III
1. Persons, who are satisfied with reasoning and do not wish to observe not to experiment, reproaches us for attacking the liberty and will of our clients by giving them some psychic medicines. But it is precisely these men who by giving the one or the other, some eleven substances which act on the mind, their power of judgment, their liberty, their will power and even their morality since sometimes. Some of their substances, alcohol, coffee, cocoa, arsenic etc. are aphrodisiacs. We, on the contrary, m by the psychic treatment, moderate the personal impulse, we develop the power of reasoning, the sense of duty, the will to accomplish it an consequently the liberty that each, human being has, to some different degree, in order resist to some bad hereditary instincts or personal instincts.
In order to prove the truth of my assertions the one to men, who, while expressing the injurious effect of the above mentioned psychic substances, criticise our psychic treatment, the other concerning the doctors who apply this treatment, I am going to give at first the injurious effects of alcoholic drinks and later on the treatment capable to prevent them or to dissipate them by curing drunkenness and intoxication.
The Gazette de Cologne cites the following statistic in the “Universe” of 20th July, 1814.
In Germany, 16 Percent of alcoholics are condemned to confinement. The alcohol produces:
On the totality of detained persons 54 Among the assassins` 46 Homicides 63 Persons prosecuted for wounding and striking 74 Accused of Violation 66 Rebels 76 Accused for attempts on customs 77
According to the researches of Dr. Marambat, communicated on the 3rd April, 1888, to the Academy of Medicine, on 2950 condemned, there were 2124 alcoholics i.e. 75 Percent
The alcohol produces:
Thieves 75 Percent Condemned for outrages against customs 63 Percent Vagabonds and beggars 79 Percent Assassins 30 Percent Incendiaries 57 Percent Violence against persons 88 Percent Violence against properties 77 Percent Recidivist 78.5 Percent
This same proportion is found in all ages, even in criminals less than 2o years old, which shows at what age one becomes a drunkard.
How many crimes and offences can be suppressed! One can only check by curing 50 Percent of habitual drunkards, as I do it daily in my practice and in my dispensary for the poors when drunkenness is not hereditary.
III. But besides, the inconvenience to cause crimes, alcoholism contribute to the increase of the number of premature death, the degradation of the human species, and weakening of the muscular power and the vital force.
Curing the drunkards means to check the expenditure drinks, the weekly earnings of a drunkard is paid for drinks on Sunday, which he receives on Saturday.
An other motive may encourage the doctors, to undertake this therapeutic crusade against alcoholism is that by curing the father, the mother, the sons from drunkenness, they check the discord in their family to end in laziness, in misery and to different passions whence come the tendency to commit crimes and offences.
“The overexcitation of the brain caused by inebriety sometimes causes some intellectual troubles of a particular nature: different hallucinations, sudden suicidal ideas, mad impulses etc. “Intoxication says Briere de Bomont, may cause all of a sudden either the idea of suicide in a man who has no inclination for it, or the monomania of theft or furious exultation of sexual desire. As for example, X on whose probity there was no doubt, robs on whatever he may put his hands immediately he is drunk. An other undresses himself and runs after women and men with all sorts of excentricities. A Woman, mentioned by Toli, experienced immediately she is drunk, an irresistible desire to put fire to a house; immediately the crisis is passed, she becomes afraid of herself, nevertheless, she had thus committed at least 14 incendiaries. This temporary madness bound to an acute intoxication by alcohol is related to facts that we meet with in cases of chronic alcoholism. However, for from being exclusive to drunkards by profession, it is sometimes seen even according to some authors, as a result of isolated excesses and not habitual (Nauveau dictionnaire de medecine et de chirurge, 1864, v. 1, p.658).
IV
I. In the books of homoeopathic therapeutics, I find recommended by theory, against intoxication by alcohol more than 40 medicines that may be useful, it they are indicated by the totality of psychic and somatic symptoms in the person to be treated. But while waiting to show their differential indications, I am going to indicate the remedies which, according to the clinical indications seem to be the most useful. I cite the medicines according to their order of importance beginning with those which are very often used with success. I describe summarily their differential indications, which my colleague will complete by searching for the best indicated remedy by the totality of symptoms according to the law of Similia Similibus Curantur, in each patient to be treated.
1. Nux vomica-Violent people often contrited, whom cares and chagrins force to become intoxicated and spits often or mild people, good and sensitive, in ordinary condition and who in the state of drunkenness become brutal up to striking, insulting, sometimes weeping. Tendency to jealousy, to envy, to suicide by drowning, by being shot or by dagger before or during drunkenness. Disposition to sadness, to weakness or to a great excitement of genitals during drunkenness. Tendency to become intoxicated by a small quantity of alcoholic drinks. Desire for red wine, white wine, beer, absinth, rum. People addicted to drinking by want of work, neurotic men of women give themselves up to drunkenness before and after pregnancy. Lasciviousness of imagination alone, but nevertheless urgent. Sometimes thieves and artful, tendency to constipation, to vomiting, to regurgitations, to difficult digestion. Chewing tobacco. Gamblers, prodigal for expenditure little by little all this money. Extravagant by ostentation, close-fisted towards his family but generous to strangers; keeping away not from the society but from his family.
2. Lachesis-People of bad character, vulgarly called “difficult to lie with”. Tendency to violent crimes, vindictive wicked, jealous, envious, debauch. Tendency to kill others but not to kill himself except the tendency of being crushed under carriages. Speaking ceaselessly, before and after being intoxicated. Saying and doing during drunkenness what he would not have said or done when he is sober. Likes brandy and absinth. Using tobacco. Sometimes extravagent, sometimes miser, lightheaded, unreflecting mind.
3. Causticum-Teasing, quibbler, babbler, great tendency to become softened up to tears before, during and after intoxication. Very great genital excitement before and after intoxication (characteristic symptom); desire for brandy and rum, indicated in persons who have lost their beloved beings. Adult wanting in reason, like children. Great indifference. Sometimes thieves. Uses tobacco. Cannot bear continence. Young girls who burn with the desire to marry. Very extravagant.
4. Sulphur-Having itch, hemorrhoids. Walking, working, sleeping slowly. Prolonged sleep, which is not reposing. Slow character. Becomes intoxicated under cover. Has not the sense of duty, not the will to do it. Likes wine and beer. Mild before and after intoxication. More intelligent during drunkenness. Saying and doing things during drunkenness, which he would not have said or done before. People who have the tendency to obesity or at least to become corpulent. Light-headed persons. Tendency to become thief and a liar. Envious, somewhat libertine. Sometimes artful and thief. Gambler, sometimes miser, sometimes extravagant for want of economy.
5. Calcarea carbonica-Corpulent, obese people. Have neither the sense of duty or the desire to accomplish it. Is not disposed to give services. Having antipathy against persons without any motive. Tendency to become a thief and a liar. Having done some excessive brain works, which have weakened the intelligence and have made him afraid of becoming mad. Envious, heineous, vindictive. Sometimes gambler. Sometimes miser. Sometimes extravagant for themselves or by ostentation. Without any strength of mind and cannot refuse a glass of wine.
6. Hepar sulphuris-Affectionate persons, always displeased, easily loses self-control and becomes angry up to killing. Inclined to become criminal. For making his brain to work he drinks wine.
7. Arsenicum album-Wicked people, vindictive, inexorable, sometimes jealous, inclined to become criminal. Tendency to suicide by a dagger, by poison or by hanging. People always thirsty and need whatever drinks, even water. Tendency to vomiting and specially diarrhoea. Great tendency to persecute others.
8. Vivus-Always dissatisfied, of everything and of himself. Dental carries. Swelling of gums, salivation, neuralgias, diarrhoea, dysentery, tendency to worms. Great gambler, some time extravagant, sometimes miser. They spend gradually all they have; very difficult character, of weak intelligence. Suffering from diseases palliated rather than cured.
Gallavardin set up a homeopathic Dispensary for the cure of alcoholics, often working in conjunction with priests, and he wrote several books on this subject.
Jean Pierre Gallavardin wrote Psychism and Homeopathy, The Homoeopathic Treatment of Alcoholism, How to Cure Alcoholism the Non-toxic Homoeopathic Way, Repertory of Psychic Medicines with Materia Medica, Plastic Medicine, and articles for The British Journal of Homeopathy, On Phosphoric Paralysis, and he collated the statistics on pneumonia and other cases for the United States Journal of Homeopathy, and he contributed widely to homeopathic publications.