Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-07-09
vTnB Liouons or COMMERCE.

Tns I'0uoss o. oosASscr-
srixuIARrs m rHE SICK ROOM
The vile art Of adulters,ing alcoholic liquids
YES practiced 10 Greece and Rome more than
lwocensnrics ego. and then. - now. the Msdi.
cal Faculty denounced II. and lamented the dit
scuity Of procuring pure and whole some stimu-
lsnts for the sick.
Htppocrates called attention to the tricks Of
The Athcnian winters four centuries before the
Christian era. Gslen. somewhst later, sterniy
rebuksd the vino merchants Of Rome for tam
pering with the juice Of the grape. There was
NO distilled liquors in those days and many Of
the subtle poisous ., prcseu, used By iiauor
nissrs we're unknown. but considering their
knowledge and opportunities the adu,erstor, 81
tho ''clsssic asss' showed considerable saroit-
ness In their nefarioas calling. Lead. lime ryp.
sum. and sea water were pu, into new win. bv
shs Roman dealers. and II was bo,ed and l.f, to
cool 70 metal vessels By way Of improving ma
taste and giving II transparency. To ,hi. dsy
some Of the Mediterranean wines srs subjected TO
similar process. All the vines 81 Europe are
more or less sdulterated before they leave "Srs,.
hands," and as 70 the staff commonly resailed in
this country under the names Of Fort. sherry.
Madeira, Ac.. &C.. aloe juice. decoenon OF log
wood, powder Of ca.chen. alum. plaster of paris.
lead. lithorge. carbonate Of soda, oil Of almonds
cider and bad rum. may be mentioned ~ among
their pleasants ingredients.
But II 10 in the connection Of "spirituous
liquors. that the adulterators OF this generation
part,cularl excel The tricks Of the Greek and
Roman winners we're mere child's play to theirs
salphuric acid. sugar OF lead. jslsp.
opiases. and . variety Of pungsns alkalies are
among the del,csciss that enter into the compc
sition Of ordinary .'bar;room liquors, I" and Some
Of thsm consist almost wholly Of peraicious
shemisals witty small atmixturs Of unrccti6sd
'pirit. No woader. under such eircomatsnees1
hat tavern brandy, rum gin and whisky. carry
psath end madness In their train. No wonder.
also, that pAysisssss ASss iess cce6dsacs ~ hs
liquors Of commerce and aye sfrasd 10 sse them.
0timulsnts. however. ere - necessary In med
zeal practice - febsifsgss, q sasoartics, or ano
dysss. Or alternatives. or any other Of the ,scox
nasd specifics for disssse. The great qusasion
is, can pure stimulant be .ad Wsssy II can
We assert that Aossssssa's HsouAcu Brssss,
Tho alcoholic baais Of which y the essence Of
soasd Monongshsi, Aye. y . psrs ssimsisns
~ u v possible .Jor. As~ss sktu 20 msn.taesue..
II 10. however. something more and better than
this. 10 vii. . Judioiously medicated stimulant.
In Witch the qualifying mgr sdieats the finest
aaomachis. sperient, alternative, and -bilious
herbs. roots and gums. These vegetable con
stitueuts modify aud control the effect OF the
spirituous elements. and render the Biiters the
safest. mdest and most effective invigorant at
present in7usc.
II may be remarked. perhaps, that this 10 an
easy thing TO say-bus how ~ il TO be proveds
To this We have only to'reply that corroborative
testimony from high scientific sources, and from
citizens Of good standing in every profession
and calling. extending over period Of more than
twenty tive years. 10 q the service Of whom il
may concern. Volumes Of this testimony have
been published, end there remains At least nm
equal amount 40 yet imprinted.
For the melancholy consequences which ensuc
from the sale Of unwholcsome compounds bear
ing The names Of the various spirituous liquors.
the powers that be ere in some degree RESPONSE
BILE. Deriving a II does, = large revenue from
the Importation and manafastufc Of alcoholic
beverages. II 10 maniiestly the duty the Gen
ersl Government " protect the people ~ far ~
possible against the introduction Of poisons into
their daily DRINK. Still more imperative IL the
obligation 20 shield the sick from the peril OF be
ing killed or injured BY pernicioas sxcitsnts. ad
ministersd ~ medicines. Inspection ard tsaa-
ton ought. in this mstter, 70 hand in hsnd. and
in oil cases Of adulteration, the sdulterated arti
Gle instesd Of being taasd should bs destroyed.
Every tincsure and extract containing. or purpor-
Ting 10 contain alcohol. should be examined BY
eompssent scientific men. and not permitted 10 70
into the msskst until its purity hes been suthor-
itaAively certified. The sanitary Interests Of the
community should be paramount 70 the financial
interests Of the Government tho public health
being Of infinitely more importance than the
public revenue. But no such productive super
vision 10 exercised either BY the central power
ct Washington or BY the Btste 0overnments.--
The Internal Revenue assessors. and collectors
simply demand their tag, ksowinE nothing about
the wholesomensss or unwholesomeness Of the
article spsa which Il IL levied; the Custom
House Collsssors insist On psymest Of the duties
required BY Law. % inpsated liquors. bat how
nueh or hog Iistis forsisn poison there may b.
In each cask or psncheon IL 10 not their business
" ascsrtsin. Congress seems to have sstirey
svsrlooksd its function II public protection in
lseislstisg on the liquor question. State Legis-
latures have been equally rsm,ss. Many ofthem
have tried psohibitioo, aad failed 10 one Of
them, - lhr - " srs svare, has endeavored to
mitigate The evils Of which they have iii CON-
planned - institutsg rigid svstem Of inspection
We should BE- glad to sss such system
adoptea = ~ expsrinent. II would u leaat
prsvspt uspsissiplsd dealers fsso palnisg "a.
upea The working slsssss. 70 - unlimited -.
tent, The Assy fluids which al oss jsils. poor
houses. hsspitals, issaaie asyluns. and inasmsr
able graves. with oisssabls victims.
Were sseh . regulation In force ~ should
have no seed 70 sxplaia the nature ssd vslus q
eur pssperasisa though the public psess. The
sspsst Of W. inspecting officers vsuld b. oar
su0sases veuehsr-a stronger advertisement
Welcome ~ o0sisl agents d The 0overnmsnt-
essas y rsdssai-se eur fsslosy. and challenge
their clessse scrutiny. their sAsrpest tests. Al
inspesliea lev of IN kisd indicated would,
aar.a~A~~A1v aAmnn>S~ArnA ~ - - ~ Onnat