The history of the first inebriate asylum in the world / by its founder [Jonathan Edward Turner]. An account of his indictment, also a sketch of the Woman's national hospital, by its founder.

  • Turner, J. Edward, 1822-1889.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of the first inebriate asylum in the world / by its founder [Jonathan Edward Turner]. An account of his indictment, also a sketch of the Woman's national hospital, by its founder. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    deci’ee, wliose crime could he traced to the excessive use of alcoholic stimulants ? How many divorce cases have come hefoi'e your court, the cause of action heiiig the excessive use of alcohol or opium ? How many estates have been placed in the care of a trustee, the owner of said estate being a victim of alcohol or opium ? How many insane persons have been adjudged dangerous to remain at laro-e, Avhose mental disturbance has been caused by iuel)riety ? Circulars embracing the following cpiestion were sent to the justices of peace of the cities and large towns of the country: How many commit- ments to the county jail or prison have been made by your court for the past five years, where the criminal has been a victim of alcoholic stimulants? Circulars were sent to the coroners of the cities and large towns of the country, soliciting the facts connected with all sudden deaths caused by acute or chronic inebriety, with a minute description of the morl)id anatomy of each organ. If either the brain, heart, lungs, stomach, liver or kidneys were so diseased as to show a morbid anat- omy valuable in illustrating and estaldishing the fact that the disease of inebriety is sui generis.^ such morbid specimens would Tje of great value to the writer, and if placed in alcohol and forwarded to him a liberal compen- sation would be paid for all labor and expense connected therewith. Among the responses from ])hysicians was one from Dr. H. H. Childs, of Pittsfield, Mass., in which he gave a brief history of a family for fhi-ee generations, all of ^\'hom had died of constitutional or hereditary inebriety. The fathei', a hard and continuous drinker for thirty years, died at the age of sixty-one, Avith delirium ti'emens. His son, a periodical drinker, having his sprees once in two months, died of convulsions at the age of forty-one.