthy

gradually expel the diseased one.

spirits or

law-

to get rid of opium,

by degrees, and

so

its

Place

wine in the situation of opium, and the

results will be the same.

inclined to think, that, in

For these

many

would be improper and dangerous

cating liquors

all at

reasons, I

am

cases at least,

remove

to

it

intoxi-

once from the drunkard.

Such

a proceeding seems at variance with the established

human body, and

actions of the

as injudicious as

unphilosophical.
I

do not, however, mean to say, that there are no

cases in which
all at

once.

when

the

not

it

would be necessary

When much

bodily vigour remains

morning cravings

irresistible,

to drop liquors

for

the

bottle

are

nor the appetite altogether broken,

201
the person should give over his bad habits instantly.

This

a state

is

has not yet

firmed

sot,

of

acquired the constitution

take place

of drinking

when

there

is

He

of a con-

and the sooner he ceases the

The immediate abandonment

in general,

drunkenness.

incipient

better.

may

also,

any organic

disease, such as enlarged liver, dropsy, or schirrus

stomach.

Under these circumstances, the

much

than at a previous period, as the frame

less

has, in a great measure, lost its

ing liquors, and the relish for

ably lessened.

But even

sacrifice is

power of withstand-

them

is

also consider-

then, the sudden depriva-

tion of the accustomed stimulus lias been

produce dangerous exhaustion

found necessary to give

moderate quantities.

no particular

it

and

known

to

has

been

again, though in

more

it

Those drunkards who have

disease, unless a

tremor and*

loss of

appetite be so denominated, require to be deprived

of the bottle
apt to

fall

by degrees.

Their system would be

into a state of torpor if

it

were suddenly

taken away, and various mental diseases, such as

melancholy, madness, and delirium tremens, might

even be the
it

result.

With such

must be acknowledged

difficulty

Few

in

getting

persons, however,

that there

their

potations

is

very great
diminished.

have fortitude to submit to any reduction.

202

There

is,

as the period of the

arrives, an oppression

accustomed indulgence

and faintness

at the prcecordia,

which human nature can scarcely endure, together

with a gnawing desire, infinitely more insatiable
than the longings of a pregnant woman.

To prove the
and the
ing

it,

intensity of the desire for the bottle,

difficulty, often

extract the following interesting and highly

characteristic anecdote

"A

insurmountable, of overcom-

from a recent publication

gentleman of very amiable dispositions, and

justly popular, contracted habits of intemperance

his friends argued, implored,

he put an end to

To

a friend

ing strain

Dear

at last

importunity in this manner:

all

who was
'

remonstrated

addressing him in the follow-

Sir George, your family are in

the utmost distress on account of this unfortunate

habit

they perceive that business

is

neglected

your moral influence

is

and, depend

the coats of your stomach will

upon

it,

gone

your health

is

ruined

soon give way, and then a change will come too

late.'

The poor

victim, deeply convinced of the

hopelessness of his case, replied thus

friend,

true

your remarks are just; they

but

bottle of
hell

'

My

at

at the other,

good

are, indeed, too

can no longer resist temptation

brandy stood

yawned

if

one hand, and the pit of

and

if I

were convinced

208
would be pushed

in as sure as

You

could not refrain.

be grateful for so

took one

are very kind.

many kind good

glass, I

ought to

friends, but

you

may

spare yourselves the trouble of trying to reform

me

the thing

The

is

impossible.'

"

observation of almost every

man must have

furnished him with cases not less striking than the

above.

many such which have

could relate

occurred in

my own

practice, but shall at present

content myself with one.

was

lately consulted

by

a young gentleman of fortune from the north of

England.

He was

aged twenty-six, and was one

of the most lamentable instances of the resistless

tyranny of this wretched habit that can possibly be

imagined.

Every morning, before

drank a bottle of brandy

another he consumed

between breakfast and dinner

before going to bed.

he

breakfast,

and a third shortly

Independently of

he

this,

indulged in wine and whatever liquor came within

his reach.

Even during

priated to sleep, the

brandy being placed

the night-time.

To

the hours usually appro-

same system was pursued

at the
this

bed side for

destructive vice he had

been addicted since his sixteenth year

gone on increasing from day to day,

acquired

its

his use in

and
till

it
it

had
had

then alarming and almost incredible

204
magnitude.

In vain did he try to resist the insidi-

With

ous poison.

the perfect consciousness that

he was rapidly destroying himself, and with every

desire to struggle againstthe insatiable cravings of his

diseased appetite, he found

it

utterly impossible to

them.

offer the slightest opposition to

faintings,

sickness,

Intolerable

and tremors, followed every

;

and had they been

it

cannot be doubted

attempt to abandon his potations

taken suddenly away from him,
that delirium tremens

and death would have been

the result.

There are many persons that cannot be

called

drunkards, who, nevertheless, indulge pretty freely

the

in

though after reasonable intervals.

bottle,

Such persons usually possess abundance of health,

and

resist

intoxication

stomach and system

in the

same way

powerfully.

life

become

as in confirmed topers, but this

less delicate

they move get, as

it

and

elastic

The springs

were, clogged, and, though

it is

not the bound-

vigour of perfect health.

proceeds, not from debility? but from torpor

muscular

fibre

is

the pivots on which

existence goes on with vigour,

ing

the

in general lose their irritability,

more from torpor than from weakness.

of

Here

This
;

the

becoming, like the hands of a labour-

ing man, hardened and blunted

in its sensibilities.

205
Such are the

brought on by a frequent use

effects

of inebriating agents, but an excessive use in every

This the system can

case gives rise to weakness.

only escape by a proper interval being allowed to

elapse between our indulgences.

heaped on dose, before

former exhaustion,
debilitated

it

it

But

if

dose be

has time to rally from

becomes more and more

the blood ceases to circulate with

wonted force

its

the secretions get defective, and the

tone of the living fibre daily enfeebled.

fevers the system, and no

man

A debauch

can stand a perpetual

succession of fevers without injuring himself, and at

last

destroying

life.

Drunkenness, in the long run, changes

The

its

character.

sensations of the confirmed tippler,

when

in-

toxicated, are nothing, in point of pleasure, to those

of the habitually temperate man, in the same condition.

We

drink at

first

diffused over the mind,

love

we bear

for the serenity

which

and not from any positive

But, in the course of

to the liquor.

time, the influence of the latter, in producing

images,

is

deadened.

It

is

it,

gay

then chiefly a mere

animal fondness for drink which actuates us.

like the taste of

is

as a child likes

We

sweetmeats

and the stomach, for a series of years, has been so

accustomed to an unnatural stimulus, that

it

cannot

206"
perform

functions properly without

its

a cas^it

may

In such

it.

readily be believed that liquor could

not be suddenly removed with safety.

The

skilfully

heart,

upon the mind.

If the person has a feeling

much may be done by

state of

representing to him the

misery into which he will plunge himself,

his family,
effort,

by operating

habit will sometimes be checked

and

Some men, by a strong

his friends.

have given up liquors

at once, in

consequence

of such representations.

Some drunkards have attempted

selves

by the assumption of voluntary

go before a magistrate, and swear

but just to

strictly

oftener broken

any kind

state, that these oaths are

They

enough kept.

They

oaths.

that, for a certain

period, they shall not taste liquors of

it is

to cure them-

are,

sometimes

however, much

the physical cravings

for the bottle

prevailing over whatever religious obligation

have been entered

absurd as

it

is

Such a proceeding

into.

and

may
is

as

immoral, and never answers the

purpose of effecting any thing like a radical cure

for,

although the person abides by his solemn engage-

ment,

it

is

only to resume his old habits more

inveterately than ever, the

Many men become

They

find

no comfort

moment

it

expires.

drunkards from family

at

broils.

home, and gladly seek for

207
In such cases,

out of doors.

it

impossible

to

break the habit.

it

will be almost

The domestic

sympathies and affections, which oppose a barrier

to dissipation,
bottle,

and wean away the mind from the

have here no room to

act.

When the mother

of a family becomes addicted to liquor, the case

very

Home,

afflicting.

is

instead of being the seat of

comfort and order, becomes a species of Pande-

monium

the social circle

happiness destroyed.

is

broken up, and

In this

case,

there

the fair sex.

afflicted

known

man

its

is

no

feeling

to effect a cure

among

remedy but the removal of the drunkard.

of perversity has been

all

of Philadelphia,

who was

with a drunken wife, put a cask of

rum

in

her way, in the charitable hope that she would drink

herself to death.

She suspected the scheme, and,

from a mere principle of contradiction, abstained

all

in

time coming, from any sort of indulgence in the

bottle.

may mention

another American anecdote

of a person reclaimed from drunkenness, by means

not less singular.

addicted to

this

A man in Maryland, notoriously

vice,

kitchen one evening,

felt

out noise to the door, to

when he beheld

hearing an uproar

in

his

the curiosity to step with-

know what was

the matter,

his servants indulging in the

unbounded roar of laughter

at

most

a couple of his negro

208

who were mimicking

boys,
fits,

himself in his drunken

showing how he reeled and staggered

how he

looked and nodded, and hiccupped and tumbled.

The

drew of

picture which these children of nature

him, and which had

filled

the rest with so

much

merriment, struck him so forcibly, that he became

a perfectly sober man, to the unspeakable joy of

and children.

his wife

Man

is

By

very much the creature of habit.

drinking regularly at certain times, he feels the

longing for liquor at the stated return of those
periods

as

dinner, or

after

immediately before

going to bed, or whatever the period

even

feels

it

in certain

tavern at which he

is

We have all

tions.

may

He

be.

companies, or in a particular

in the habit of taking his liba-

heard the story of the

man who

could never pass an inn on the road-side without

entering

it

a violent

and taking a

effort,

glass,

he succeeded

spot, straightway returned to

bumper

for his resolution.

drunkards to break

all

and who, when,

after

beyond the

in getting

reward himself with

It is a

good rule

for

Let the

fre-

such habits.

quenter of drinking clubs, masonic lodges, and other

Bacchanalian assemblages, leave

places

and

where there

if

he must drink,

is

let

off

attending these

him do

so at home,

every likelihood his potations will

209
be

less liberal.

Let him also forswear the society

of boon companions, either in his

Let him,

in theirs.

from the place of

where

else.

if

own

he can manage

his usual residence,

Let him

habitation or

also take

it,

remove

and go some-

abundance of exercise,

court the society of intellectual and sober persons,

and turn

his attention to reading, or gardening, or

sailing, or

whatever other amusement he has a fancy

for.

By

following this advice rigidly, he will get

rid of that baleful habit

shadow, and intrudes

which haunts him

itself

like his

by day and by night

the sanctuary of his thoughts.

And

to lay aside the Circean cup, let

Disease waits upon his steps

if

him

into

he refuses

reflect that

that Dropsy,

Palsy,

Emaciation, Poverty, and Idiotism, followed by the

pale phantom, Death, pursue
spirits,

him

like attendant

and claim him as their prey.

Sometimes an attack of disease has the

effect of

sobering drunkards for the rest of their lives.

knew

a gentleman

of dissipation.

who had apoplexy in consequence

He

fortunately recovered, but the

danger which he had escaped made such an impression

upon

his

mind, that he never,

till

his

dying

day, tasted any liquor stronger than simple water.

Many persons,
bly lean

but

after such changes,

this is

become remarka-

not an unhealthy emaciation.

210
Their mental powers also suffer a very material

improvement
ful,

the

intellect

becoming more power-

and the moral feelings more

soft

and refined.

In a small treatise on Naval Discipline, lately

published, the following whimsical and ingenious

mode

of punishing drunken seamen

" Separate

is

recommended:

month every man who was

for one

found drunk, from the rest of the crew

drunkard

'

if beer,

mixed one-half water

the crew had finished

to be

found

let

his
or,

them dine when

in

every dirty

This had such a salutary

that in less than six

man was

employ them

and disgraceful work, &c.

effect,

mark

give him six- water grog,

clothes

;'

months not a drunken

in the ship.

The same system

was introduced by the writer into every ship on

When

board which he subsequently served.

first

lieutenant of the Victory and Diomede, the beneficial

consequences were acknowledged

were heard to
six
it,

say, that

the culprits

they would rather receive

dozen lashes at the gangway, and be done with

than be put into the

'

drunken mess

'

(for so

it

was named) for a month."

Those persons who have been

for

many years

habit of indulging largely in drink, and to

has

become an

elixir vitce

in the

whom

it

indispensable to their

happiness, cannot be suddenly deprived of

it.

This

211
should be done by slow degrees, and must be the
If the quantity be forcibly

result of conviction.

diminished against the person's

be done

he will only seize the

will,
first

no good can

opportunity to

remunerate himself for what he has been deprived

of,

and proceed to greater excesses than before.

his

mind can be brought, by calm

way

It

however,

is,

difficulties

un-

and

no

gradual process,

this

ordinary strength of mind

pletion.

Many

of reformation.

doubtedly attend

to

reflection,

much may be accomplished

submit to the decrease,

in the

If

is

less

required for

its

com-

dangerous than the

method recommended by Dr. Trotter, and ultimately

much more

free of hazard,

The unnatural
had given

its effects

feel

This

Had

which long intemperance

the system with pertinacious

The remembrance

delightful vision,

still

plan were

are not likely to be lasting.

action, to

rise, clings to

adherence.

mind

Even although his

effectual.

of liquor,

like

attaches itself to the drunkard's

and he longs with insufferable ardour, to

once more the ecstacies to which

is

it

gave

birth.

the consequence of a too rapid separation.

the

sympathies

of nature

been gradually

operated upon, there would have been less violence,

and the longings had a better chance of wearing

insensibly away.

212

Among
manner,
Pitcairn.

Highland

the great authorities for acting in this

may

In attempting to break the habit in a

one of

chieftain,

much sealing-wax

he exacted

his patients,

would every day drop

a promise that the latter

into his glass as

the impression of his seal.

wax

He

did so, and as the

accumulated, the capacity of the glass dimin-

was capable of containing.

By

such a whimsical proceeding,

ticularly to

recommend

it

was

A strong argument

do not mean par-

on which

who

although

its

eccentric

substantially correct.

against too sudden a change

afforded in the case of food.

that persons

it

In mentioning

for adoption

satisfied that the principle

contriver proceeded

whisky

plan he was

this

cured of his bad habit altogether.

is

as

would receive

ished, and, consequently, the quantity of

am

Dr.

be mentioned the celebrated

have remarked

are in the daily habit of eating

animal food feel a sense of weakness about the

stomach
for a

if

they suddenly discontinue

it,

few days entirely upon vegetables.

have experienced personally, in various

for the purpose

and every person

accustomed to good
feel the

same

stimulus, loses

living,

tone

This

trials

made

in health,

am

live

and

persuaded,

The stomach, from want

thing.
its

will,

and

of

the craving for animal food

218
is

strong and incessant

and,

if it

be resisted, heart-

burn, water-brash, and other forms of indigestion,

In such a case vegetables are

are sure to ensue.

loathed as intolerably insipid, and even bread

is

looked upon with disrelish and aversion.

is

precisely

same with

the

Their sudden

liquors.

discontinuance, where they have been long

of,

is

It

made use

almost sure to produce the same, and even

worse consequences to the individual.

I

cannot give any directions with regard to the

This will depend

regimen of a reformed drunkard,

upon

different circumstances, such as age, constitu-

tion,

diseases,

laid
little

will

down

and manner of

living.

as a general rule, that

may be

ought to be as

A milk or vegetable diet

heating as possible.

commonly be

it

It

preferable to every other.

But

there are cases in which food of a richer quality

when

requisite,

as

debility.

Here

it

there

is

may even

moderate quantity of wine.

great a change of living

more

much

is

emaciation and

be necessary to give a
In gout, likewise, too

is

not always salutary,

where there

especially in advanced years,

is

weakness of the digestive organs, brought on by

the disease.

In old age, wine

sustain the system,

more

is

often useful to

especially

when

sinking

by the process of natural decay. The older a person

214
is, tlie

greater the inconvenience of abstaining

all at

once from liquors, and the more slowly ought they

to be taken away.

that a

man who

cannot bring myself to believe

for half a century has

drunk

freely,

can suddenly discontinue this ancient habit without

a certain degree of risk
that

we know

the idea

is

opposed to

all

of the bodily and mental functions.

In attempting to cure the habit of drunkenness,

opium may sometimes be used with advantage.

giving

it

in

the person

is

moderate quantities, the liquor which

in the habit of taking,

may

ished to a considerable extent, and he

be enabled to leave them

only one risk, and

it

is

as confirmed a votary of

strong liquors.

Of two

always choose the least

ever perniciously opium

moral

its

are

By

effects

and

its

off altogether.

be dimin-

may

thus

There

is

this that he may become

opium
evils,

and

as

however,

it is

may

he was before of

act

we

should

certain that

how-

upon the system,

power of injuring reputation

decidedly less formidable than those of the

ordinary intoxicating agents.

The
to

following anecdote has been communicated

me by

the late Mr. Alexander Balfour, (Author

of " Contemplation," "

Weeds and

Wildflowers,"

and other ingenious works,) and exhibits a mode of

curing dram-drinking equally novel and effective:

215
About

the middle of last century, in a provincial

town on the east coast of Scotland, where smuggling

was common,

it

was the practice for two respectable

merchants to gratify themselves with a social glass

of good Hollands, for which purpose they regularly

adjourned, at a certain hour, to a neighbouring ginshop.

happened one morning that something

It

prevented one of them from calling on his neighbour

at the usual time.

was

Many a wistful and longing look

cast for the friend so unaccountably absent, but

he came not.

His disappointed companion would

not go to the dram-shop alone

acknowledged that the want of

his

dial

but he afterwards

accustomed cor-

rendered him uneasy the whole day.

this

feeling induced

habit he

him

to reflect

upon the bad

was acquiring, and the consequences which

were likely

to follow.

He

therefore resolved to

discontinue dram-drinking entirely,

some

expedient

he lodged

deliberation, he hit

it

until,

upon the following

-Filling a bottle with excellent Hollands,

it

in his back-shop,

taking his dram, he replaced

Next morning he took

with water

but found

put his resolution into practice,

difficult to

after

However,

and

in this

and the
it

first

morning

with simple water.

a second dram, replacing

manner he went

it

on, replac-

ing the fluid subtracted from the bottle with water,

k2

216
till

at last the

mixture became insipid and ultimately

nauseous, which had such an effect upon his palate,

was completely cured of

that he

his

bad habit, and

continued to live in exemplary soberness

death, which

happened

in

till

his

extreme old age.

Dr. Kain, an American physician, recommends

tartar emetic for the cure of habitual drunkenness,,

" Possessing-," he observes, " no positive taste

itself,

communicates a disgusting quality to those

fluids

it

in

which

dissolved.

it is

have often seen persons

who, from taking a medicine

in the

form of

anti-

monial wine, could never afterwards drink wine.

Nothing, therefore, seems better calculated to form

our indication of breaking up the association, in the
patient's feelings,

to be

between

his disease

and the

obtained from stimulating liquors.

liquors,

relief

These

with the addition of a very small quantity

of emetic tartar, instead of relieving, increase the

sensation of loathing of food, and quickly produce
in the patient an indomitable

vehicle of

its

prescribing
age,

it,

administration."

"

My

method of

has varied according to the habits,

and constitution of the

in alterative

repugnance to the

and

patient.

give

slightly nauseating doses.

venient preparation of the medicine

is

it

only

A con-

eight grains

dissolved in four ounces of boiling water

half an

217
ounce of the solution to be put into a half-pint,

pint,

or quart of the patient's favourite liquor, and to be

If severe vomiting

taken daily in divided portions.

and purging ensue,

it

should direct laudanum to

and diminish the dose.

In every

should be varied according to

its effects.

allay the irritation,

patient

In one instance, in a patient

who

lived ten miles

from me, severe vomiting was produced, more,

think,

from excessive drinking, than the use of the

He

remedy.

any bad

recovered from

effects.

it,

however, without

In some cases, the change sud-

denly produced in the patient's habits, has brought

on considerable lassitude and

of but short duration.

debility,

which were

In a majority of cases, no

other effect has been perceptible than slight nausea,

some

diarrhoea,

distaste to the

Having

and a gradual, but very uniform,

menstruum."*

tried tartar emetic in several instances, I

can bear testimony to

drunkenness.

The

its

good

effects in habitual

active ingredient in Chambers's

celebrated nostrum for the cure of ebriety, was this

medicine.

Tartar emetic, however, must always be

used with caution, and never except under the eye

of a medical man, as the worst consequences might

American Journal of the Medical

Sciences,

No. IV.

218
ensue from the indiscreet employment of so active

an agent.
It

seems probable

that, in plethoric subjects, the

habit of drunkenness might be attacked with

success
tions

by the application of

and

some

leeches, cold applica-

blisters to the head,

accompanied by pur-

gatives and nauseating doses of tartar emetic.

Dr.

Caldwell of Lexington, conceives drunkenness to be

entirely a disease of the brain, especially of the animal

compartments of

this viscus,

that portion called

alimentiveness,

drink

is

and more especially of

by phrenologists the organ of

on which the appetite for food and

Should his

supposed mainly to depend.

views be correct, the above treatment seems

at least in

dronkards of a

in such cases

it is

certainly

full habit

eligible,

of body, and

worthy of a

full trial.

refer the reader to Dr. Caldwell's Essay, in which

both the above doctrine and the practice founded

upon

it

are very ably discussed.

It

is,

indeed, one

of the ablest papers which has hitherto appeared

upon the subject of drunkenness.*

It

very often happens, after a long course of

sipation, that the

stomach loses

almost every thing that

*

is

its

tone,

swallowed.

and

dis-

rejects

The remedy,

See Transylvania Journal of Medicine and the Associate

Sciences, for July,

August and September,

1832.

219
in this case, is

opium, which should be given in the

solid

form

tities

of negus are also beneficial

in preference to

any other.

Small quan-

and the carbonate

of ammonia, combined with some aromatic,

quently attended with the best

is

much

effects.

is fre-

When there

prostration of strength, wine should always

be given.

In such a case, the entire removal of the

long-accustomed stimulus would be attended with

This must be done gradually.

the worst effects.

Enervated drunkards

removing to the country,

The

in town.

free air

enfeebled frames

occupy their attention

drawn from former

ciations

is

Warm

broken

if

benefit

by

their usual residence

and exercise renovate

new

much

will reap

is

their

presented to

scenes are

mind being with-

and, the

scenes, the chain of past asso-

in two.

will

occasionally be

useful, according to circumstances.

Bitters are not

to

the

and cold bathing

be recommended, especially

if

employed under

medium of spirits. When there is much

A visit to places

chalybeates will prove serviceable.

where there are mineral springs

debility,

is

of use, not only

from the waters, but from the agreeable society to

be met with at such quarters.

The

great art of

breaking the habit consists in managing the drunkard

with kindness and address.

This management must,

220
of course, be modified by the events which present
themselves, and which will vary in different cases.

Persons residing in tropical climates ought, more

than others, to avoid intoxicating liquors.

much

the practice in the

West

It is too

Indies to allay thirst

by copious draughts of rum punch.

In the East

Indies, the natives, with greater propriety, princi-

pally use rice-water (congee); while the Europeans

residing there, are in the habit of indulging in

Champaign, Madeira, and other rich wines, which

may

in a great

prevailing

measure account for the mortality

among them

in that region.

demoralization, as well as loss of

life, is

fearful

occasioned

among

the British troops in the East and

Indies,

from the cheapness of spirituous

which enables them to indulge

" Since

the

institution

Supreme Courts

at

of

them

in

liquors,

to excess.

Recorder's

the

Madras," says

West

Sir

and

Thomas

Hislop, " no less than thirty-four British soldiers

have forfeited their

lives for

them were committed

in their intoxicated

murder, and most of

moments."

Dr. Rollo relates, that the 45th regiment, while

stationed in Grenada, lost within a very few weeks,

twenty-six

men

when

island

the

inquiry,

it

out of ninety-six

at a time, too,

was remarkably healthy.

On

was found that the common breakfast of

221
the

men was raw

by Desgenettes,
French

Army

spirits

in

demonstrates that almost

in intemperate habits,

ence

is felt

that,

all

who

down

fevers,

In countries where the solar influ-

with such force,

we

cannot be too tem-

chiefly vegetable,
It

spirits are invariably hurtful

immediately heating the body, but

to the influence of other diseases.*

of the deaths which occur

tropics, are

in

wine

not only

exposing

it

A great portion

among Europeans

brought on by excess.

and

may be

as an axiom, that in these regions,

and ardent
in

indulge

and are attacked with

the drink as unirritating as possible.

laid

remarked

" daily experience

the soldiers

The food should be

perate.

It is

Medical History of the

his

Egypt,

in

never recover."

and pork.

in the

Instead of suit-

ing their regimen to the climate, they persist in the

habits of their

what

is

own

country, without reflecting that

comparatively harmless in one region,

most destructive

in

another.

is

There cannot be a

stronger proof of this than the French troops in the

West
*

In

Indies having almost always suffered less in

warm

countries, the aqueous part of the blood loses

by perspiration it must therefore be supplied by

Water is there of admirable use; strong liquors
a like liquid.
would coagulate the globules of blood that remain after the
transuding of the aqueous humour." Montesquieu, Book xiv.
itself greatly

Chap. x.

222
proportion to their numbers than the British, who are

unquestionably more addicted to intemperance,

aver,

from

" I

my own knowledge and custom," observes

Dr. Mosely, " as from the custom and observation

of others, that those
are but

little

affected

who

by the

drink nothing but water,

climate,

and can undergo

the greatest fatigue without inconvenience."*

It is a

common

to send persons

practice in the

who

West

of Scotland

are excessively addicted to

drunkenness, to rusticate and learn sobriety on the

islands

two

of

Loch Lomond.

There

are,

believe,

islands appropriated for the purpose,

where

the convicts meet with due attention, and whatever

indulgences their friends choose to extend towards

them.

Whether such

a proceeding

is

consistent

with law, or well adapted to answer the end in view,

may

be reasonably doubted; but of

its

punishment, there can be no question.

impossible to

inflict

severity, as a
It is

indeed

any penalty upon drunkards so

great as that of absolutely debarring them from

indulging in liquor.
In the next Chapter,

I shall

consider the

method

of curing and preventing drunkenness by means of

Temperance

Societies.

* Tropical Diseases.

CHAPTER

TEMPERANCE

Much

lias

SOCIETIES.

been said and written of

Temperance
by

XV.

Societies.

late

concerning

They have been represented

their friends as powerful engines for effecting a

total reformation

from drunkenness, and improving

the whole face of society,

by introducing a purer

morality, and banishing the hundred-headed

mon-

accompanying

vices,

their opponents, they

have

ster,

intemperance, and

from the world.

By

all

its

been ridiculed as visionary and impracticable as,

at best, but

eous in

temporary

many

unsocial,

in their influence

of their leading views

and hypocritical.

as erron-

as tyrannical,

Their members are

represented as enthusiasts and fanatics

and the

224
more
the

active portion of

them

"those who lecture on

and go about founding Societies

subject,

traduced as fools or impostors.

Such are the various

views entertained by different minds of Temperance

Societies

but,

leaving

it

to

others to argue the

point, for or against, according to their inclinations,

simply state what

I shall

think myself of these

institutions how far they do good or

harm

and

under what circumstances they ought to be thought

favourable

or the reverse.

of,

Truth generally lies

in mediis rebus, and I suspect they will not form an

exception to the rule.

Temperance

Societies proceed

upon the

belief

that ardent spirits are, under all circumstances, in-

jurious to people in health, and that, therefore, they

ought to be altogether abandoned.

to think favourably of
object the

therefore

am

any plan which has

eradication of drunkenness

simply express

Societies have

anxious

my

belief

for its

and

that

shall

those

done good, and ought therefore to be

regarded with a favourable eye.

That they have

succeeded, or ever will succeed, in reclaiming any

considerable

doubts

venting
is

number of drunkards,

but that they

may have

the effect of pre-

many individuals from becoming

exceedingly probable.

have great

drunkards,

If this can be

proved

225
which

think

may be without much

it

difficulty

it

follows that they are beneficial in their nature, and,

consequently, deserving of encouragement.

they are wrong in supposing ardent

That

spirits invari-

ably hurtful in health, and they are also in error in

advocating the instant abandonment, in all

intoxicating liquors,

have

little

doubt

cases, of

but that

they are correct in their great leading views of the

pernicious effects of spirits to

and that their principles,

produce good,

certain

beneficial

cases,

it is

when used

Spirits

be looked upon as pernicious

even

and necessary.

intermittents,

in general,

carried into effect, will

self-evident.

is

in moderation, cannot

nay, in

if

mankind

in

health,

they are

In countries subject to

in

spirits are

much

less subject

soldiers

it

was remarked that those

who took

schnaps,

officers

drams,

alias

At

"

to these diseases than the strictly abstinent.

Walcheren

who

very well known that those

indulge moderately

and

in

the

morning, and smoked, escaped the fever which was

so destructive to the British troops

and the natives

generally insisted upon doing so before going out

in

the

morning."*

equally in point.

The

following

anecdote

is

" It took place on the Niagara

Glasgow Medical Journal, No.

XV.

226
Upper Canada,

frontier of

in the year 1813.

some accident, was prevented

British regiment, from

from receiving the usual supply of

spirits,

and

in a

very short time more than two -thirds of the men

were on the

sick list

from ague or dysentery

while,

the very next year, on the same ground, and in

almost every respect under the same circumstances,

men had

except that the

spirits,

their usual allowance of

the sickness was extremely trifling.

Every

person acquainted with the circumstances believed

that the diminution of the sick, during the latter
period,

was attributable

to the

men having received

the quantity of spirits to which they had been habit-

uated."*

Indeed,

am persuaded

that while, in

the tropics, stimulating liquors are highly prejudicial,

and often occasion, while they never prevent,

disease,

they are frequently of great service

accomplishing the latter

countries, especially

when

object
fatigue,

in

damp foggy

in

poor

diet,

agues

dysenteries, and other diseases of debility are to

be contended against.
believe, with

much

has prevailed so
classes

in this

It has

been

stated, and, I

truth, that the dysentery

much

of late

among

country, has. been in

Glasgow Medical Journal, No.

which

the poorer

many

XV.

cases

227
occasioned, and in others aggravated, in consequence

of the want of

state of trade, the

working

and should

procure

correct,

it

which, from the depressed

spirits,

classes are unable to

this assertion

follows, that

turn out to be

Temperance

Societies,

by

the rigid abstinence urged upon their members, have

contributed to increase the

fortified

others,

The system

evil.

is

against this disorder, as well as various

by

a proper use of stimuli

while excess in

the indulgence of these agents exposes

it

to the

attack of every disease and invariably aggravates

the danger.

Water

unquestionably the natural

is

drink of man, but in the existing condition of things,

we

are no longer in a state of nature, and cases con-

sequently often occur wherein

find a

moderate use of

enjoyment of health.
idle to

That such
must be

is

is

necessary to the
it

They ought only

would be

to be given

not required by the system.

the case in a great majority of instances,

fully admitted

principles of

spirits

In these cases

abandon them.

up when their use

depart from

There are many persons

her original principles.

who

we must

and

Temperance

with advantage.

it is

to these that the

Societies can be applied

Considering the matter

light, the conclusion

we must come

to

ardent spirits sometimes do good, but

is

in

this

simply that

much

oftener

.;

228

By

mischief.

abandoning them altogether, we

escape the mischief and lose the good.

Temperance

inevitable effect, supposing

to

come

fore,

Such

is

the

Societies

It remains, there-

into general operation.

with people themselves to determine whether

they are capable of using

only

spirits

when they

are

and then with a due regard to moderation

beneficial,

If they have so little self-command, the sooner they

connect themselves with Temperance Societies the

I believe that

better.
spirits

by a moderate indulgence

no man can be injured, and that many

often be benefited.

It is their

it is

with

same way

as I

this

any other excess.

well to

abuse alone

would object

draw a

will

abuse which renders

them a curse rather than a blessing

and

in

to

mankind

I find fault, in the

to excess in eating, or

People, therefore, would

do

between the proper use

distinction

and the abuse of these stimulants, and regulate

themselves accordingly.

Temperance

Societies,

however, though errone-

ous in some of their principles, and injurious as

applied to particular cases,

may be

towards society

Proceeding upon the

well-known

in general.

of great use

fact that ardent spirits are peculiarly

apt to be abused, and habitual drunkenness to ensue,

they place these agents under the ban of total inter-

229
diction,

and thus arrest the march of that baneful

evil occasioned

by

therefore, as the individual

I fully
all

comparatively

of these insti-

good

is

effected at the

On

such grounds,

At

would not wish

for the plain

bad

little.

admit their beneficial

success.

effects

far,

members

tutions are concerned, a great

sacrifice of

So

excessive use.

their

effects,

the same time,

and wish them

many

sober persons

to connect themselves

with them,

reason that having never

felt

from the small quantity of ardent

any

spirits

they are in the habit of taking, but, on the contrary,

sometimes been the better for

feel averse to

come under any

Such,

my own feelings on this subject

am

will

fully

they would

obligation to abstain

from these liquors altogether.

it

and

I confess, are

them,

in stating

aware that the advocates of the Societies

answer

that a man's private inclinations should

be sacrificed to public good, and

that, for the

sake

of a general example, he should abandon that which,

though harmless to him,

which he indulges
mankind.

upon many

in

in the limited extent to

it, is

pernicious to the mass of

This argument
will tell

is

not without point, and

with good

effect,

though,

believe, people in general will either not

ledge

its force, or, at least,

Temperance

acknow-

refuse to act up to

Societies have

had one

effect

it.

they

230
have lessened the consunipt of spirituous liquors to
a vast extent, and have left that of wines and malt

liquors undiminished, or rather increased

although the more

their use

many

for

members avoid even them,

not interdicted by the rules of the

is

By thus

Societies.
spirits,

strict

it

diminishing the consumption of

they have been the means of shutting up

small public houses

of keeping

tradesmen and labourers from the tavern

numerous
of encour-

aging such persons to sober habits, by recommending coffee instead of strong liquor

and, generally

speaking, of promoting industry and temperance.

If a person
lie

were disposed

to be very censorious,

might object to some other things connected with

them, such as the inconsistency of allowing their

members

to drink wine and malt liquors, while they

debar them from ardent

the ground that on the two

first

man

is

become a drunkard than upon

likely to
fact

They do

spirits.

which

may be

believe, arises, in

more money

wine than upon

its

less

spirits

delusion

state,

requiring

drunk upon malt liquors and

spirits.

In abandoning the latter,

however, and having recourse to the others,

proper to

on

much

fairly admitted, but which,

some measure, from

to get

this

it

is

that the person often practises a

upon himself;

for in drinking wine, such

231
at least as

procured in this country, he in reality

it is

consumes a large proportion of pure

spirits

and

malt liquors contain not only the alcoholic principle

of intoxication, but are often sophisticated, as

have already seen, with narcotics.

though not in the majority of

malt liquors

much more

and

if

some,

cases, yet in

this is especially the case in plethoric

and dyspeptic

such

is

habit of body,

Independently of

subjects.

difficult to

Much

latter.

believe that,

moderation are better for the system than

spirits in

is

we

exercise

get rid of the effects of the

is

required for this purpose

neglected, and the person

would have been better

it

this, it

is

of full

if

he had

stuck by his toddy than run the risk of getting

overloaded with

fat,

and dropping down

in

fit

of

apoplexy.
I

know

Society

members of the Temperance

several

who

delusion in question.
largely in porter

a-day.

Nobody

They shun

but indulge

can deny that by this practice they

more than

tumbler or so of toddy daily

more

spirits,

to the extent perhaps of a bottle

will suffer a great deal

are the

upon themselves the

are practising

if

they took a

and the consequences

pernicious, because, while indulging

in these libations,

they imagine themselves to be

the while paragons of sobriety.

all

Rather than have

232

Tem-

permitted such a license to their members,

perance

should

Societies

have

As

liquors as they have done spirits.

may

he

These

Temperance

their utility, I

so the

more

and firm belief

;

and

in

do

a large balance of

overweigh whatever bad

this,

more

far

dulging habitually
undeniable

is

mv

all

against them.

But notwithstanding
is

with

to mention

readily, as there

in their favour, to

drunkenness

facts,

Societies,

am compelled

may be brought

is

the time habituating- him-

is all

to drunkenness.

respect for

good

a person

it is,

be a member, and follow the rules of the

Societies, while
self

malt

proscribed

the fact that a habit of

likely to be caused

in spirits

than in any thing

and Temperance

ing the consumpt of

by

spirits,

in-

else,

Societies, in lessen-

have accomplished a

certain good, in so far as they have thus been the

means of diminishing,

to a considerable extent, the

vice of drunkenness, of reclaiming a

preventing

many from becoming

tainly have fallen into the snare,

so

few

topers,

and

who would

cer-

had they not been

timously checked by their influence and example.

In conclusion,

have to repeat that

do not

agree with the Societies in considering ardent spirits

always hurtful

in

health, or in

recommending the

instant disuse of liquor in all cases of drunkenness.

233
The

reasons for entertaining

my own

opinions on

these points are given in the work, and they are

satisfactory to myself,

At

others.

may be

to

the same time, I fully admit that these

may

institutions

whatever they

often prove eminently useful,

that the cases wherein they

may be

injurious

and
to

those connected with them, are not many, compared

to the

mass of good which they are capable of

ing.

The man,

therefore,

for liquor stealing

who

effect-

feels the appetite

upon him, cannot adopt a wiser

plan than to connect himself with a body, the

bers of which will keep
sobriety, and,

by

away from the

him

in

countenance in

their example, perhaps

bottle,

mem-

wean him

and thus arrest him on the

road to ruin.*

The

following account of Temperance Societies

is

fessor Edgar, one of their most enthusiastic advocates

by Pro-

" Temperance Societies direct their chief exertions against

the use of distilled spirits, conceiving

of the

community

them

to be the great

bane

but they do not exclude these to introduce

Their object is to
other intoxicating liquors in their room.
the
erroneous
opinions
mind
respecting
disabuse the public

and evil practices which produce and perpetuate intemperance

and though they do not hold it to be sinful to drink wine, yet
they are cheerfully willing to accord with the sentiment of
It is good neither to drink wine nor any thing
inspiration,

'

whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made

weak.' Were the wine spoken of in Scripture alone used in
these countries, they do not believe that there would be a
necessity for Temperance Societies; yet even from such wine,

234
so different

from that commonly in

use, the Scriptures gave

them the

fullest liberty to refrain.

Avoiding, however, all
appearance of rigorous abstinence, they leave to every man's

judgment and

conscience,

how

far he shall feel himself

ranted in the use of fermented liquors, and only

war-

insist, as their

fundamental principle, on an abstinence from distilled spirits,

and a discountenancing of the causes and practices of intemperance.
Their regulations respect persons in health alone;
with the prescriptions of physicians they do not interfere.
Even the moderate use of distilled spirits they consider to be
injurious; and they call upon their brethren, for their own
sake, to renounce it.
The great mass of excellences attributed
to intoxicating liquors, they believe to be fictitious ; and though
all the virtues attributed to them were real, they are cheerfully
willing to sacrifice them, while they have the remotest hope of
thus cutting off even one of the sources of drunkenness, or
arresting one friend or neighbour on the road to ruin.
They
do not look on the use of intoxicating liquors as necessary
either to their health or happiness; they do not love them, and
therefore, they do not wish to represent an abstinence from
them as, on their part, a great sacrifice; and they trust that
they only require to be convinced that the good of their brother
demands it, to induce them to do much more than they have
yet done.

They know

that the only prospect of reformation

immediate and complete abstinence, and

they joyfully contribute their influence and example to save
him. They know that the present customs and practices of
the temperate, are now preparing a generation for occupying
for the intemperate

the

and

is

room of those who

it is

shall soon sleep in drunkards' graves,

their earnest wish to exercise such a

redeeming influ-

ence on the public mind, that, should the present race of

drunkards refuse
place

to

be saved, there

when they are no more.

may

be none to

The abstinence

fill

their

of the temperate,

and that abstinence it

means
with which the
is their business to promote by those
God of truth has furnished them. They believe that such
abstinence, instead of being productive of any injury to the
community, will greatly benefit it; and already there are the
they are convinced, will accomplish

this,

such voluntary abstiby associations sustaining one another in

fairest prospects of the great objects of

nence being

effected,

235
new

habits, to

make them

reputable and

common.

require no oaths, no vows; their bond of obligation

is

They
a sense

of duty, and subscription to their fundamental principle,

is

merely an expression of present conviction and determination.

The law of Temperance Societies, like the Gospel, is the law of
liberty

the law which

delight

and a

far distant,

binds to do that which

They look forward

privilege.

when

the temperate, having

port from the trade in ardent spirits,

respectable

men, and

it

considered a

time as not

withdrawn

their sup-

by all
premature

shall be deserted

shall gradually die

death thins the ranks of drunkards

is

to the

away, as

they trust that the

false-

hoods by which temperate men have been cheated into the

ordinary use of ardent spirits, will soon be completely exposed;
and that full information and proper feeling being extended,
respecting the nature and effects of intoxicating liquors, they
will

occupy their proper

place,

and the unnumbered blessings

of temperance on individuals and families, and the whole com-

Not only

munity, will universally prevail.

Societies

cut off the resources of

will

Temperance

drunkenness, but to the

reformed drunkard, they will open a refuge from the tyranny

of evil customs, and they will support and encourage him in
his new habits.
To promote these invaluable objects, they
call

for

united

the

efforts

of

all

temperate

men

they

earnestly solicit the assistance of physicians, of clergymen, of

the conductors of public journals, of all

men possessing authority

and influence
and by every thing sacred and good, they
beseech drunkards to turn from the wickedness of their ways
and live."
;

CHAPTER

XVI.

ADVICE TO INVETERATE DRUNKARDS.

If a

man

is

resolved to continue a drunkard,

it

may

here be proper to mention in what manner he can

do so with

least risk to himself.

cipal rules to

liquor,

stomach.

has a

is

especially

There

is

spirits,

it

upon an empty

not only intoxicates readier

when food has been

much

never to take any inebri-

no habit more common or more

destructive than this

than

of the prin-

be observed, not only by him, but by

habitually sober people,

ating

One

previously taken, but

it

greater tendency to impair the functions

of the digestive organs.

should shun raw

spirits,

In addition, drunkards

which more rapidly bring

on disease of the stomach, than when used

in

237
These

diluted state.

fluids are safe in proportion

to the state of their dilution

rule there

is

one exception,

but to this general

This though

punch.

viz.

the most diluted form in which they are used,

suspect, nearly the very worst

is,

not from the weak-

ness of the mixture, but from the acid which

combined with
being,

it

This

it.

is

although for the time

acid,

braces the stomach, and enables

stand a greater portion of liquor than

it

to with-

it

would

otherwise do, has ultimately the most pernicious

effect
its

upon

this

organ

and

coats, heartburn,

phenomena of

giving rise to thickening of

the usual distressing

all

indigestion.

Other organs, such

as

the kidneys, also suffer, and gravelly complaints are

apt to be induced.

punch

is

common

belief prevails that

more salubrious than any other

compound, but
mises.

this

grounded on erroneous pre-

is

When people sit down to drink

are not so apt

owing

which elapses
intoxication

to

ere

punch, they

to the great length of time

such a

weak

fluid

produces

be betrayed into excess as when

indulging in toddy.

be said to be

spirituous

less

In this point of view

injurious

but

let

it

may

the same

quantity of spirits be taken in the form of punch, as

in that of

grog or toddy, and there can be no doubt

that in the long run the consequences will be far

238
more

fatal to the

we commit

If

constitution.

debauch on punch, the bad consequences cling much

longer to the system than those proceeding from a

upon any other combination of

similar debauch

ardent

my

In

spirits.

using those liquids

is in

toddy, or a mixture of

opinion, the safest

spirits,

cious of

The
rule,

of

Cold

the shape of grog.*

cold water, and sugar,

ranks next in the scale of safety

then cold punch

way

then

-and raw spirit

is

warm toddy

the most perni-

all.

malt-liquor drunkard should, as a general

Herb

prefer porter to strong ale.

ale

and

purl are very pernicious, but the lighter varieties,

such as small beer and home-brewed, are not only

harmless, but even useful.

The person who indulges

in malt liquor should take

much

exercise.

If he

neglects this, and yields to the indolence apt to be

induced by these

fluids,

he becomes

fat

and stupid,

and has a strong tendency to apoplexy, and other

diseases of plethora.

The

origin of the term " grog"

of Admiral Vernon,

rum was

seamen ; but he ordered

it

is

curious.

given in

its

Before the time

raw

state to the

to be diluted, previous to delivery,

with a certain quantity of water. So incensed were the tars at

this watering of their favourite liquor, that they nicknamed the

Admiral Old Grog,

grogram coat which he was

hence the name.

in allusion to a

in the habit of wearing

239

As

no directions can be given

to the wine-bibber,

which

The

prove very satisfactory.

will

varieties

of wines are so numerous, that any complete

mate of

their respective

powers

may, however, be

laid

that those which are

most

It

down

esti-

here impossible.

is

as a general rule,:

diuretic,

and excite

least

headach and fever are the safest for the constitution.

The

Burgundy,

light

dry wines, such as Hock, Claret,

Rhenish,

Bucellas,

are, generally speaking,

and

Hermitage,

more salubrious than the

stronger varieties, such as Port, Sherry, or Madeira.

Claret, in particular,

that

is

known.

is

the most wholesome wine

Tokay,* Frontignac, Malmsey,

Vino Tinto, Montifiascone, Canary, and other sweet

wines, are apt, in consequence of their imperfect

fermentation, to produce acid upon

weak stomachs;

but in other cases they are delightful drinks

when
they

there

may

is

no tendency to acidity

its

and

the system,

be taken with comparative safety to a

considerable extent.
attention

in

must be paid

Whenever

there

to the wines best

For

particular nature.

acescent wines, such as

is

disease,

adapted to

instance, in gout,

Hock and

Claret,

the

must be

avoided, and Sherry or Madeira substituted in their

* Catharine

was intemperately addicted to the

use of Tokay.
She died of dropsy, which complaint was probably brought on by such indulgence.
I.

of Russia

l2

240
room

and should even

fermentation,

it

must be

weak brandy and

cases of

weak

this

that can be drunk.

and replaced by

laid aside,

Champaign, except in

water.

digestion,

run into the acetous

is

Its

one of the safest wines

intoxicating

rapid, but exceedingly transient,

upon the carbonic acid which

and depend partly

is

evolved from

and partly upon the alcohol which

this gas,

are

effects

is

it,

suspended in

being applied rapidly and extensively to a

large surface of the stomach.

Drunkards
the facetious

will

do well to follow the maxim of

Morgan Odoherty, and never mix

Whatever wine they commence

wines.
that let

with, to

them adhere throughout the evening.

there be any case

gressed with safety,

where
it is

this rule

may be

If

trans-

perhaps in favour of Claret,

a moderate quantity of which

is

both pleasant and

refreshing after a course of Port or Madeira.

is

their

Nor

the advice of the same eccentric authority, with

regard to malt liquors, less just or less worthy of

observance

the toper being recommended

scrupulously from such fluids

hand

to "

the bottle.

make an evening

The mixture,

to abstain

when he means
of

it,"

and

sit

before-

long at

unquestionably, not only

disorders the stomach, but effectually weakens the

ability of the person to withstand the

debauch.

forthcoming

CHAPTER

XVII.

EFFECTS OF INTOXICATING AGENTS ON NURSES

AND CHILDREN,

Women,
nurses,

low station who

especially in a

are

strongly addicted

drinking" porter

and

ales, for

to

act as

the practice of

the purpose of aug-

This very

common custom

cannot be sufficiently deprecated.

It is often per-

menting their milk.

nicious to both parties,

and may lay the foundation

of a multitude of diseases in the infant.

The

milk,

which ought to be bland and unirritating, acquires

certain heating qualities,

and becomes deteriorated

to a degree of which those

gate

such matters have

child nursed
It

is,

by

unaccustomed to
little

a drunkard

in a particular

is

investi-

conception.

The

hardly ever healthy.

manner, subject to derange-

242
ments of the digestive organs, and convulsive
tions.

With regard

the

to

latter,

affec-

Dr. North*

remarks, that he has seen them almost instantly

removed by the
perate

woman.

child being transferred to a temI

have observed the same thing,

not only in convulsive cases, but in

Nor
.

many

others.

are liquors the only agents whose properties

are communicable to the nursling.

It is the

same

with regard to opium, tobacco, and other narcotics.

Purgatives transmit their powers in a similar manner,
so

much

so, that

nothing

the child suckled by a

to be affected with

qualified to

is

more common than

woman who

has taken physic,

bowel complaint.

be a nurse, unless

for

No woman is

strictly sober;

and

though stout children are sometimes reared by persons

who

indulge to a considerable extent in liquor,

there can be no doubt that they are thereby exposed

to risk,

and that they would have had a much better

chance of doing well,

if

the same quantity of milk

had been furnished by natural means.

If a

woman

cannot afford the necessary supply without these

indulgences, she should give over the infant to some

one who can, and drop nursing altogether.

The

only cases in which a moderate portion of malt liquor

* Practical Observations on the Convulsions of Infants.

243
is

justifiable, are

when the milk

and the

is deficient,

nurse averse or unable to put another in her place.

Here, of two

we choose

evils,

the least, and rather

give the infant milk of an inferior quality, than

endanger
stinting

its

it

of

health,
its

by weaning

it

prematurely, or

accustomed nourishment.

Connected with

this subject

is

the practice of

administering stimulating liquors to children.

habit

is

so

infants of a

common

inflicted

some parts of Scotland,

in

few days old are often forced

raw whisky.

This

to

In like manner, great injury

that

swallow
is

often

upon children by the frequent administra-

tion of laudanum, paregoric, Godfrey's Cordial, and

other preparations of opium.

The

time becomes pallid, emaciated, and

child in a short
fretful,

and

is

subject to convulsive attacks, and every variety of

disorder in the stomach and bowels.

diarrhoea,

and other

affections

of

the

Vomiting,
digestive

system ensue, and atrophy, followed by death,

is

too often the consequence.

An

experiment made by Dr. Hunter upon two

of his children, illustrates in a striking

manner the

pernicious effects of even a small portion of intoxicating liquors, in persons of that tender age.

To

one of the children he gave, every day after dinner,

a full glass of Sherry

the child was five years of

244
age,

and unaccustomed

to the use of wine.

To

the

other child, of nearly the same age, and equally-

unused to wine, he gave an orange.

of a week, a very

marked

in the pulse, urine,

difference

was perceptible

and evacuations from the bowels

The

of the two children.

was

In the course

raised, the urine

pulse of the

child

first

high coloured, and the evacu-

ations destitute of their usual quantity of bile.

In

the other child, no change whatever was produced.

He

then reversed the experiment, giving to the

first

the orange, and to the second the wine, and the

results corresponded

the child

who had

the orange

continued well, and the system of the other got

straightway into disorder, as in the

first

experiment.

Parents should therefore be careful not to allow their

youthful offspring stimulating liquors of any kind,

except in cases of disease, and then only under the

The

guidance of a medical attendant.

earlier per-

sons are initiated in the use of liquor, the

completely does
the

more

cated.

it

difficult is

gain dominion over them, and

the passion for

it

to be eradi-

Children naturally dislike liquors

convincing proof that in early

life

uncalled for, and that they only

by

habit.

is

reconciled to

It

is,

more

a pretty

they are totally

become agreeable

in general, long before the palate

malt liquors

and most young

245
persons prefer the sweet home-made wines of their

own

country, to the richer varieties imported from

abroad.
lants

is

This shows that the love of such stimuin a great

measure acquired, and

also points

out the necessity of guarding youth as

possible

much

from the acquisition of so unnatural a

as

taste.,

CHAPTER XVIIL

LIQUORS NOT ALWAYS HURTFUL.

Though

drunkenness

is

always injurious,

it

does

not follow that a moderate and proper use of those

agents which produce

it is

been so fully illustrated that

dwell longer upon them

These

so.

and

it

is

facts

have

unnecessary to

only allude to them

at present for the

purpose of showing more fully a

few circumstances

in

be indulged

in,

absolute benefit.

which

all

kinds of liquors

may

not only without injury, but with

It is impossible to

deny that

in

particular situations, as in those of hard- wrought

sailors

and

The body,

soldiers, a

moderate allowance

in such cases,

is

proper.

would often sink under

the accumulation of fatigue and cold,

if

not recruited

247
by some

excitement.

artificial

In both the naval

and mercantile service the men are allowed a

tain quantity of grog, experience

cer-

having shown the

necessity of this stimulus in such situations.

When

Captain Bligh and his unfortunate companions were

exposed to those dreadful privations consequent to

their being

set

adrift,

in

an open boat, by the

mutineers of the Bounty, the few drops of

rum

which were occasionally doled out to each

indi-

proved of such incalculable

that,

vidual,

without this providential

service,

every one must have

aid,

The

perished of absolute cold and exhaustion.*

utility of spirits

severe cold,

in

can

enabling the frame to resist

still

farther illustrate

by a

cir-

cumstance personal to myself; and there can be no

doubt that the experience of every one must have

* "

At

day-break," says Captain Bligh, " I served to every

person a tea-spoonful of rum, our limbs being so

that jve could scarcely move them."

" Being unusually wet and

tea-spoonful of

rum

much cramped

cold, I served to the people a

each, to enable

them

to bear

with their

distressing situation."

"

Our

situation

was miserable

always wet, and

suffering-

extreme cold in the night, without the least shelter from the
The little rum we had was of the greatest service
weather.
when our nights were particularly distressing, I generally
served a tea- spoonful or two to each person, and it was always
joyful tidings when they heard of my intention." Family
Library, vol. xxv.

Mutiny of the Bounty,

248
furnished him with similar examples.
ling

was

travel-

on the top of the Caledonian coach, during an

1

November,

intensely cold day, towards the end of

We

1821.

when

it

left

Inverness at five in the morning,

was nearly pitch dark, and when the

mometer probably stood

at

18 of Fahr.

ther-

was

disappointed of an inside seat, and was obliged to

take one on the top, where there were nine outside

passengers besides myself, mostly sportsmen return-

From

ing from their campaigns in the moors.

being obliged to get up so early, and without having

taken any refreshment, the cold was truly dreadful,

and

set fear-noughts, fur caps,

So

defiance.

situated,

and hosiery, alike

and whirling along

at

at the

rate of nearly nine miles an hour, with a keen east

wind blowing upon us from the snow-covered

I

do not exaggerate when

least

owed our lives

I say, that

some of us

The

to ardent spirits.

hills,

at

cold was

so insufferable, that, on arriving at the first stage,

we were

nearly frozen to death.

perfectly

benumbed, and our hands,

were with warm gloves,

circumstances,

and took a
bread.

we

feet

fortified as

little better.

were
they

Under such

all instinctively called for spirits,

glass each of

The

Our

effect

raw whisky, and a

was perfectly magical

diffused itself over the system,

little

heat

and we continued

249
comparatively
at

Aviemore

warm and
Inn,

comfortable

till

our arrival

where we breakfasted.

This

was repeated several times during the

practice

journey, and always with the same good effect

When

any time the cold became excessive, we

at

had recourse

to our dram,

which insured us warmth

and comfort for the next twelve or fourteen miles,

without, on any occasion, producing the slightest

Nor had

feeling of intoxication.

we took any bad

effects either

sengers or myself.

On

so far as I could learn,

the spirits which

upon the other pas-

the contrary,

much

we were

the better of

can there be a doubt, that without

spirits,

it

all,

nor

or some

other stimulating liquor, the consequences of such

severe weather would have been highly prejudicial
to most of us.
sess the

Some persons deny

that spirits pos-

property of enabling the body to resist cold,

but, in the face of such evidence,

with them.

can never agree

That, under these circumstances, they

steel the system, at least for a considerable time,

against the effects of a

perfectly satisfied.

low temperature,

Analogy

is

in

am

favour of this

assertion,

and the experience of every man must

prove

accuracy.

mean

its

to

At

the same time, I do not

deny that wine or

same thing equally

well,

ale

might have done the

and perhaps with

less risk

250
of ulterior consequences.

We had

no opportunity

of trying their efficacy in these respects, and were

compelled, in self-defence, to have recourse to what,

in

common

spirits.

cases ought to be shunned, viz.

The

case

raw

was an extreme one, and required

an extreme remedy

such,

however, as

would

advise no one to have recourse to without a similar

plea of strong necessity to go upon.
It follows, then, that if spirits are often

to the worst purposes,

perverted

and capable of producing

the greatest calamities, they are also, on particular

occasions, of unquestionable benefit.
tions,

In

many

both they and wine are of more use than any

medicine the physician can administer.

indicated in various diseases of debility.

there

is

Wine

Whenever

fever, in gangrene, putrid sore

throat, and, generally speaking,

whenever weakness,

unaccompanied by acute inflammation,

prevails,

it

capable of rendering the most important services.

Used

in

moderation,

it

enables the system to resist

the attack of malignant and intermittent fevers.

is

is

a deficiency of the vital powers, as in the

low stages of typhus

is

affec-

It

a promoter of digestion, but sometimes produces

acidity, in

which

assist the

digestive process in

case, spirits are preferable.

To

weak stomachs,

sometimes prescribe a tumbler of negus or toddy

251
to be taken after dinner, especially if the person

be of a studious habit, or otherwise employed

in a

Such individuals are often

sedentary occupation.

benefited by the stimulus communicated to the frame

by these

In diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera,

cordials,

cramps, tremors, and

spirits

many

and wine often

tell

other diseases, both

with admirable

while they are contra-indicated in

tory
in

Malt liquors

affections.

inflamma-

all

also,

effect,

when used
Though

moderation, are often beneficial.

drunkenness produced by their excessive use

the most stupifying and disgusting kind, yet,

the
is

of

when

under temperate management, and accompanied by

sufficient exercise,

they are more wholesome than

either spirits or wine.

They abound

in nourish-

ment, and are well adapted to the labouring man,

whose food

is

usually not of a very nutritive char-

The only

acter.

regret

adulterated by narcotics.
liarly

that they are so

much

This renders them pecu-

improper for persons of a plethoric

also prevents

cases

is,

habit,

them from being employed

where they might be

useful.

and

in other

Persons of a

spare habit of body, are those likely to derive most

benefit

to

from malt liquors.

delicate youths

often

and young

recommend them

girls

who

are just

shooting into maturity, and often with the best

252
Lusty, full-bodied, plethoric people, should

effect.

abstain from them, at least

from porter and strong

which are much too fattening and nutritious for

ale,

persons of this description.

They are also,

generally

speaking, injurious in indigestion and bowel complaints,

owing to

their tendency to produce flatulence,

In such cases, they yield the palm to wine and spirits.

It

home-brewed

made

system of making

to be regretted that the

is

ale,

common among

so little progress in Scotland.

beverage

free

is

classes in particular, is a

brious drink.

I fully

in thinking, that in

more

people.

-the

to the labouring

most nourishing and

salu-

agree with Sir John Sinclair

no respect

injurious than

for ale

spirits

This excellent

from those dangerous combinations

employed by the brewers, and

diet

the English, has

in

is

the alteration in

ardent

substituting

ancient drink of the

common

Though an occasional and moderate

allow-

ance of spirits will often benefit a working man,

still

the tendency of people to drink these fluids to

excess renders even their moderate indulgence often

hazardous

and hence,

ority possessed over

In higher

one respect, the superi-

them by malt
where there

is

liquors.

good

work, liquors of any kind are far

little

sary

circles,

in

and,

till

man

living

and

less neces-

gets into the decline of

life,

253
they are, except under such circumstances as have

When

been detailed, absolutely useless.

he attains

that age, he will be the better of a moderate allow-

ance to recruit the vigour which approaching years

steal

from the frame.

men,

in

water

For young and middle-aged

good circumstances and vigorous

the best drink

is

sufficiently nutritious

assistance

from

health,

the food they eat being

and stimulating without any

For young

liquor.

particular, liquors of all kinds are,

people,

in

under common

circumstances, not only unnecessary in health, but

exceedingly pernicious, even in what the world

denominate moderate quantities

the case
of the

when

first

the habit

is

This

is

especially

One

daily indulged in.

physicians in Ireland has published his

conviction on the result of twenty years' observation

first

to

" That were ten young men on

their twenty-

birth day, to begin to drink one glass (equal

two ounces) of ardent

spirits,

or a pint of Port

wine or Sherry, and were they to drink

this sup-

posed moderate quantity of strong liquor daily, the

lives of eight out of the ten

twelve or

fifteen years."

"

would be abridged by

An American

man," says Professor Edgar, "

one of his parishioners was

in

lately told

clergy-

me

that

the habit of sending

to his son at school a daily allowance of

brandy

254
and water, before the boy was twelve years of age.

The consequence

was, that his son, before the age

of seventeen, was a confirmed drunkard, and he

now

is

The

confined in a public hospital."

of this anecdote must come

Nothing

is

home

more common, even

force

to every one.

in the best society,

than the practice of administering wine, punch, &c.

even to children-

thus not only injuring their health,

and predisposing them to disease, but laying the

foundation for intemperance in their maturer years.

Having

stated thus much,

it is

not to be inferred

that I advocate the banishment of liquors of any

Though

kind from society.

believe

mankind

would be benefited upon the whole, were such

stimulants tp be utterly
pricse^t state of things,

proscribed,

yet,

and knowing the

in

the

fruitless-

ness of any such recommendation, I do not go the

length of urging their total disuse.

only would

wish to inculcate moderation, and that in

meaning, and not
it

for,

called)

in
is

proper

in the sense too often applied to

the practice of many, moderation (so

intemperance, and perhaps of the most

dangerous species,
practice,

its

in

and insinuates

into the habits of

life.

so far as
itself

Men

it

becomes a daily

under a

false character,

thus indulge habitually,

3ay by day, not perhaps to the extent of producing

255
any evident

upon the body or mind

effect either

the time, and fancy themselves

at

the while strictly

all

temperate, while they are, in reality, undermining

their constitution

by

selves

inches,

several years.
time,

by slow degrees

The

perhaps moderate and beneficial,

is

intemperance.

in,

" It

if

only

but, being habitually taken,

amounts to actual

says Dr. Beecher, and I

is,"

concur with him, " a matter of unwonted

certainty,

that

habitual

tippling

The poor

periodical drunkenness.

is

all

ing, will outlive for years the

man who

often,

perance.

worse than

Indian

a-month drinks himself dead,

and

them-

quantity such persons take at a

injures the health, and thus

fully

killing

and shortening their existence

occasionally indulged
it

who once

but simple breathdrinks

little

and

is

The

use of ardent spirits dailyy as minis-

not perhaps suspected of iBv^m-

tering to cheerfulness or bodily vigour, ought to

be regarded as intemperance.

No

person probably,

ever did or ever will receive ardent spirits into his

system
against

once a-day and

its

fortify

his

constitution

deleterious effects, or exercise such dis-

cretion and self-government, as that the quantity

will

not be increased, and bodily infirmities and

mental imbecility be the result

half the instances, inebriation.

and, in

more than

Nature may hold

256
out long against this sapping and mining of the
constitution,

which daily tippling

is

carrying on,

but, first or last, this foe of life will bring to the

assault enemies of its

power the

feeble

own

formation, before whose

and the mighty

will

be alike

unable to stand."

Let those, therefore, who

will not

abandon

liquors,

use them in moderation, and not habitually, or day

by day, unless the health should require

of this kind

we sometimes do meet

no means so often

it,

for cases

with, though

many would

by

believe.

Ab-

stractly considered, liquors are not injurious.

It is

their abuse that

as the

as

makes them

so, in

the same

manner

most wholesome food becomes pernicious

when taken

to an improper excess.

APPENDIX.
No.

I.

Excerpt from Paris' Pharmacologia.

"

The

characteristic ingredient of all wines

the quantity of
ation in which
all

this,

it

and the condition or

exists, are

alcohol,

is

state of

and

combin-

the circumstances that include

the interesting and disputed points of medical inquiry.

Daily experience convinces us that the same quantity of

alcohol, applied to the

stomach under the form of natural

wine, and in a state of mixture with water, will produce

very different

which

it

upon the body, and

to comprehend
it has,

effects

is difficult

to

an extent

for instance,

been demonstrated that Port, Madeira, and Sherry contain

from one-fourth to one-fifth of their bulk of alcohol, so that
a person

who

takes a bottle of either of them, will thus

take nearly half a pint of alcohol, or almost a pint of pure

brandy

and moreover, that

different wines, although of

the same specific gravity, and consequently containing the

same absolute proportion of

spirit, will

be found to vary

very considerably in their intoxicating powers

no wonder,

then, that such results should stagger the philosopher,

is

who

naturally unwilling to accept any tests of difference from

the nervous system, which elude the ordinary resources of

analytical chemistry
that alcohol

the conclusion was therefore drawn,

must necessarily

exist in wine, in a far different

condition from that in which

state,

or,

in

we know

other words, that

exist in the vinous liquor,

its

and that

it

in a separate

elements only could

their union

was deter-

mined, and, consequently, alcohol produced by the action

258
of distillation.

That

of

was

distillation,

who

Rouelle,

formed

was the product and not the educt

an opinion which originated with
it

asserted that alcohol was not completely

temperature was raised to the point of

until the

more

same doctrine was revived

and promulgated by Fabbronni, in the memoirs of the Florentine Academy.
Gay-Lussac has, however, silenced the

distillation

lately, the

clamorous partisans of

by

alcohol

distillation at

by the aid of a vacuum,

besides,

it

by separating the
the temperature of 66 Fah., and
this

it

theory,

has since been effected at 56

has been shown that by precipitating the colour-

ing matter, and some of the other elements of the wine,

by sub-acetate of

lead,

and then saturating the

clear liquor

may be com-

with sub-carbonate of potass, the alcohol

any elevation of temperature

ingenious expedient, Mr. Brande has been

pletely separated without

and by

this

enabled to construct a table, exhibiting the proportions

of combined alcohol which exist in the several kinds of

wine

no doubt, therefore, can remain upon

and the

fact of the difference of effect,

same bulk of

alcohol,

when presented

this subject,

produced by the

to the

stomach in

different states of combination, adds another striking

instructive illustration to those already

course

of

work,

this

of

the

enumerated

extraordinary

and

in the

powers

of

chemical combination in modifying the activity of substances upon the living system.

the alcohol

so

is

the wine, that

specific

altered in
this

its

probably incapable of exerting

upon

the

stomach, before

view of the subject may be

wine are so

it

its

why

fairly

urged

full

becomes

properties, or, in other words, digested;

of the reason

ual,

combined with the extractive matter of

it is

effects

In the present instance,

and

in explanation

the intoxicating effects of the same

liable to vary, in degree, in the

from the peculiar state of

his digestive

same

individ-

organs at the

259
Hitherto

time of his potation.

pure wine, but

we have

only spoken of

essential to state, that the stronger

it is

wines of Spain, Portugal, and

rendered remark-

Sicily, are

by the addition of brandy, and must

consequently contain uncombined alcohol, the proportion

able in this country

of which, however, will not necessarily bear a ratio to the

quantity added, because, at the period of

renewed fermentation
which

will assimilate

is

produced by the

its

admixture, a

scientific vintner,

and combine a certain portion of the

foreign spirit with the wine

this manipulation, in techni-

cal language, is called fretting-in.

The

free alcohol

may,

according to the experiments of Fabbronni, be immediately

separated by saturating the vinous fluid with sub-carbonate
of potass, while the

turbed

combined portion

will

in ascertaining the fabrication

remain undis-

and salubrity of a

wine, this circumstance ought always to constitute a leading feature in the inquiry

and the

tables of

Mr. Brande

would have been greatly enhanced in practical value, had

the relative proportions of uncombined spirit been appreciated in his experiments, since

combined

to this, and not to the

alcohol, that the injurious effects of

be attributed.
'

it is

'

It is well

wine are to

known,' observes Dr. Macculloch,

that diseases of the liver are the most

common, and the

most formidable of those produced by the use of ardent

spirits

it is

equally certain that no such disorders follow

the intemperate use of pure wine, however long indulged

and unwitting consumption of spirit,

therefore, as contained in the wines commonly drunk in
in

to the concealed

this country, is to

be attributed the excessive prevalence

of those hepatic affections, which are comparatively

known

to our continental

neighbours.'

certain, that their ordinary

what

is

disarmed of

its

energies of combination."

little

Thus much

is

wines contain no alcohol but

virulence

by the prophylactic

260
No.

II.

Mr. Brande's Table of the Alcoholic Strength of Liquors.

Proportion of pure Spirit
per Cent, by Measure.

l^J

L Lv.

nK'www^/wwwwWiwoii/^w^jwwiwwwwwwwtf Wtf^iTi KJtJ

"

J_/llLUj /V/V v^v/ /*VA* ^-^w *vv^rf ^^-/^^ //'/W ^^rfVtf C^-^^V ^i?v*V dV - 'J i

t/

XlXdl O Cll da

**\ r***** ********** *******^*** ********************* ***^

Di*tn
llXdl-lvll

Cl

CWj, t/a

*************************** **********^itJ

J-/lllvi

******* ywwi M^/t^<vwwi/vf/viv4ww//^v/ww<viMv w ty

~~~

Ditto, (Sireial,)

MI

cl

6.

Sherry,

'

JLvlLLOa
_-

~,~

19.81

~~

\J

VCl

TpnprifFe

ft

Cnlarps

9.

Lachryma

A/t

( '

t! J *****

~
-

1 /

1 9 79
19 75

19.70
19.75

J.

X-iAoLlWAAj WViMrvW^NVtMMMVmVV

X "/

X*X <il cl_^

Ruppllas

."*_/

i.LL V4
-X*

(Xa

UUUj

XVXcAvAtv II

**********. *****i ********** ?**** X\^at/^fr

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

NWM A

Cl

******* r**** *************** iMVWM/MMAfl

J-LLvJj ******************** ***** r**** ***** ****% ************) X

Cape Muschat,
Cape Maderia,
JL>/ A

Oat/^fr

IS 40

XVV t/lCtw Cy
17.

WWV f**** ***** ***** ***** ***** f*l J

Christi,

_/

Constantia, (white,)
~
X-/ L L O
******* r**** ********************* ***** X 0 \J
V I tJV-I
J

14

16.

QtJ

O /
18 25

r^wf>A^^r^f^r*/vv^wWV''V'A'>f^'V<v^v*vvV^iV X

ILL'-/*

XjL.

10.

V tJ

aC/tJ

*^******^*^+s******^*-**.**-***^s**^***^**s***^

Ditto

X A

\_*

21.40

****************************** ************^

\A AlltJa

x_>

*********************************** ************^

Ctij

_*

05

9*i

J- X-

^i"

/ /

0\/

Ot TV/

w *********************************** ^V/aOO

~
,~~~

18.25

,~~*

~~.

22.94

L L*-' ***** r**** ***********+********&********************* ^\J %kJ\J

TX V Vvl ct* t/ >

********************** ***************** \J a

*-/

261
Proportion of pure Spirit
per Cent, by Measure.
JL

O*

"

vJlclUvJ

111"} ^Af#/ j^W /^W^ W^/* lViWrf^^ (Sr-^ V^* <-/<w

JL-/XLL v/ *+^r**-*r**^*++***r+*^+*v*^+**+++<r+^*+r*-+++'*r++*+<+>+*'<+\ X

CI

Xi. Y

d Ci

l_-

23. White Hermitage,

24. Rousillon,~~~
Xl. \

Claret,

*v*->^w>

tl *>} tJ*

~.

,~

j-

Ditto,.

Ditto,

~~~~~.

Aver4tg-e,~~

26. Malmsey Madeira,

27. Lunal,
28. Shiraz,
29. Syracuse,
,

o\j .

oauterne,w^^^<vrwsM.^^^,

31.

B urgundy

Ditto,
Ditto, ~~
Ditto,

Average,
32.

Hock,.
Ditto,.

Ditto, (old in cask,)

Tpnt
36. Champaign,
3^

Ditto,
JL-' 1

LV-/

(still,)

.,

(sparkling,)
VAC LA

J.

O*

\_/

J 7.26
17.43
~~,19.00

^vN*^^^VNra-s<^^^^^^^^^v^^^^**v^w<%r^s^^^^

prwM .-#%**** wmmvw# ^sr^s^*

Ditto,.

*///*w/wfww#/vy//v^*(wv//10t\JU

21. Alba Flora,

25.

-r-r+^+ *-r*^+ W-*-+^-f- *****

J-

***+ f

262
Proportion of pure Spirit
per Cent, by Measure.

&&

O t/

VJlctVtJj ^^M^^M/f^^/^w//###MV>M/<Mvi/Mvvv/^ I

V 111 \X\D

UIILICk

IJ ClL,

**WV>**WWViWWI^V>WtfWfW^WAWWV>^^*W

Vy \J Lt/

41

Gooseberry wine, ~~~<~~

~~

average of

1 1

_/

47

Mpqd

TUt

Xl.1t/y

.84

samples
London Manufacturer, 11.26
six

45. Cider, highest average,~~

~~
Ditto, lowest average,
~~
46. Perry, average of four samples,

9.87
~ 5.21
~ 7.26

32

7
XJ L1I LOIl

^v^*^*w^*^*

Ditto, (Edinburgh,)

~~*

~~.

51.

Brown Stout,
London Porter, average,~~
London Small Beer, average,

fJw

XJ1 Clll'-i

*-/0

XV LI Illy

*va*vvtf^rv*wtf *v''***vvvvitfVVW'*4^Wi ****** vv*v*-'v*'^*v 'S<**>*

s^+^^+^j^+r^^'^wr *>*+** <rw^r*-*^^<r*^r*s*-STr>

>

55. Scotch

Whisky,

000
6.20
5.56

^ y^r^*V'rf^^^*vv.<^^^*^v''^r*^^*r**^^**^*^^

Ditto, (Dorchester,)

XI Ibll

42. Orange wine,

made by a

"U/VI

XV \J Lit/ 5 ir*v^i'**wAftw>^ww^'#sfvww^^B* *^/w*^w*n**WSff 1 fciiOw

TTV/

49.
50.

**<*<m 1

ft

O JT

<~

~~- 1.28
L-yjsr

O O /
wiW^iJOUO

-w-w^^^^vsc'^

~~.~~.~~v

LllLLOj-^j-.'-vv^^^.^rfvv^/vs/s^'VVN^r^^

6.80
4.20

~.

i,

~v~

54.32

INDEX.
PAGE

Abbas the Great,

his edict,

200

Alcohol the intoxicating principle of

its

all liquors,

action differs from that of opium,

Alexander the Great died of drunkenness,

Amurath IV. made smoking

Ardent

Spirits,

a capital offence,

drunkenness modified by,

varieties of,

61

106

22

81

...
.

61

.26, 63

Armstrong, Dr., his remarks on the disease of the brain,

Arrack a spirituous liquor long known in the East,

Balfour,

Bangue

Mr. Alexander,

141

20

communicated by,

case

214

.....

possesses intoxicating properties,

Bardolph, his nose,

Barrow, Mr., his remarks on tobacco,

98
144

83

Beck on Medical Jurisprudence, extracts from,

Beeuher, Dr., his Sermons on Intemperance,

194, 195
156, 255

Beer known to the Egyptians,

19

in the interior of Africa,

19

Belladonna,

100

Bitters often dangerous remedies,

139

Bladder, state

142

of,

....

Bligh, Captain, his privations,

247

Blood and breath,

142

state of,

Bonosus, hanged himself in a

Brain, state

of,

Brande, Mr., his Table,

Brandy,

23

of despair,

....
fit

140

260
20, 26,

63

264

Brodie, Mr., his experiments on tobacco,

PA0E

...

83

opinion regarding the absorption of

108

Alcohol,

Broom] ey, Mr.,

remedy

for drunkenness,

123

57

218

103

104

Cardinal Santa Croce introduced tobacco into Italy,

80

Carnaro, extract from,

155

80

his

his caricature of the "

Bunbury,

Long

Story,"

Caldwell, Dr., on the cure of drunkenness,

...

Camphor

possesses intoxicating properties,

Carbonic acid possesses intoxicating properties,

Catherine de Medicis the inventor of Snuff,

Catherine

I.

addicted to the use of tokay,

239

....
....
....
.

Chardin, extract from his Travels,

75

Chewing,

88

Children, effects of liquors on,

150,243

Claret the most wholesome of wines,

239

Clery,

104

Clutterbuck, Dr., his opinion of delirium tremens,

Cocculus Indicus,

166

99

from opium,

129

Coke, Sir Edward, his judicial opinion,

190

Coffee, useful in poisoning

Cold, effects of intense,

Coleridge, Mr., his case,

......

Colinson on Lunacy, extract from,

Combustion, spontaneous,

Commercial
Corpulency,

Darnel,

.........
.........

Darwin, Dr., averse

to blooding in drunkenness,

his account of psora ebriorum,

93
195
175

travellers addicted to intemperance,

Congee the drink of the natives of India,

105

31

220
152

104

121

146

.........
opposes the sudden discontinuance of

liquors,

198

265
<i

....

Delirium tremens,

Demosthenes used cold water

PAGE

159

34

as a stimulus,

Desgenettes, observation by,

Digitalis,

Don

221

99

Gio Maria Bertholli, case

Double

181

of,

vision, cause of,

114

Dreams,

171

Drunkard,

choleric,

57

melancholy,

54

nervous,

57

periodical,

phlegmatic,

55

sanguineous,

52

surly,

55

Drunkards,
.

5-3

spontaneous combustion

*-

of,

175

...

236

advice to inveterate,

Drunkenness, causes

170

sleep of,

of,

modified by temperament,
modified by the inebriating
physiology

method

52
agent,

of,

120

fit of,

132

190

judicially considered,

method of curing the habit

Dupuy, M., experiment

197

of,

123

by,

Ears, ringing in the, cause

116

of,

Eason, Rebecca, inquest on her body,

Edgar,

Pi'ofessor, his account of

Temperance

anecdote by,

Edgeworth, Mr., his

Emaciation,

...*..

spirits,

cause

79
Societies

233
253

S3

case,

Eldon, Lord, case cited by,

Elevation of

61
111

of,

of curing the

pathology

28

of,

English regiment, anecdote

of.

195
116
151
125

.......

Epilepsy,

Ethers possess intoxicating properties,

Eyes, state

150

....
....

of,

Flushing, cause

PAGE

104

143

116

of,

Fontenelle used coffee as a stimulus,

34

Gin,

25,63

Mason, a believer in spontaneous

Good, Dr.
bustion,

Grace

186

........

Gordon, Duchess
Gout,

corn-

of,

used opium,

Pitt, case of,

238

.....

of,

146

Hales, Judge, his remarks on drunkenness,

167

rejects the plea of drunkenness,

Haller used cold water as a stimulus,

Hammer, Von,
Assassins,

Hannibal's

Heat and
Hemlock,

from his history of the

army ruined by intemperance,

Heart, palpitation

of,

191

34

......

extract

147
180

Grog, origin of the term,

Hair, state

72

...

101

22
149

.......

116

.....

80

flushing, cause of,

Hernandez de Toledo introduced tobacco

Hibiscus Saldarissa,

into E'.urope,

Hislop, Sir Thomas, fact stated by,

Hobbes used tobacco

as a stimulus,

98

27

220
34
99

Hop,
Hunter, Dr., experiments by,

243

Hyoscyamus,

101

Hysteria,

149

Inflammations,

...

Innocent, Pope, renewed Pope Urban's bull,

147

81

267

James

I., his

" Counterblaste to Tobacco,"

...

....

Johnson, Dr., used tea as a stimulus,

PAGE

82

34

Kain, Dr., recommends tartar emetic for the cure of

habitual drunkenness,

........

Karnes, Lord, fact related by,

Kidneys, state

of,

71

........

adultery,

141

95

Kinglake, Dr., his case,

Kinnin mouth, Patrick,

216

for

tried

Langsberg, Matthew, his saying,

blasphemy and

.....

Leopard's-bane,

Lewis, William, a great ale drinker,

....

Liquors, method of curing drunkenness from,

193

23
98

69
120

cannot always be suddenly discontinued with

.....

safety,

not always hurtful,

Liver, state

of,

M'Donough, William,
Mackenzie,

Sir

Madame

Mahomet

Mary

George,

murder,

says

that

...

is

133

194

never received in extenuation

->.

forbade wine to his followers,

liquors,

246

of

plea

the

Millet, case of,

Madness,

Malt

tried for

........
......
........
...

drunkenness
of crime,

198

drunkenness modified by,

...

191

184
157

20
66
177

Clues, case of,

Masurer, M., discovered the virtues of acetate of

ammonia in drunkenness,
Mead the favourite drink of the
Melancholy,

122
Saxons,

19

156

Mithridates, his body powerfully resisted poisons,

78

268

Montesquieu, quotations from,

...

Mosley, Dr., his observations on the

cold water in the tropics,

Nepenthes,

PAGE

effect of
.

16,70,221

drinking
.

........
....

27

tobacco as a stimulus,

34

Nervii refused to drink wine,

Newton used

222

22

.......

Nightmare,
Nitrous oxide,

172
131

drunkenness modified by,

89

North, Dr., his remarks on convulsions of children,

242

Nurses and children,

241

effects

of intoxicating agents on,

......

Odoherty, Morgan, his advice to drunkards,

240

Old

154

age, premature,

Opium, drunkenness modified

70

by,

used by the late Duchess of Gordon,

72

from that of alcohol,

106

its

action differs

method of curing drunkenness from,

Opium-Eater, English,
Orfila,

Palm

his

" Confessions,"

70,76

....

M., his experiments,

wine,

126

106, 129

.........

103

Paris and Fonblanque, extract from their Medical

Jurisprudence,

from his Pharmacologia,

Paris, Dr., excerpt

Peganum Harmala,
Perspiration, state
Pitcairn, Dr.,

........
.

176

257
27
143

of,

and the highland

chieftain,

213

88

Plugging,
Porter,

.26,67

Portland powder,

140

Psora ebriorum,

146

Punch,

237

269
PAGE

Quakers, longevity

of,

151, 155

Raleigh, Sir Walter, introduced tobacco into England,

Rollo, Dr., fact stated by,

Rum,

81

220
26,

Ryan, Dr.,

his opinion of delirium tremens,

Sack of Shakspeare supposed to have been sherry,

63

166

66

Saffron,

104

Schubert, extract from his Travels in Sweden,

Shakspeare, extracts from,

Sinclair, Sir

Skin, state

195

ale,

.....145

of,

Sleep of drunkards,

144, 153

John, his remark on

252

170

Sleep-walking,

172

Sleep-talking,

173

.........

Smith, Dr. Gordon, a believer in spontaneous combustion, 187

Smoking,
Snuffing,

86
8

,..,.
......

Spartans held ebriety in abhorrence,

Spirits, their adulteration,

their varieties,

2
2'

25, 61

Spurzheim's opinion of the sudden discontinuance of

liquors,

19t

Staggering and stammering, causes

of,

Stomach, state

115
84

15

136

of,

Tartar Emetic, use

of,

Temperament, drunkenness modified by,

Temperance

.........

Stanhope, Lord, his remarks on Snuffing,

Sterility,

...

...

216

52
223

Societies,

Thackrah, his remarks on the intemperate habits of

commercial

travellers,

Tobacco, drunkenness modified by,

....

32
80

270
PAGE

Tobacco, method of curing drunkenness from,

129

Toddy,

237

Tremors,

148

Trotter, Dr., averse to blooding in drunkenness,

his advice called in question,

Typhus

121

...

198

sometimes mistaken for

fever, delirium of,

drunkenness,

126

......*....

Ulcers,

Urban VIII. excommunicated

its

properties,

81

.....
....

Vertigo, cause of,

Vinegar,

snuffers,

156

112

125, 128

34

Voltaire used coffee as a stimulus,

Walcheren

fever, effects of spirits

and smoking on,

Whisky,

26,63

Wines, their adulteration,

225

....
.........
.

drunkenness modified by,

Wolfs-bane,

THE END.

GLASGOW:
EDWARD KHULL, PRINTER TO THE

UNIVERSITY.

24
65

99