Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 7.djvu/503

Rh The poison primarily affects the cerebral lobes, and the other parts of cerebro-spinal system are consecutively involved, till in the state of dead-drunkenness the only parts not invaded by a benumbing paralysis are those automatic centres in the medulla oblongata, which regulate and main tain the circulation and respiration. But even these centres are not unaffected ; the paralysis of these as of the other sections of the cerebro-spinal system varies in its incomplete ness, and at times becomes complete, the coma of drunken ness terminating in death. More usually the intoxicant is gradually eliminated, and the individual restored to consciousness, a consciousness disturbed by the secondary results of the agent he has abused, and which vary with the nature of that agent. Whether, however, directly or indirectly, through the nervous system the stomach suffers in every case ; thus nutrition is interfered with by the defective ingestion of food, as well as by the mal-assimilation of that which is ingested ; and from this cause, as well as by the peculiar local action of the various poisons, we have the various organic degenerations induced which in most cases shorten the drunkard s days. The primary discomforts of an act of drunkenness are readily removed for the time by a repetition of the cause. Thus what has been an act may readily become a habit, all the more readily that each repetition more and more enfeebles both the will and the judgment, till they become utterly unfit to resist the temptation to indulgence supplied by the knowledge of the temporary relief to suffering which is sure to follow, and in spite of the consciousness that each repetition of the act only forges their chains more tightly. From this condition there is no hope of relief but in enforced abstinence ; any one in this condition must be regarded as temporarily insane, and ought to be placed in an inebriate asylum till he regain sufficient self-control to enable him to overcome his love for drink. The desire for stimulants is one of the strongest instincts of human nature. It cannot be annihilated, but may be regulated by reason, conscience, education, or by law when it encroaches on the rights of others or is injurious to the individual him self. By the Intoxicating Liquors Licensing Act of 1872 any one found drunk on a highway or public place or in a licensed house is liable to a fine of 10s., on a repetition of the offence within twelve months to one of 20s., and on a third offence within twelve months to one of 40s. To be drunk or riotous, or to be drunk while in charge of a horse, a carriage, or a gun is punishable with a fine of 20s. or im prisonment for one month. And by the Police and Improve ment Act of Scotland, 25 and 26 Vict. c. 101, 254, persons found drunk on the streets are subject to a fine of 40s. or 14 days imprisonment, wherever that Act has been adopted. These Acts, properly enforced, ought to restrain the public exhibitions of drunkenness; while for those seasoned casks who ruin their own health and pauperize their families, without perhaps ever appearing in public offensively drunk, the only remedy which appears to promise hope of reform would seem to be the power of temporarily consigning them to an inebriate asylum.  DRUSES, a people of Syria remarkable for the pertinacity and success with which they have defended their independence against the encroachments of Turkish supremacy, and for the profession of a form of religious belief, which, in the words of Dean Milman, is &quot; one of the most extraordinary aberrations which ever extensively affected the mind of man.&quot; The greater body, whom for the sake of convenience we shall distinguish as the Western Druses, occupy the mountainous region of the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ; but there are also extensive settlements in the Hauran or Auranitia ; a considerable colony exists at Safed, in Palestine proper, to the north-west of the Sea of Tiberias ; and it is believed that a number of Crypto-Druses-Druses, however, by religion only, and not by race still maintain themselves in the neighbourhood of Cairo. The Western Druses are found as far north as Beyrout, as far south as Sur or Tyre, and as far east as Damascus ; in the north they are intermingled with Maronites, and in the south with Greeks and Melchites. They form the exclusive population of about 120 towns and villages, and share with the Christians the occupation of nearly 230 more ; their total number, not reckoning women and children, has been calculated at from 60,000 to 65,000 men. The chief town of the district which they occupy, though not their most populous settlement, is Deir-el-Kamar the Convent of the Moon situated about 15 miles south-east of Beyrout, in the district of Manaasif ; it was the seat of the powerful family of the Abu Nekads, and in its vicinity is the palace of Ebteddin, for merly occupied by the emir Beshir Shehaab. Ammatam and Bakhlin in the Lebanon, and Hasbeya and Eosheya in the Anti-Lebanon, rank as sacred cities, and serve as rallying-points in time of war. The Eastern or Hauranitic Druses are less known, and preserve their ancient customs and characteristics perhaps more perfectly than their western brethren. The date at which they first settled in the district is not ascertained ; but for many generations the Hauran has been the chosen refuge of rebels and malcontents from the west, and. has consequently increased its population at the expense of the Lebanon. The same process of emigration is still going on ; and the Turkish Government has to be careful not to press too heavily on the defaulting Druse of the west, lest it needlessly augment the power of the more independent community. The number in the Hauran was stated by Cyril Graham at 7000 men in 1857 ; at present it must be. much nearer 10,000. The principal town is Kunawat, the residence of the most influential of the Ockals. In many respects the Druses are a mysterious people, and, in spite of the great additions made to our knowledge in the present century, many important questions in regard to them still await solution. Of their origin and ethno graphical affinity no absolutely certain information has been obtained. Though they speak Arabic with a correctness that would do credit to the people of Mecca, and their feudal aristocracy refer to their Arab descent with feelings of pride, it is pretty generally agreed that, whatever may be true of certain families, the main body of the people does not belong to the Semitic family. Mr Cyril Graham regards them as of Indo-Teutonic race, and describes them as &quot; fair-haired, of light complexion, strong and well-made, and often as tall as northern Europeans.&quot; Their own tradition vaguely connects them with China, where they firmly believe that to this day there exist numerous adherents of their creed, and whence they expect the ad vent of their promised deliverer. The mere fact that they possess a knowledge of the Celestial Empire in such contrast to the geographical ignorance of the other Syrian races is in itself remarkable enough ; though it would be rash to assert that it is practically significant. According to an opinion mentioned by Sandys, and pretty often to be met with in the older accounts, they derive their name from a count of Dreux, and are mainly the descendants of a band of the crusaders who were left behind, and finally forgot their country and language and creed ; but this story is disproved by the fact that allusion is made to their existence at an earlier date by Benjamin of Tudela. A more modern theory identifies them with one or other of the tribes introduced into Northern Syria by Esarh addon in the If its generally but not universally received derivation from Ismael Darazi be accepted, their present name, which is properly Durus, dates no further back than about the llth century, and throws 