INSANITY OF INEBRIETY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 82, 6 April 1875, Page 4

INSANITY OF INEBRIETY.

Some extraordinary instances of the desire, or rather morbid impulse, to drink are, the London Medical Record notes, mentioned in a paper on the "Insanity of Inebriety,''-' by Dr Georgfa Burr, published in the New York Psychological and Medico • Legal Journal, of December 1874 Dr. Burr records a case, in wb'ch he Bays, in reference to an habitual drunkard in Philadelphia, who when strongly urged by his friends to leave off drinkiag, replied, '* Were a keg of rum in one corner of a room, and a cannon constantly discharging balls between me and it, I could not refrain from passing before that cannon in order to get at the rum." One of the cases of Dr. M'Nish, in his "Anatomy of Drunkenness," as quoted by Dr. Ray, also illustrates this feature. A friend of the subject of it related to him "the distress of bis family, the loss of his business and character, and the ruin of his health," to which he replied. ••My good friend, your remarks are just ; tbey are indeed too true : but I can no longer resist temptation. If a bottle of brandy stood at one hand and tbe pit of hell yawned at the other, and I were convinced that I would be pushed in as sure as I took one glass, I could Dot refrain." The late Professor R. B. Muesey, of Cincinnati, relates another case : — A few years ago a tippler was put into an almshouse in this State, within a few days he bad devised various expedients to procure rum, but failed. At last, however, he hit upon one which was successful. He went into tbe wood-yard of tbe establishment, placed one hand upon the block, and with an axe in the other, struck it off at a single blow. With the stump raised and streaming, he ran into the bouse and cried, ' Get ruml get some rum! my hand is off.' In the confusion and bustle of tbe occasion a bowl of rum was brought,- into which he placed the bleeding member of his body; then raising the bowl to his moutb, drank freely, and exultingly cried, 'Now I .am satisfied!'" Dr. J. E. Turner relates a case of a gentleman, who while

under treatment for inebriety during four weeks, eecretiy drank the alcohol from six jars containing morbid specimens. On asking him why he had committed this loathsome act he replied, " Sir, it is as impossible for me to control this diseased appetite as it is for me to control tbe pulsations of my heart"

T i i - i I I I . It is stated that Sir George Grey is uot favorable to responsible Govern* ment in connection with the administration of Provincial affairs. Already a number of applications bave gone to Sir Dillon Bell for the second clerkship < f the House of Representative*?, rendered vacant by tbe death of Mr Stevenson. The appointment is almost certain to be given to whatever gentleman Major Campbell recommends. Commenting upon the proceedings of the Westland Provincial Counoil, the West Coast Times indulges in the following remarks . — Men have been heard in that Council Hall, night after night, transposing the alphabet and immolating the Queen's English on the altar of patriotism and their duty to the province, with a contempt for letters and the memory of Lindley Murray, with a recklessness and abnegation of respect for themselves and others which few patriots or Provincial Councillors have been known to do; and they are at perfect liberty to do so, becaure there is no education test required in the election of our Councillors. The commonest etiquette acquirable in the commonest dancingroom has been despised as some relic of the dark ages ; the principles which maintain ordinary order in the most ordinary pot-house, without the aid of a policeman, have been ignored as unworthy of a more public meeting-place. People pretending to legislate for the proper conduct of others have shown so little knowledge of the proprieties of life, to say nothing of the proper instincts of manhood, tbat, in the interchange of comments on public questions, tbey have descended to miserable personalities and mean insinuations which would become better the typical fishwife or bullock-driver. They have revelled in disorder in tbe discussion of points of order, and have done so indifferently ordered by lhe centre of order, the Speaker. A curious history of a horse was made known in the course of a case recently tried at the Preston County Court. The action was brought to recover £25, the price of a horse sold to the defendant For the defence, however, it was contended that " tbe horse wos not worth fourpence," and it was further alleged that it " could not carry its own harness.'' And althoug tbis estimate would seem to be sufficiently accurate with regard to the intrinsic value of tbe animnl, there was evidence to show that in skilful hands its speculative worth was very much higher. The original owner is reported to have said that it was worth £20 a week to him, adding that he had a wife and family, and the horse kept them. How this extraordinary income is secured out of so unpromising a subject, is not at first sight very plain. But the evidence showed that the animal is of engaging manners, although of worthless character, and buyers are coniinually found as eager for the first purchase as they afterwards prove to rid themselves of their bargain. The horse is accordingly taken to the various fairs, where it is sold for a large sum, and the purchaser, speedily discovering his mistake, is glad enough to part with the animal at a heavy sacrifice. The second buyer and the original vendor are in partnership, and over each transaction they clear a profit of upwards of £20. The counsel for the defendant traced the history of tbe adventurous animal during three or four weeks previous to the trial, and iv each case the desired profit had been secured. It is not surprising, under these circumstances, that the jury should have found a verdict for the defendant. — News of the World. The North- German Gazette "affirms tbat the German fleet will soon be worthy of the German Empire. It has been decided to raise the ironclad fleet to eight frigates, six corvettes, two monitors, and two batteries. Of the eight frigates, three are in service, four will be completed this year, and one in 1876. All are first-class vessels, aud two have been designed by Mr E. J. Reed, with 10 inch plates, and cuirassed casements on the decksare, in fact, floating fortresses. They carry rams, and have engines of 8000 horse-power. Of the corvettes, four are finished, and both the batteries, while three monitors with 8 - inch plates, carrying each one 30-centimetre gun, will be commenced at once. The Admiralty is, of course, well aware of the progress of these vessels, which, when completed, will make of Germany the «econd Maritime Power, aud give her complete ascendancy in the Baltic, where it is vital to her to be free. " Power and influence, no less than riches and culture," write the NorthGerman Gazette. " depend on the possession of un effective fleet " — a fact Englishmen are seldom tempted to forget. When they do, some ambitious Power reminds them of their duty.

Holloway's Pills — The Female's Friend. — So s ioj> as the human junctions are disordered ■steps shou dbe taken to rectify them. It is a h pelesß delusion to leave the malady to its own course, a few Bppropriaie do es of Holloway's Fills at ihe proper period will prevent many a serious lUni'ss. They arrest all morbid influences, and prevent disease trom extending and affecting other parts of the eys tern. Their primary action iB upon the bloodj Blomach, liver, kidneys, and bowels. Their

second.iry action is to strengthen tho nervous centres. No drug can be at once so harmless, vet so antagonistic to disorders affecting the f > male. The most perfect reliance may be placed upon their purifying, n gulating, and renovating virtues. They may be safely taken by females at any age.