178 THOMAS D. CROTHERS 



revolutions of nations and races. In modern times it is trace- 

 able in the statistics of courts where inebriety is punished, 

 and points to the operation of laws at present unknown. This 

 oscillatory movement of inebriety is receding, and appears to 

 be governed by growth and mental vigor of the race. 



Up to the last century the use of spirits was almost uni- 

 versal. Total abstainers were very rare and excessive use 

 was common and unnoticed. Nearly all authorities agree 

 that the inebriety of the past was not marked by the delirium 

 and frenzy of modem times. The less sensitive brains of our 

 ancestors became early palsied from spirits, and they suffered 

 from dementia and death. At banquets the standard of 

 strength was ability to keep awake while drinking spirits. 

 Men used spirits and became stupid, and continued to drink 

 for a lifetime, or until death from some acute or epidemic dis- 

 ease. Little or no reference is found in medical histories to 

 alcohol as the cause of insanity, epilepsy, or idiocy, or, in fact, 

 as the cause of any disease. Any excessive or fatal use of 

 spirits was explained as the result of vice, free will, or demo- 

 niacal influences. The common people drank the coarser and 

 heavier spirits, and the wealthy drank wine and light alcohols. 



Evidently the excessive use of spirits in all classes has 

 slowly declined with the increase of knowledge and progressive 

 development of the race. The drink evil has followed the 

 race march as a shadow in outlme, generally growing less and 

 less distinct up to the last century. From that time it has 

 appeared in a new form. The old time stupor from the effects 

 of spirits has changed to delirium, delusions, and crime symp- 

 toms. Mental exhaustion, insanity, and acute brain and nerve 

 degeneration have become prominent in most cases. Moder- 

 ate drinking is becoming more and more impossible. The 

 moderate drinker of to-day becomes the inebriate of to-mor- 

 row, and dies the next day of acute disease, or is laid away in 

 some asylum. 



The type and forms of inebriety have changed. The de- 

 veloped brain of the modem man is more acutely sensitive 

 to alcohol, and is more likely to find in spirits a relief from the 

 mental strains he is subjected to. The drink evil has become 



