Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-07-25

T,HE LIQUORS or COMMERCE
POISONOUS srIMuLANrs IN THE SICK noov
The vile art Of adulseratius alcohol, so,,a.
was prscticcd In Greece and Rome moro Gina
two centuries ago, and then. as now, no rrsi.
cal Faculty denounced il. and lamer cd the DIE
eeulty Of procurirg pure and whole some .,imu.
lants for the sick.
Hippccrates called attention 10 TIE tricks Of
the Athcnian winners four centuries before the
Christian era. Galsn, somewhat later. sscrnly
rebnked the wine 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 pciscns At present used BY liquor
mixers were unknown. but considering their
knowledge and opportunities the adaltera,ors Of
the ''elsssie aees' showed considerable adorit
ness in their nsfarious calling Lead, lime. ryp.
sum. and sea-water were put into new vine By
the Romsn dealers. and il was boiled and lief, 10
cool In metal vessels BY way Of Improving it,
taste and giving Il Transparency. To this day
some Of the Mediterranean wines ere subjected to
= similar process. All the vines Of Europe are
more or less adulterased before they leave ''hrst.
hands," and asto the stvir commonly retailcd in
this country under the names Of FORE. sherry,
Madeira. Ac., &c, sloe. juice. decoct,ou Of log.
wood, powder OF catchcn. alum, plaster OF paris.
lead, lithorgc. carbonate Of soda, oil OF almonds
cider aud bad rum, may DO mentioned ~ among
their pleasants Ingredients.
But IL Is in the concoetion Of "spirtuous
liquors" that the adulterators Of this generation
particular. excel The tricks Of the Greek and
10 an vintncrs we're mere child's play 10 theirs
Stry chime. suphuric acid. sugar Of lead, jslap.
opiates. and variety Of pungen. alkalies are
amo ng the del,cacisa that enter into the conpo-
s.tion Of ordinary "bar;room liquors, :" and some
of them consist almost wholly Of peraicious
chemicals witty small simixture Of unrcc,iaed
spirit. No wonder, under such circumstances.
that tavern brandy, rum gin and whisky, carry
eeath and madness in their train. No wonder.
ALSO that pAysiciaas hare iost eonsd.nce in n.
liquors Of commerce ani are AFRAID 10 use them.
Btimulants, however. are ~ necessary in med.
ical practice febrifuges, or catanrtic. or anc.
pynes. or Alternatives, or any other Of the ,ecog
nized specifics for disease. Tho great question
is. can pure stimulant DO aads We say IL can
We ASSERT that Hosrrrvas's SsoxAcm Brrrss-.
the alcoholic basis Of which IL the Essence Of
sound Monongshell Rye. Is az pure a aimuiaat
as IL Is possibte fol. Assnan sAiu TO manufacture
II is, however, something more and better than
this, to wit, a Judiciously medicated s,imulant,
in which the qualifying ingt edients are the finest
stomachic, aperient, alternative. and an,i-biiious
herbs. roots and gums These vegetable con
stituents modify aud control the effect of the
spirituous elements. and render tho Filters The
safest, mildest and most effective invigornnt NJ
present in7use.
II may be remarked. perhaps, that this is nm
easy thing 80 say-but how ~ IT to be proveds
To this We have only to reply that corrobcrative
testimony from high scientific sources, and from
citizens OF good standing in every profession
and calling, extending over a period OF more than
twenty live years. is At te service of whom IL
may concern. Volumes Of this Testimony have
been published. and there remains ut least an
equal amount yet imprinted.
For the melancholy consequences which ensus
from the sale Of UNIV holesome compounds bear
ing the names Of the various spirituous liquors.
the powers that be are in scme degree RESPONSE
BILE. Deriving as II does, large revenue from
the Importation and manufacture Of alcoholic
beverages, il 10 manitestiy the duty of the Gen
ersl Government 10 protect the people as far
possible against the introduction OF poisons into
their daily drink. Still more imperative In the
obligation to shield the sek from the peril Of DO
ing killed injured by pernicious excitants. ad-
minisiercd ~ medicines. Inspection srd tara
ton ought, in this matter, go hand in hand, and
in all cases OF aduterstion, the aduicrated arti-
Gle instead Of being taxed should be destroyed.
Every tincture and extract containing. or pnrpor
ting 10 contain alcohol, should be examined by
scientific men. and not permitted to 20
into the market until its purity has been srthor-
itatively certified. The sanitary tnteress of the
community should be paramount to the financial
interests Of the Governmental the public health
being Of infinitely more importance than the
public revenue. Bot no such pro,vc,ive super
vision is exercised either by the central power
st W ashington or by the State Governmcnts.--
Tbs Internal Revenue assessors, and collectors
simply demand their tar, knowing nothing about
the whocsomeness or unwhol csomeness OF the
article upon which i il levied the Custom
House Collectors insist on payment Of the duties
required BY law on inpcated liquors. but how
much or how little foreign poison there may he
In each cssk or puncheon it is not their business
TO ascertain. Congress seems to have entirely
overlooked its function Of paolic protection in
legislating on the liquor question. State Legis-
latures have been equally remiss Many Of them
have tried prohibition, ana failed No one OF
them, 20 far ~ We are swnre, has endeavored to
mitigate che evils Of which they have ali com
planned BY institutng rigid svstem Of inspection
We should Be glad TO see such . system
adopted ~ an experiment. II would at least
prevent u,psincipled dealers from palming OF.
upon the working classes. TO an unlimi ed ex-
tent, the nery fluids which Ill our jails, poor
houses. hospitals, lunatic asyiums. and innumsr-
able graves. with miserable victims.
Were such regulation in force W should
have no need TO explain the nature and value Of
our preparation through the public pvees. The
report Of the inspecting officers would bs our
sufficient vouchers stronger advertisement
thaa any ~ could frame. Gladly would ~
Welcome the official agents Of the Government--
State ~ Federsl-so our factory, and challenge
their closest scrutiny, their sharpest tests. An
L. cF r.. ia ;ud; "A