Wanted Half-a-dozen Firstclass Drunkards.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 248, 19 October 1893, Page 6

Wanted Half-a-dozen Firstclass Drunkards.

The 'Good Man1 Auain

A Spkcific for Drdnkennkss

DISOOVJCKED,

(»KOM OUR SPECIAL CORKESfONDENT.)

London, Augusb "25. JNk 'Good Man' has broken out violently In a fr<jdli place. ' Spooka' are ' off, very much off' (as Arthur Koberta would aay). Julia has been relegated to the limbo of forgotten sensations, and Mr Stead bas thrown himself heart and eoul into yet another marvellous discovery. This ia nothing leas than a specific for iruukennoss. He writes to the ' Chronicle' :—'Can you help me to halt-a-dozen first-class drunkards ? Ido not want any of your middling kind of inobiiatos, who are only a mild nuisance to themselves, and a moderate disgrace to their fatnflle*. 1 want sumo confirmod, hopeless, gin-sodden dipsomaniacs, if possible the Bonn or daughters of dipsomaniacs, in whose blood tliorois the hereditary taints of tha alcohol ctavo, and who have apent their livos in a more or less chronic state of alcoholism. I want half-a-dozen ot these supromo oxamploa of the widely prevalent mania of alcoholism, in order to put to a-crucial test a romarkablo discovery which an acquaintance of mine claims to have mude. This irentloinan, who was at oho tltna n besotted inobriate in now as aobor as a judge, and he ussures me that che romudy which cuiod him will cure anyone who will consent to undergo the treatment. It is not tveeloy'a gold euro, nor is there any injection into the blood. It dooa not cost one-half as much as Keeley'e treatment, and it is asserted that unlike all other remedies, it not only destroys the craving for drink bub sots up in the patient Buch a physical loathing of the taste or emoll of alcohol that if unawares he should BWiillow a spoonful of jolly in the making of which Bherry or brandy hoa been used, he become* violently sick on the spot. 1 waa naturally incredulous, bub oa making inquiring 1 was assured by several modical men of good stunding that, dipsomaniac patients of their own had boen cured by this treatment nftor all other rueana had failed.

'1, therefore, proposed to the holder of this pscret that ho should put his remedy to a ciuaiul test. Ho consented, and 1 appeal through your columns for the human ma tor ia Is for tho exporimont. I want halfa dozah confirmed inebriates, who are willing to undergo tho treatment, which, I may state, consists simply in swallowing every hour of two a small dose of tho remedy. Even if the experiment is begun whan the piUienb is Buffering from delirium tieivions, ib ia clliimed to make no diileronce in the result, provided tho remedy is reeularly administered. ' May 1 ask you to allow mo to appeal to thone who know of any such cases to communicate with me, by letter only, giving particulars of tho cane Which they propose to submit, and certifying the willingness of the drunkard to be treatod by some competent custodian to see that ho undergoes tho treatment. Tho worst cases will naturally huve the preference. If in a month thoy do not lose all taste for drink, and if in three months they aro nob ro alcohol-proof as to be capable of swimming in whisky without tasting a drop, tho discoverer of this remedy in willing that judgment should be given against him. 1 By thoae tosb cases the remedy will be BUpplioil gratis with full directions as bo treatment. The offer eeems a fair one, and, considering the number of victims of alcoholism* in bur midst, I truab you will give publicity to this proposed tost. •In conclusion let me say that I.musb insist upon all applications being made by letter and not in person. Life and work would alike be impossible if Mowbruy House became the Mecca of the dipsomaniac. The editor of the 'Chronicle' says there are a few things he musb know before granting My Stead's request. 'Has Count MuUei labelled more water with a coloured electricity? Becaus9, if co, we musb bo excused. A certain confident American j physician sent U8 Bomo fciino ago some wonderful statements of what he waa prepared bo do in the way of curing drunkenness. We examined those, and camo to the conclusion that our columns wore not for his publicity. Ib this Mr Stead's " friend ?" L'ecauee if bo, again we must be excused. Theti, too, this method of experimental Cures has not been very successful so far. The Mattei 'experiment was inaugurated with a great florish of trumpets, but ib has been an utter fiasco. Who, finally, is to be responsible for the "firsb-claaa drunkards'' under experiment? Suppose one of them incontinently dies, is Mr Stead to be prosecuted ? What physician of standing can be found to preside over the hourly administration ot "Bmall doses " of some secret but very potent remedy? We fear those royal roads to health are as much a Big:n of the times as aro all the royal roads Wefoar that Mr Stead will hot h'iidit as easy as ho thinks to " make an experiment on the vile-body'1 of the confirmed inebriate. We publish his'appeal with pleasure, for whatever Mr Stead Writes ia entertaining reading, bub we are not quite prepared yet to present him wibh the Bis drunkards he desires.'