SPECIFICS FOR THE CURE OF INEBRIETY. 733 



extraordinary cures under extraordinary conditions, the proof of 

 which, depends alone on the statements of the cured. 



Then comes the old story of persecution by physicians and sci- 

 entists, and of posing as martyrs, public benefactors, and pioneer 

 discoverers, with indirect appeals for sympathy from the broad 

 and liberal minded. Back of all this is a pecuniary field actively 

 tilled which yields rich harvests, and altogether it is the same old 

 familiar history of empiricism, which is always to be found on the 

 advancing frontiers of science. Within two years a large num- 

 ber of charlatans have appeared, claiming to have found remedies 

 and specifics for the certain and permanent cure of the drink dis- 

 ease. A great variety of means and drugs are offered, each one 

 claiming to be superior to all others. Recently one of these em- 

 piric specific cures has led all the others in boldness and promi- 

 nence. Starting from an obscure Western village, it has spread 

 out into many branches, all organized and conducted on one gen- 

 eral plan, and federated together. Physicians have been enlisted 

 to conduct each branch, companies have been organized, houses 

 hired, and elaborated arrangements made for the work. Special 

 papers have been established to defend its interests, and the pul- 

 pit and press have indorsed and freely praised these efforts. 

 Every possible avenue to attract public attention has been in- 

 dustriously cultivated to keep the subject before the people. 



Large numbers of persons who claim to be cured have organ- 

 ized into clubs, and display hysterical enthusiasm to prove the 

 reality of their cure and the greatness of the projector. 



It is assumed that the inventor of this specific was the first to 

 urge the theory of disease in modern times; also that he has 

 made a great discovery of a new remedy the nature of which he 

 carefully conceals from the rest of the world. The most wonder- 

 ful and complete cures of the most incurable cases are accom- 

 plished in two or three weeks on some unknown physiological 

 principle. These assertions are sustained by certificates of clergy- 

 men, reformed men, and others, and are accepted as facts without 

 question or other evidence. Dogmatic statements and bold as- 

 sertions, coupled with savage criticism of those who dare to doubt, 

 together with half-truths and wild theories, mark all the literature 

 of this specific. The commercial side of this remedy is equally 

 startling and Napoleonic as a business success. It is a curious 

 fact that this particular cure is very closely followed in all its de- 

 tails and claims by a number of imitators, who have made equally 

 wonderful discoveries in precisely the same way, but all are con- 

 cealed for the same pretended reasons. It is equally curious to 

 note the absence of novelty and originality of methods compared 

 with the means and efforts used to make popular and create a sale 

 for most of the proprietary articles on the market to-day. All 



