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

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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$' This case was of twelve lionrs duration, and exhibited all the r marked characteristics of the malady. Other cases of asimi- I laf origin are recorded in medical works. George M. Borrow, . M. I)., member of the Koval College of Physicians, London, Jin his work on Insanity, says: “This affection has been known to be induced in persons of sober habits, whose daily I occupation has exposed them to the absorption of the fumes iof alcohol.” i\I. Leverette also mentions a case similar. We shall now speak of the insanity of inebriety and its consequences. The acute form of this disease is more prevalent in onr city than any other malady, and soinetimes the most rapid in its mission of destruction. The nnmber of cases occnrring during the year, ending June 30th, 1854, was 12,680, as found in the report of the Chief of Police. These were cases that were arrested for being intoxicated. From the acute sjjrings the chronic insanity of inebriety, which marches in its course to that fearfnl and almost incura- ble stage of constitutional insanity, and often ending in dementia. Chronic insanity of inebriety is found in onr insane as}'- Innis to a great extent, and produces more than forty per cent of the constitutional insanity in the United States. This stage of the disease shonld be treated in an inebriate asylum, where the patient wonld be entirely separated from insanity produced from other causes. Every physician knows that the brain of an inebriate is too mnch diseased to be ex])osed to the fearfnl influence of an insane asylum. It is, indeed, adding fnel to the flame, and consequences the most gloomy in character may follow. ^Vccording to the census in 1840 there were in the United States 17,434 insane and idiotic persons. Ui reviewing tlie census of 1850, we find the nnmber has increased to 31,397, making an increase for ten years of more than eighty per cent. At this ratio of increase the United States will have, in 1950, 11,203,632 insane and idiotic persons; and if onr popnlation shonld double every thirty years we shall have, in the United States, in 1950, k popnlation of 243,839,285, making the ratio of insane and idiotic persons for 1950 to be one in twenty-one.$