Abnormal Man (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 3GHAPTEE IV. ALCOHOLISM. Alcoholism may be considered briefly, first, in its general bearings, and, second, as a form of insanity. The relation between alcoholism, (rime, pauperism, mid charity is most intimate. For example, a certain young criminal, who tried to kill an aged woman, without provocation, said that when he was six years of age his father used to return home drunk, striking his mother and throwing sticks of wood at him. He .stood it for awhile, but afterward left home, and though not a thief was compelled to steal for a living; was sent to a juvenile asylum, and, after leaving, went among farmers to live under theft eare, being kindly treated by a very few, whipped, and otherwise roughly treated by many. Remaining a month or so with different farmers, he finally developed into a tramp, and leaving all farmers wandered two years, stealing, eating, and sleeping wherever he could. Thus alcohol gave the initiatory to thieving. Charity endeavored to counteract these effects (result of six years of unfavorable surroundings) in two years, but the evil forces acquired by early treatment had gained too strong a foothold, and the following stages were tramping, pauperism, and crime. Such cases are typical, .and almost wholly the result of evil surroundings, for which society is culpable, and for which she suffers dearly, both morally and financially. The alcoholic may be a good workman when sober, but from irregularity he loses his position and gradually becomes a pauper. A sad fact in connection with alcoholism is that often the kindest and most genial natures are for this very reason ruined through the unintentional influence of friends, for they are unable to resist the so-called feeling of good fellowship when drinking together. From the ethical point of view, it is questionable whether one has...