Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-07-11
rus Liouons o. coxns,cr

TVS Liouoas o. COMMERCE..
POISONOUS srfxuLAxrs m rux .,cr ,or,.
The vile - = adslssrsaias alcoholic ,,.,,..
wss prse0eed 10 Greece sad Rome NOR, ,h.,
t~oessturics ego. and then. - now. the M.a,.
cal Faculty denounced II. ssa lamen,ed the dir.
dsai'y Of procuring pure and whcls.sm. ssimu.
lanss for the sick.
h'ppccrates called attention to the tricks Of
sne Armenian winners four centuries before the
christian era Gslea, somewhs, later, ssernly
rebuksd the wine merchants Of Rome "a, tam.
per'ng With the juice Of the grape. There w.s
no distilled liqsers in shos. days, and many Il
the subtle poiscns at present used BY lioucr
mixers were unknown, but considering their
knowledge and opportunities the saul,e,a.crs 40
the ''classic aass' showed considerable .Arow
ssss IN sAsss asfssioss calling. Lead. lime syp.
ssm. and sea-waser we're put into new win. bv
Ne Roman dealers. end Il ives boiled and lief, 10
sssl Il .stal vessels By way Of improving ito
taste and giving IL transparsssy. To this day
sons Of the Msditsrsasan wsaes srs Subjected TO
. similas process. All the vines o. Esrcpe are
moro - lsss sdutsrsted before they leave ''arss.
Assds." end asss the sss6 commonly sstailed In
tAis seastsy under the names Of Port, sherry,
Msderis. Ac.. &C.. sloe, juice. decoet,on Of log.
wood. powder Of caseheu. alum. plaster OF paris.
Iced, lithssgs, casbonass Of soda, oil Of almonds
cider and bed rem, may be mentioned - among
their plsssaats ingredients
But 10 10 the concocsicn Of "spirituous
hquoss" that the adutsrascss Of this generation
part,cularl excel The tricks Of the Greek and
70 nan viatners we're mere child'a play 70 theirs
strychnnc. salphusic acid. sugar Of lead, jaisp.
opiates. and . variety Of pungens slkslies are
among the dci,cacies that enter into the eompc-
stion Of ordinary ''bar;room liquors" and some
Of them consist almost wholly Of peraicious
chemicals witty small aimixturs Of unsectiasd
spirit No wonder, under sach eircutmstanccs,
that tavern brandy, rum gin and whisky, carry
eeath and madness ia tAeis train. No wonder.
also. ,h.. paysiosaas Ast. ,sss ess6dsmss IL "a.
liquors Of commerce and are strssd y va them.
etimulsnts. however. are - necessary In med.
ical practice a Gebsifagss. OF csaastcs, or ano.
dynes, or alternatives. or any other Of the secog
uired specifics for disssse. The great question
il. can pure stimulant b. .sds Wssay IL can
We assert that Hosssssss's SsosAcs f,rrsss,
The alcoholis beais Of which v the sIssace Of
sousd Aonoasshsii Aye. 10 - psvs sssmsisaf
a. II y PossiSIs fov Asssse sAtu 10 msasfsetsss.
Il 10. however. something more and better than
this. 10 vii, . JuAieiously mediested stimulsns.
In which the qualifying nsr sdisnts are the finest
stomaehis. aperiest. slseraAive. and anti-tilious
herbs. roots and gums. These vegetable con
stituests modify aud control the effect Of the
spirituous elements. end render the Hitters the
present in7usc.
II may be remarked. perhaps, that this 10 an
easy thing 70 ssy-bu. how - Il TO BE- proved'
To this We have only to'repiy that corrobcrssivs
testimony from high scientific ssxsces. ssd from
citizens Of good standipg In every profession
aad calling. extending ovev period Of more than
twenty five years. 10 1t the service Of whom u
may concern. Volumes Of this testimony have
been psblished. snd there RENAME At least IN
equal amount - yet usprintsd.
ror the melancholy consequences which ensuc
from tho sale cf unwholesome compounds bear
ing the names Of the various spir'tucus liquors.
the powers that be are In some degree reaponsi-
BILE. Deriving Is il does, large rsvenue from
the importation and msnufacture Of alcoholic
beverages, il 10 maniiestiy the duty Of the 0en-
ersl Government 70 protect The people o. fer -
possible against the introduction Of poisons into
their daily dirk. STILL more imperative 10 the
obligs.ion 70 shield The sisk from the peril Of BE-
ing killed Or Injured BY perseious eHcitsats,s d-
ninisersd ~ msdicises Inspseties srd tsss-
tioa osghs. IN this matter. 20 hand In hand. and
in I'll cases Of adulteratisn, the sdulterated arti
ole ,ostesd Of being taxed shoald BE- destroyed.
Every tisctuse and extract containisg. or puspos-
ting 10 contain alcohol. should 10 sxaminsd BY
competent scientific men, and not permitted 70 20
into the maskst until iss purity hes been suthor.
itaaively certi6ed. The sasitasy Interests Of the
esnmunity should b. paramount TO the financial
Interests Of the Government public heath
being Of infinitely more importance than the
public revenue. But 10 such productive super
vision IL exercised either By the csatssi power
ct " eshisgtos or by the 1tses 0ovsfnments.-
The latsrnal Revenue assessors, and collectors
simply demand their tss, ksswinG nothing about
the Wholesensnsss OF unwAelssonensss Of the
article upoa which u II levied the Custom
nouse Collsssors insist 90 payment Of the duties
required By law on impcssed liquors. but how
much or how little foreign poison there may b.
in each cask Or puncheon IL IL mot their business
70 ascertain. Congress seems to have entirely
overlooked its function Of pnolic protection In
k1egislsting on the liquor question. etate Legts-
latures have bsen equally rem,ss. Many Of them
have tried prohibition, and failed No one Of
them, 90 far ~ W ure aware. he's endcavored to
| mitigate the evils Of which they have oil CON-
planned By isssitutng rigid svstem sfinspecticn
We should be glsd 10 zee such . system
adoptea - % experiment. II would At least
prevent u1psincipIed dealers froo painiag "a.
upon the working eIassss, 70 - ssli0i'sd 81.
test. the 1ssy 6nids which ~ sss jails. poer.
Assses. hsspitals. iunatis ssyisns. end innsmsr.
able graves. With miserable yisti0s.
Wsss sseh . regulates 10 force ~ sAssld
have - sssd y sxplain ~ nstufs 90 valst u
ous pssparsaisa th;sssA ths psbiis pssse. Ths
report Of the inspsceisg olDssss would b. esg
sslseisas vsUsAss-e agssgss a1versissnset
Than ssy " could ifsns. 0is1ly wesid y
vslesns ~ o1slal aesnss = ~ 0svssa0sut-
Oaa1s - rsdssalese ear isssssy. end eAellsags
their eisssse sssutisy. tAsis sAsrpsst tssta A.
6spsseisa lev ~ ~ hia1 indicated wosld, u
esmpsSsssly sAnlais1sssl, - oss d ths Uest
useful epeee0Guoo SvoS ploeo1 On or e1G1DAo