Moral And Pathological Effects Of Gambling

Jna latesiti.ngoftliK Royal Acadcmy oi Medicine, M. Gisc read a memoiron the above nielancholy subject. This torrible passion or propensily, Í8iiot so mucli out of tlie bounrlnry of tlic medical philosophur's sitidy. as. at first sight, it may appear. Whatever raises a storm of confliciing pussions in the human inind, must induce a corresponding tumult in the organic itinctions. and ihus lead lo violent disorders, faial diseases. and not seldom to self destruction. - M. G.isc conceivcs tliat the propcnsiiy of gambling Uikes i ts sou rei! in iwo of the most domLn;int passi'ns óf thé liunmn heart - self luco and t {f interest. Henee he aoconriis for the liabits oi gamblingin all itjes and in all nations. savage or civilized. Henee, too, says he, the total inutility of the lecmres of the divine, the exliortations of the philosoplier, and the penal statutes of the leis!aior,in stemming the evil! In depicting t'ie eflTec!s of gaming oa the animal economy, M. Gnsc exhibits the gainester a prey, attemately. to Jelnious joy, despair, and rage.- j It 3 no wonder lliat the tremendous sliocka ' which the brnin and nervous system must receive in these paroxysms, should frequently destroy the intellectu;il facuhies and thus lead, as they actually do, to imbecility, insanity, and even funou3 mania. It is in the appronches to these conditions, that the frequent acts of suicide are coinmitted. The circulatin system ofien suffers in these diraful conflicis of the passions. and aneurisnis and other diseases of the heart, are nol seldom f.raeed to the gambling table. But no parts of the animal economy suíTer more directly and equivocally than the organs of digestión - partly from the tortures of the mind. which destroy appetite and suspend digestión at once - and partly from the stimulating potations which the gamester swallows to support his courage ro