ALCOHOL HUNGER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2126, 18 April 1914, Page 8

ALCOHOL HUNGER.

iSESTBAINT, NOT PRISON, :WR : INEBRIATES*-^^::

: ANJNSTBUCTIVB-REPORT,'

Alnnliol, rof'-fronrlteliiß-lIX! (!tl.irf ceuae , of iiifitrlnl.y; la merely Uvo • urcrtluin "thitf, liriuiw'int't »roinin«HCo ' ctrlfliu tii.fiTlß f.lttrt niigiii. have rcnmiitwl \M<\c» insl. fiiv jta cipoaing or ■&<* . V(vlii|ilii;- innaeucc. . -■

't'iiis i.HOH! , of tho mahyititriking'slaf.ciii!.'!!!!i h a Wliito I'aper oiiiliMJiiiti; tho roporl of til" iiisjsoctor niwlor ilui Inolirjatwi-Acts. He does not. holinvo tlwi. inly sirigto inobriato bns vohiutiirily sn»t «f iiiinnlioii brought liiiiiW'fi' l<i.Hint state, fjiiffiaicnt crodil., ln> thinks, linii iwvi-r li<?wi given Ui tho lßtnoitt.y of an inohriato's 'light ngftiust jiif'tiimt.ifli), o-r.Ui tlxi iiilicrftsit wenklwcs of Vμ jimver to 'resSist iinpulso Uiaf rciiilith his atruggfo 'for' victory , uiisac^cse[«i. ;■■■. ■■■■:■■.- ; ■■ •■ .

: "Wh-n Isuoirs;" ; ho exclaim*) -"Low many of tho infibriatpis,of to-day might liayrt-Wn wived liml they.da red to-'aefc-iMin-twlgb-'lUoir stole duri-ag tlio. early liiivs of Hs deyc]6pmoiit, ;>nd ask {or liolu,' Avillteu't fear of .poftalty or. oslraciKin?" ■■■'■.■

'(fe inchrialo is uot primartly. vicious 'nr.cri»miial. Most of Ins offences are of a passive rmtiire, due rattier to.ltopair* vd irwiiwi thai)'to wilful intcntioii. ,or : to iiiipe'rlvet control. IF irresponsibility bo AckiWH'lcdgwJ, tlio argmiioiifc iu'_'favour, of trcatinoitti as'opposwl to-punishment , must iro- recognised also. ... '32,000 Inebriates- . Only tiii) London pojieo maiso aisy effort to sopnralo inebriates from acmnional drunkot-ds, and this roc'rely in tlio case of women. Woovcn inebriates to she- number of 2500 ill London aro known ; the inspector ostiaiatcs in addition 1500 men, making 4000, or one iu 1,130 of tlie population.; and on tbis basis lie assumes 32,000 of .crinnnal or disorderly tendency in the whole of Diiglaiui and Wales. Further,, 16,000 aro crilculatcd to osist ift privato lifo; ■that is,' they liafo net brought, themselves. 111 tlio liands of tlio poilco. of tlio worst cases occur among weliedticatcd, jieoplo. Tlifireioro, degradation is a factor in tho creation o£ it> ebriatfls. .-■ : ;

Restraint, is the treatment -suggested. _ The absence of legal power to restrain at tho moment when control is most needed ia responsible for failure to effect cures in private. . "111 tho majority of oases," "says tho Inspector-, "tho iicute distress caused by 'alcohol want'.lasts.but-a few hours, and if power to prevent recourse to tlriilk call !w exercised to a .sufficientextent to tide over, this .fcliort space of time success may often bq obtained." ■A legal pledge, with tUa appointment of a gunraiau having p&wer'ts- prevent drink being obtained, is suggested, and if'-such'niiid measures. fail tfaen - thero must bo treatment in an. institution. Compulsion is essential. It is during tho early days of an iiiebriatfe's history that interference b most ueefui.

Prison .Utterly U-ssless. 'Ordinary-iu>}}ri's<mu?ent is oon'doiiiued. "It is jioUooJy but dfics a. great, deal. ; of Jaaxm.- : lir fact,- there vcrttns little reason to doubt 'J;at ~tho cojjstaut repetition of short pwial s'MiteKCcs esercisies a, material ih'fjiionco in converting it reforroablo inebriate into, an irrdforrttable. one. .. -..-.. :t-i:loss. ttfl are 'prepared, injii the prwwss is solely one, and.'jliistly. on that j's.diMtnlt to! describe-.llie-''j>roft»klinj;. : as ;■' i-tlier than' inliMtjian, ■ and an absolirto waste of"i[u!ilJ)s- : uiqn&Y." - - . . liiciSoiitallyV ■ it" is' "mentioned that "tiaating"' its an adjunct-to■'caminor-ei.al tra'nsactioiis is less preva-10-nt than it used to be, aiid that uiaiiy njinor i.udiKCEieuts to excessive drUiking havefallen irtto" disrepute/- ■ ." .. ■■ -. ■'• -.'. ' .'.'β-nt," says Mr. 11. W. Brant%aite, tho .Inspector.) "notwithstanding' this acknowledged improvement iu the scndra! drinking habits of the uatioiij it is by no means clear that any real' ud-va-neq.has been niade towards the snppressiou of habitual drunkenness.' 1