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.

    78/512 (page 74)
    able to do something, if not to annihilate, at least sensibly to abate the mischief. We would cajole the })ub]ic into no scheme of moral qnackel•^^ We advertise no sovereign panacea. We simply confront the evil as it meets ns on the street, as it inundates our court rooms, and overflows our prisons; and we say to all: come, here is a nuisance, which may surely be abated; here are taxes, which may surely be diminished; here are crimes, which may surely be prevented; hei-e are men, now as good as lost to society, lost, we may saj’, to heaven, who may surely be reclaimed and saved. We can not hope to save them all, any more than we can hope wholly to dry up any other fountain of human woe; but hundreds and thou- sands of men may be saved, while all that is sacred either in Patriotism, in Humanity, or in Religion, counsels and com- mands us to make the attempt. Pledges may still be circu- lated, papers edited, and books written. Elo(]uent lecturers may still itinerate the land from one end of it to the other; and the Maine Law, if that shall seem wise and good, be car- ried in triumph from capital to capital. Let each man choose his own connections and his own instrumentality, doing his utmost in his own way. We debate ]ier])lexed questions with no man. Rut here is something to be done; not a question in ethics, not a sjieculation, but a work, and a work in which Ave may all engage. This then is our first argument for the Inebriate Asylum. It raises no embittering questions, comes into conflict with no man’s crotchets, a.sks no man to inter- mit or slacken any other instrumentality; but it offers a common ground, whereon Ave all of us may stand, and ho]ie to accomplish something of undeniable and solid good. Daily there reel inourstreets intoxicated men, boisterousand violent, endangering the jieace of society in public places, carrying a curse to dejiendent families; daily the gripe of the law tightens upon them and drags them to ansAver for their evil deeds. What shall be done Avith these men? As things nowarcAve haA’'e nothing for them but our ]u-isons. The man AAdio has been guilty only of a glass too much, goes in Avith felons, and takes the chance of coming out again a felon him- self. In any case, Ave must foot his bills. ])roviding him AA’itli foAxl and clothing. Is it not better, immeasurably better, both for him, for his family, and for ourselves, to giA^e him an