Drunkenness, What It Is and How to Cure It

' m m ,,-., .,.. .,.,.: ..,...;,-., ,. ~ kf mm mm msam WHAT IT IS r TO CURE IT B333f& ftftSraRz ds Stace, M. D. m$, Wfflffl ft«; »££#«; vm i»* ^H iisi shs? iiilii HBKii raSSSffi ; .::"..: ::• 8H Class Book. Copyrights COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT: DRUNKENNESS WHAT IT IS ana HOW TO CURE IT By Edward Francis Stace, M. D. Chicago The Mentor Publishing Company (Not Inc.) Chicago, Illinois 1913 BC36T .5s Copyrighted 1913 by Edward Francis Stace, M. d. All Rights Reserved /2~ e)~c ©CI.A357853 CONTENTS Page A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THOSE INTER- ESTED IN THE PREVENTION AND CURE OF DRUNKENNESS 1 Antiquity of Drunkenness—Why the usual temperance efforts fail—Drunkenness a curable disease—This book written for the drinker himself, his family, and his friends, as well as for medical men—The attitude of mind you should have for the study of Drunkenness—The path leading to freedom from drink. AN EXPLANATION OF SUCH TERMS AS MAY BE MISUNDERSTOOD 7 Definition of Intoxication, Alcoholism, Dipsomania, De- lirium Tremens, Mania a potu, Inebriety, Drunkenness, and the Drink Habit—What is understood from the terms Alcohol, Liquor and Intoxicants—The percentage of Alcohol in different drinks—Comparison of the amount of alcohol in whiskey and beer—Physiological and Psychological defined. THE PATHOLOGY OF DRUNKENNESS...... n Definition of pathology—Only proven facts will be stated —The usual conception of Drunkenness—The progres- sive symptoms of intoxication—The awakening—Where the real trouble lies—The false belief that a drinker is all right when he sobers up—How you may know that alcohol is a poison. Effects of Alcohol Upon the Circulatory System 15 Necessity for pure blood and good circulation—Dilation and calcification of arteries—How alcohol produces "pipe stem" arteries or Arterio-Sclerosis—The drinker's liability to apoplexy—A common cause of "heart failure"—How nourishment is diminished and body poisons increased—The weakened resistance to infections and other diseases—The red blood cells' oxygen carry- ing power weakened—The white blood cells poisoned and unable to destroy bacteria—Why infectious diseases are —— iv DRUNKENNESS—WHAT IT IS Page so fatal to drinkers—The mistaken idea that a drink of liquor warms the body—Why a drunken man so quickly freezes to death—The "shivering fits" of drunkards How to test the truth of the statement that alcohol does not warm you. The Liver and Kidney as Affected— by Alcohol 21 Fatty degeneration of the liver "Gin drinker's liver" described—Acute and chronic inflammation of the kidneys, or Bright's disease—How these inflammations cause the body poisons to be retained—Why the common idea that gin is good for the kidneys is not true. Alcoholic Disorders of the Stomach and Intestines. 24 Functional disturbances common—The "Drunkard's dys- pepsia"—Chronic inflammation and catarrh—Dilation of the stomach—Why a drinker's sense of taste is blunted and his appetite capricious—How alcohol stops the pro- cess of digestion. Physical Effects of Alcohol Upon the Brain and Nerves * 26 How the brain and nerve cells are injured and destroyed —The number of brain cells affected constantly increases —Alcohol does not stimulate but paralyzes—How alcohol causes loss of control of the brain's regulating appa- ratus—A drunken man cannot generate brain power Defective sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch caused by alcohol—Muscular power weakened—Why drinkers have no "ginger" or "staying power"—Many so-called rheumatic pains, cramps, and numbness caused by alcohol—How nerve energy and strength is lost. THE FANCIES, VAGARIES AND BELIEFS OF DRINKERS 32 Proof of alcoholic damage shown in his mental processes —No beginner believes drink will injure him—Each one thinks he is "different"—May believe his drinking con- cealed—Every drinker thinks he can stop when he chooses —The drinker's egotism—How he over-estimates his ability and judgment—Often thinks he is being abused and persecuted—May think family and friends untrue to him —His memory is faulty—His judgment and efficiency be- —— AND HOW TO CURE IT v Page low par—Why he is unfitted for responsible positions His mental "balance wheel" is paralyzed—Will Power and Initiative lacking—Cannot successfully plan and execute. The Results of the Higher Brain Centers Being Most Affected 41 Physical and moral standards are debased—How the brute in man is permitted to get the upper hand—The better the man, the worse the effects—His true colors not shown when drunk—Why drink brings out the worst in every man—The difference between man and brute and how it is maintained—Why the drinker must go backwards. THREE CLASSES OF DRINKERS 46 What is moderate drinking?—The drinker cannot judge moderation—Ability to drink without showing it is no evidence of a "strong" head—Why there can be no safety mark. The Constant Drinkers 48 What is meant by constant drinking—The "craving" for intoxicants—In the alcoholic "pickle"—They seldom real- ize they have passed the danger line—The test of safety —Don't say you can stop until you have proved it. The Periodical Drinkers 51 The true periodical drinker described—No "craving" between sprees—The symptoms which precede a spree The attacks may occur at regular or irregular intervals The nature of the irresistible impulse to drink—Why the attacks terminate—An entire chaage of character dur- ing attacks—Dipsomaniacs among the periodicals—The danger to others from this type of drinker—The mistaken idea of the periodical's will power—Reproaches do more harm than good—Don't preach to a man in quicksand A word to the periodical drinker. The Voluntary Drinkers 55 No need or craving for drink present in these cases They have the "vice of drinking" but not the "Disease of Drunkenness"—Distinction must be made between the two classes—Voluntary drinkers soon become constant drinkers—An admonition to the voluntary drinker. — vi DRUNKENNESS—WHAT IT IS Page CAUSES OF DRINKING 57 The causes or reasons usually given—The one great cause which is rarely recognized—Reasons often only excuses—Importance of knowing cause before beginning treatment. Heredity 58 What is meant by an "inherited craving"—The results of alcoholism as seen in the children of drinkers—The cura- bility of so-called inherited drunkenness. Surroundings and Associates 59 The effects of environment—Poverty a result and a cause of Drunkenness—The influence of associates. Disease 60 Drunkenness caused by using alcohol as a medicine Heart disease as a cause and a result of Drunkenness How alcohol is usually prescribed—Patients claim their doctors ordered them to drink—The result—Various ail- ments for which alcohol is taken—Alcohol is not a "cura- tive" drug or medicine—The danger of prescribing any form of alcohol—A suggestion to the alcohol prescribing physician. Nervous and Physical Exhaustion 63 The strenuous life a common cause of Drunkenness Alcohol taken for its supposed stimulating and strength- ening power—The depressing after effects create a de- mand for a constantly increasing supply—The haste for success and its disastrous results—His intentions were good but the means he used put him down and out. Worry and Trouble 65 Business worries a cause of Drunkenness—Family troubles may make men drink—Inability to withstand severe mental shock. Injuries 65 Hard drinking often dates from a severe injury—The cause of this unknown. Social Customs 66 The custom of treating a common cause of Drunkenness —Stopping the practice of treating would lessen the — AND HOW TO CURE IT vii Page amount of drinking—The habit of drinking may be formed at dinners and banquets—Do not force a guest to drink. Suggestion the Great Cause of Drinking 67 The cause of taking the first drink—The auto-suggestion of curiosity—Suggestion the one true cause of drinking —Suggestion a cause and a cure of Drunkenness—All drinkers reason along the same lines. EFFECTS OF DRUNKENNESS ON SOCIETY AND THE NATION 70 Alcohol in history—The discovery that alcohol destroys men—The governments of Europe in a determined ef- fort to stop Drunkenness—The nature of alcohol—Alco- hol a poison—Alcohol has no food value—Loss of efficiency enormous—Alcohol a narcotic, not a stimulant Alcohol not an aid in consumption—Alcohol the cause of disease—One drink makes the white blood corpuscle drunk—The great destroyer—Alcohol ten thousand times more destructive than war—Alcohol's wounded today are more than six hundred million white men—The curse of all races—The overshadowing cause of crime, pauperism and insanity—Defies Nature and Nature's God—Blights the pro.geny of man—Alcohol increases the perils of childbirth and the danger of race suicide—The stand- point of the state—The disease is organic—The treatment must be organic—The power of truth—Pass the cure along. THE LAW OF SUGGESTION 83 The principles of Suggestion easily understood—Each feature and fact to be studied by itself—The difference between brain and mind. The Two Minds 84 The theory of dual mentality—The conscious mind and what it controls—The sub-conscious mind and its powers —How the two phases of mind work together—Their mode of operation—The sub-conscious mind highly amen- able to Suggestion—The effects of memories upon our present actions. —— . viii DRUNKENNESS—WHAT IT IS Page What Suggestion Is 88 Definition of Suggestion—How Suggestion influences all actions—How a man's character is formed by his thoughts—How Suggestion has been misunderstood Cults and religions founded on Suggestion—Suggestion used to cure diseases—Suggestion a wonderful power for good.

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