The Drunkard

"The Drunkard" by Guy Thorne is a story set in the early 1900s that examines addiction and its devastating effects on people and communities, mainly through Dr. Morton Sims, a researcher fascinated by the psychology of drunkenness. Opening with a shadowy scene in London, the story finds Dr. Sims considering a murder case related to his studies, soon joined by his sister and Mrs. Daly, who are involved in the temperance movement. Dr. Sims is torn between his professional responsibilities and his conscience when he gets a desperate message about a condemned murderer, Hancock, and prepares for a tense visit, hinting at a grim exploration into guilt, recovery, and the mental struggles behind addiction.