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The Neal Institute, was founded in 1892, Des Moines, Iowa, and franchised in 63 cities. From the research that I did, the institute was in business, at one address or another, in Portland from 1911-1921. The original address of 68 Deering St, then 147 Pleasant Ave, and finally
166 Pleasant Ave. Nationwide prohibition started in 1920, and had a major impact on businesses such as The Neal Institute, The Keeley Institute and The Gatlin Institute, three of the larger alcohol and drug treatment franchises. By 1922, only two of the Neal Institutes remained open in the country. ~The following article retyped from a newspaper article dated December 30, 1910~
The
Neal Institute, which has gained a marvelous record for curing the drink
habit in three days, and for all time, has established a Portland branch
at 68 Deering street. This
grand work of freeing victims from the bondage of desire, craving and
appetite for drink began in Iowa years ago and the parent institute is in
Des Moines. Now,
this work is National in its scope. Portland
is one of 57 cities and towns where the Neal Institute has taken its field
in the cause of happier homes, normal appetites and steady nerves
regained. Thousands
of American business and professional men rejoice today because of the
opportunity given them to successfully rid themselves of an appetite that
handicapped them and was wrecking their health and happiness. The
Neal Treatment is now being administered in Canada and Australia; hence it
is an international factor in the cause of a happier life for the victims
of the drink habit. Every
Neal Institute in the Country looms like a beacon light of hope to such
victims and those who have loved ones whom they want to save from the
clutches of a consuming appetite for liquor. Some
of these stories from the Neal Institutes are in reality Twentieth Century
versions of Paradise Regained - stories of the reincarnation of joy in
homes from which the shadows of intemperance have been lifted. The
Neal Three-day Drink Habit Cure is entirely different from any other.
It is purely vegetable. The
medicine, which is perfectly harmless, is administered by a regularly
licensed physician and one who has an unusually wide and varied experience
in the treatment of alcoholism. There
are no hypodermic injections used in this treatment.
The medicine is taken internally, during the daytime only. The
Neal Cure has revolutionized old methods of dealing with the drink habit.
A bond and contract is given each patient, guaranteeing a perfect
cure in Three Days, or the return of the full coast of the treatment at
the end of the third day. Confidence
born of overwhelming success in dealing with cases given up as hopelessly
incurable is back of the Neal Cure. The
idea of taking a drinking man - regular of periodical - and within Three
Days ridding him of the desire which has held him in slavery for years
will appeal strongly to those interested in the uplift of humanity and
will bring the sunshine of hope into many a family circle.
So many seemingly hopeless human wrecks have been regenerated -
returned to their families clean, healthy men and women - that from a
purely local Iowa concern the Neal Institute has gained international
prominence and prestige. Portland's
new branch of the Neal Institute affords a pleasant haven - a real harbor
of refuge - for victims of the drink habit who can not afford to spend 28
to 180 (?) days away from their business - the period required by the old
hypodermic injection treatment. Three
days is the limit of the Neal Treatment.
Three Days at the Neal Institute can always be arranged by the
busiest man. On the fourth
day he can return to his duties, and the greatest comment his absence will
create will be one of surprise at the improvement in his looks. The
Neal Cure is thorough in its work of elimination.
It neutralizes and eradicates every trace of alcoholic poison from
the system. The patient,
strengthened and invigorated in both body and mind, with brain clear, eyes
bright, step elastic and feeling fine, can at the end of three days return
to his occupation, a New Man, with no craving or desire for drink. Scientists
have agreed that alcoholism is not a disease, but a poisoning that creates
an appetite for more liquor. The
man who requires just one drink a day to keep from becoming nervous, is
just as much in need of the Neal Treatment as the man who drinks a quart a
day. The man who has to take
a drink before breakfast, two or three after breakfast, and several during
the day to 'steady his nerves', finds that the Neal Cure will give him
steady nerves without drink. The
Neal Treatment supplies the nerve centers with that vital force which
rebuilds the whole nervous system. It
puts the digestive organs into proper shape, purifies the blood and in
three days puts the drinking man in a normally mental and physical
condition. The
comforts of a refined home, the personal services of a regular physician
and the utmost privacy are afforded to all the patients at 68 Deering
street, Portland, Maine. The
Neal Cure can be taken in the privacy of your own home. The treatment, with directions for using, sent to you by
express. The
Boston Neal Institute is located at 304 Newbury street, Boston, Mass.
Telephone Back Bay 3970. Write,
wire or telephone the Neal Institute, 68 Deering street, Portland,
telephone 4216 for further particulars and booklet.
Take any Congress street car from depot in Portland and get off at
Mellen street. I tried to figure out where the name of 'Neal' came from. In my search, I discovered two local prominent names from the 1800's, John Neal and Neal Dow.
Neither of which, however, seem to be directly associated with the Neal Institute. Here's a brief bio on each of these men...
Looks like I went off on a
tangent! Oh well... |
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