The Columbian fountain., 1846-07-18

and the gait easy, and much will be done
towards keeping The system cool
Il, .APLEAsANr RErREAr.-Persons in the city
who desire to take an occasional respite from
their usual tolls, would find that part of a
day spent at the Spa Spring at Bladensburg
will not only conduce to pleasure, but also to
their health. Try it, -
MEssRs. EDIroRs: In oar last we adduced
number Of specific cases, and gave the testimo-
ny Of number Of the most res spectable physi-
clans, showing the evil effects Of alcoholic Ii
quors upon the human system; and we could
multiply such evidences infinitely, almost,
were II practicable and necessary; but we think
enough has been exhibited in that view TO sa-
,isfy all candid and impartial persons, as we
said in oar last, that ardent spirits are decided
ly injurious as drinks in all and every form,
and in all conditions of the human system
When taken IN health they predispose in lis
work Of destruction, enervating the vital pow
ers, vitiating the Auids. exciting and deranging
the nervous system, and causing general in
sensiblity.
For number Of years after the Temperance
Reformation wss started, the Medical profess
sion thoughtn necessary to prescribe alcohol
in some of its shapes in expehng diseases, and
considered spirits the only proper vehicle in
retaining the properties of various medicinal
substances, and to convey them into the body;
but now most happy change OF view has
been induced, and large number of practition-.
srs all over the world use other medicines in
their preparations and conveyance, and repro
bate the introduction OF alcohol into the sys
tenn as an adjunct in the cure of disease. Dr..
Mussey remarks, in this connexion. ",hat the
tonic barks, and roots, and woods, impau more
or less their medicinal properties 10 distilled
spirits; and thus impaired, these properties are
preserved for a considerable, length of time. or
these preparations, however, il may be obser-
we'd, that the spirit often SO modi6es the i'm
preston made upon the stomach, brain, or
blood vessels, AZ to prevent their being given
doses sufficient for she objects intended. This
is the case in certain forms Of gastric and ntes-
tinal irritation, accompanied with an unnatu-
ralirri,aiion, not only Of the ganglionic nerves.
but Of those belonging 10 the cerebro- spinal
system. He says that cases not unfrequently
occur where the deooc,ion or ,oatery infusion
Of the Peruvian bark u altogether preferable to
the tincture, and perhaps there is never case
in which some preparation Of qumine, as the
sulphaie, for instance. is not decidedly better
for the patient than any alcoholic infusion Of
the bark. The spirituous preparation ofopixm
are in many, if not in all cases, inferior to the
black drop. The stomach has been known, in
. state Of great irritability after excessive vom-
iting, 10 retain the black drop, or one Of the
sails Of morphia. when the tinc,ure Of opium
was perseverngly rejected. The medicinal
qualities of',he tonic and narcotic vegetables
may be preserved without decay in the form
ofthe elegant preparations, which owe sheir
existence 70 che perfection in chemical process
ses invented in our own times; and these pre-
parasions may BE employed without alcohol or
any other admixturs which would serve 10 mo-
dify az impair Aeir Aaecu. A draught OF
slaud liquid, = swesened water, or milk and
water. or cocoa, or the juicy part Of fruits, or
the ten Il some asonasic herb, or the carbonate
Of amnonia, ta&en q temperature suited TO
tho state Of the stomach and Of the circulation,
will accomplish every god purpose Of alcoho-
lie sdmulan,s, and ia most cases with less ex.
posure OF some or the functions TO undue or
dangerous escisation." a se h9H
Ia eorobors,ion Of the foregoing testimony.
she regular practitioner Of the present day hnds
frequent cases. The evil tendency Of alcoho-
lie s,imulanis as prescribed IN The eradication
Of disesse is becoming more and more obvious
ai#