CRITICAL C O M M U N I C A T I O N S
CONCERNING
THE P R E S I D E N T S A D D R E S S ON THE
A L C O H O L I C CRAVING.
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BY T. D. CROTHERS, M.D.,
Medical Superintendent, Walnut Lodge Hospital, Hartford,
Connecticut, U. S. A .
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The profound deterioration of physical and mental vigour produced by overindulgence in alcohol and other poisons has made
the regulation of their use a serious problem of modern society,
and has aroused the ardent interest of all who have a concern for
the moral welfare of mankind, and for this reason Dr. Harry
Campbells address affords food for much reflection. So philosophical a student of vital phenomena, who has both observed and
read widely, written extensively and in so attractive and readable
a style, must command the attention of thoughtful critics. In his
summary of general conclusions he gives the best preventive
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I think that the further subdivision of stimulants in Dr. Campbells paper into lrugnrmfors and inhibitors would have helped us to
classify alcohol more definitely, and to understand the use of this
drug-for it is a drug, with a definite therapeutic value-by the
physician, which use is indeed insignificant when compared to its
abuse. in our social life for the purpose of obtaining some form of
mental gratification or hypnosis.
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I am unable to agree with the tripartite division of stimulants by
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There certainly seems to be a natural human desire for stimulants of one kind and another, and as usual there is a danger that
such stimulants should be taken too freely, and that persons should
depend on them more than on food.
First, it must be fully recognised that the so-called stimulants
have often more use as sedatives than as real excitants. In my
experience many an overworked brain will be rested more by
slight regulated alcoholic food than by food without alcohol.
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Dr. Harry Campbell tells us that '' animals never suffer from
ennui." But how does the wild animal spend his life ? Is it not
in eating and sleeping ? Now, an animal eats far more in proportion to the average man, and yet it does not suffer from
indigestion; therefore, clearly it cannot be the amount of food
that is so injurious, as the quality of it. Again, an animal sleeps
after a heavy meal, whereas a man usually tries to work. Nature
shows that, after taking food, the organism should rest; the
blood is required for the gastric apparatus.
Man breaks through all the rules of Nature and sets up artificial
methods of his own, and then is surprised that he suffers from
ill-health. Stimulants may be necessary, and probably are
necessary, but I fear that the large proportion of disease is
the result of overstimulation, even when the stimulus employed
is of a legitimate kind. We are creatures of habit, and consequently live according to the rules that we have made for ourselves. If we have learnt to rely on an excess of stimulation,
we shall require an increasing supply as years pass along ; but if
we lead the simple life, our days will be spent in greater happiness, notwithstanding that the amount of stimulation is correspondingly lessened.
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VOL. IV.
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these centres is called for, and when this very relaxation, by the
liberation of energy which it induces, is tantamount to stimulation 7 Take a case such as the following : A sensitive, retiring,
self-conscious, and somewhat taciturn man loses all his selfconsciousness, and becomes the life and soul of his party after he
has had a couple of glasses of champagne. Now, I do not for
cine moment say that a man of this kind should habitually
indulge in alcohol for the purpose of setting free such healthful
energies, but what I do say is that the condition of mind induced
in this case by a moderate inhibition of the higher centres,
though not onwin wbich the intellect is most discriminating, is
yet in many respects superior to his habitual mental condition,
md that the liberation of energy which finds expression in
jopmme+,vivacity, and the abundant flow of pleasing thoughts,
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eeem unreasonable to suppose that the blood of those who are
naturally vivacious and chatty normally contains substances
which produce this condition of mind, though having the great
advantage over alcohol in producing no injurious effects.
I may remark of the gentleman whose reticence and selfconsciousness were so readily removed by a small quantity of
alcohol, that alcohol at times stimulates his physical energies
in a remarkable manner. H e tells me, c.g;, that, when after
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