Show drawing room drunkards in a recent paper read before the irish college of physicians on this subject dr alfred aifred H mcclintock ClIntock lEc dec sq says sass y s it fa is a matter of that the immoderate use of stimulants has greatly increased of late years among classes whose education and social condition should have been sufficient preservatives against this destructive vice it is well known to physicians that alcoholism is to be met with among the occupants occupant of the tho drawing rooms as well as the frequenters of taprooms taproots tap rooms what has so widely spread this per licious habit among this generation it would be difficult to say prod probably ably more causes than one have contributed to bring it about I 1 cannot help thinking that the intense strain put on the intellectual faculties in every profession trade and pursuit the mental competition of these days must create or foster an appetite for diff diffusible usable stimulants nervous exhaustion craves for the alcoholic stimulus whereas physical or muscular exha astion will more eagerly demand solid aliment furthermore to be candid I 1 must own to td a feeling that our own profession profess don Aon is not wholly free from blame in this matter I 1 know well I 1 am here drenching trenching tren ching on delicate ground but 11 amicus plata amicus socrates sed magis amlous amicus vecas vetas V fard yard I 1 strongly suspect that the modern treatment of disease by the free f re e use of stimulants though thou gh fulfill fulfil fulfilling ling an important therapeutic indication has occasionally developed a morbid habit of bating in moral and physical disease of an incurable kind I 1 would qualify this however by adding that the declaration of inebriates themselves on this point i is s of no value whatever wh alever as they are notoriously untruthful and are always too glad to throw the blame of their evil habits on the physician or surgeon nearly kearly all the cases of alcoholism which have fallen under my immediate observation were females of the better clashes classes of society A 11 II with scarcely an exception concealed the habit they had acquired of drinking to excess so that it often needed a lengthened investigation and a careful analysis of all the symptoms before ady any positive conclusions clu as to the ie al U cause of the patients condition could be arrived at all sought medical advice on account of some derangement belonging to alcoholism though apparently patently ly themselves not recognizing the source from whence their ailment sprang I 1 should qualify this by saying that a few were brought by friends who had no suspicion of the tile patients habits the tye intoxicating liquor taken varned varied a good deal viz brandy ian gin gln charn champagne rrt ert port sherry skerry wh whiskey ale porter and in one case tincture of ginger r of which her daily allowance for a length t of time was vas caa cas vaa one pint pini this unfortunate lady ady who moved in a high circle circie and was what is ordinarily called a str strong onar k minded person eventually died of jaundice enlarged liver and as cites eltes it is very well known that where the ordinary spirit cannot be obtained the victims of this his passion will not hesitate to drink eau de cologne laven lavender lavendel dei del waterval wat water ersal sal sai voia vola volatile tile tiie compound spirits of lavender and and in fact any spirit they can lay their hands bands on most of us here have known or heard beard of bf the museum porter at one of our schools of medicine who used to drink the spirits of wine off the anatomical preparations when he had bad not the means of buying a more potable description of alcohol in injustice J us to his palate I 1 must add that this was belore the spirits came into use the ingenuity displayed by many of these individuals to hide the vice and elude the precautions r cautions lons ions for keeping away the much coveted drink Is sometimes most curious for example a lady with this propensity very strong was strictly confined to one room by ile lit her family who allowed nothing to enter without its being carefully searched for the contraband article Nevert nevertheless be in spite of all the precautions she managed to have spirits conveyed to her not indeed lnla in a bottle jar in tile the undisguised is and unsuspected pot de chambre london medical d |