Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1868-12-05
The Liquors OG Gem smerce.

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liquors Practsccd in GIrrre and Rome mcfe
than too ccH,urir, aga. and ,hcn nov. the moi,-
cal faculty. denounced II aud lamcntrJ the di-sca',
of procuring pure and ~h.lcssme <:imrlan- for the
sick. HiP,ocraie. called aiientisa TO the 'rack. u
the A;henian winters fur centuries before the
Christian era. GAlcn. somewhat; later. stcrnly
hused the vine merchants oi Rome for :ampsring
With the juice ofthe grape. There we're no distilled
liquors in those DAYS. and MANY 81 the subtle r"i
a, present used By the liquor mixers ~ere un-
known but considering their kno~icdee and OPP
porfunities, the ahuiera;srs Of the ' classic s:rs
showed considerable sdrotne,s in their ncfaricas
calling. Lad, Inns. gypsum, aud SEA water were
ru, into ne~ wine by the Roman dealers. and il
boc,. and left 10 cool in metal vessels by of inn
proving its taste and giving it transparency. To
ihi, d., some 81 the Mediterranean Wines are sub
ieetrd 90 similar process. All the wines Of Europe
are more or less adulteratc before they leave hrs
hands, and as TO the stuff commonly rc;slcd in this
country under the name Of rort, Sherry Madeira.
ETC.. sloe- juice dccoction, Of logwood. powder Of
eathcchen, ALUM pl,star Of paris. lead ,harvc
bonat. Of sada, oil Of almonds, cider and bad rum,
NAV be mentioned as among their pleasant inSrcdi-
cnts.
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that the adulcrators ofthis generation particularly
excel. The tricks Of Greek aud Roman winners
were mere child's play to theirs Stryehnnc, sui
phurc acid Of lead. alao opiatcs, and vari-
city Of pungcnt alkalies, among the delicacics
that enter into tho composition Of ordinary "bar-
room liquors" and some Of them consists almost
wholly cf pcrnicious chemicals with small admir-
turc Of unrcctiicd spirits. No wonder, under such
circumstances, that tavern brandy, rum, gin, and
whiskcy carry madness and death in their train No
wonder, also, that physicians hare lost confidence 10
the Hqors Of rom'mrrce, and are afraid to use them.
Stimulants, however, are rs necessary in medical
practice rs fcbbrifugcs catha.tics, an0dyncs,
or alternatives, or any other of the recognized spe-
| cited Diseases The great question is, can pure
stmulant be had? We say it can. We rs crt the
HosTETTER's STOMACH BlTTEns, the alchoc lasis
of which is the essence Of sound Monongahcla Rye,
is as pure a stmulant as it is possible for human
skill to manufacture. 1t is however, something
more and better than this, to wit: a ] tlicious
mcdicatcd stimuant in which the qualif. ing ingrc-
dents the finest stomachic apcrent, alternative
and anti-bilious herbs, roots, and gums. These
vegetables constituents modify and control the Ct
feet of the spirituous, elements, and render the
Btters the safest, mildcst and most effective invig-
GRANT at present in use. 1t may be remarked, per.
haps, that this is easy thing to say-but how is
it to be proved. To this have only to reply that
corroborativc testimony from high scientific sour
ccs, and from citizens Of good standing in every pro-
fcssion and calling, extending period Of more
than twenty five years, is at the service OF whom it
may concern. Volumes Of this testimony have been
published and there remains at least an equal
amount rs yet imprinted. For the mclan, holy con.
sequences which cnsuc from the sale Of unwhOlsomc
compounds bearing the name Of the various spurious
liquors, the powers that be in some degree res.
ponsblc. Deriving, rs It does, large revenue from
the importation and manufacture Of alcoholic bcvcr.
ages, it is manifcstly the dny Of the General Gov.
eminent to protect the people as far rs possible
gast the introduction Of roIsoNs into their daily
drink. Still more imperative is the obligation to
shield the sick from the peril Of being killed or in
jurcd by perniciOus cxcitants, administered as MED.
| IcINEs Inspection and taxation ought in this
matter to go hand in hand and in all cases Of ad.
teraton, the adutcratcd articles in stead of being
! axcd, should he DESTROYED. Every tincturc and
extract containing, or purpoting to contain alco.
hol, should be examined BY competent scientific
men, and not permitted to 90 into the market until
| its purity has been authortativcly certified. The
sanitary interests Of the community should be para.
mount to the financial interests Of the Government
| the public health being Of indefinitely more i'm
portnnce than the public revenue. Dut no such
protective supervision Is exercised, either by the
central power at Washington or by the State Gov.
crnmcnts. The Internal Revenue Assessors md
Collectors simply demand their tax, knowing MOTH
ing Ofthc wholcsoncncss 0fthc article upon which it
is levied; the CustOmhOusc Collectors insist on pay
mcnt Of the duties required by law on imported liq
| uors, but how much or how little foreign poison
| there may be in each cask punchcon, it is not
their business to ascertain. Congress to have
entirely overlooked its function ofpublic protection
In lcgislating the liquor question State Lcgisla
lures have been equally rcmiss. Many Of them
have tried prohibition and failed No one Of them,
so far we arc aware, has endcavorcd to mitigate
the evils ofwhich they have all complained by in.
shutting rigid system Of inspection. We should
be glad to sec such system adopted as an expert
ment. 1t would at least prevent unprincpled deal.
ers from paniing of upon the working classes, to
an unlimited extent, the frey fluids which fill our
jails. poor.houscs. hospitals, unatic asyums, and
innumerable graves with miserable victims. Were
such regulation In force, NC should have NO need
to explain the nature and value OF our PREPARATION
through the public press. The report ofthc inspect
ing ofcei would he our sufficient vouchcr-a strong.
or advertisement than any We could frame. The
sum and substance Of the whole matter II, the
standard liquors Of commerce, pure and unde6lcd,
arc not procurable in this country, and We very
much doubt II they be obtained in the ordinary
course Of trade, on the other side Of the Atlantic
Even IL they could. they are not proper for invads
Unmixcd alcohol Is not medicine. The spirituous
principle. however purc must be toned and modified
and its exciting power subdncd BY skillful mcdica.
tion before it is fit to be exhibited as preventative
n remedy or a restorative. This has been effected
in Hostettcr's Ditters. The preparation Is per-
feet, safe. and ccacious tonic, Alternative correc-
tive. and nnti-blious medicine. Nothing more, and
nothing less.
MOSTTETER + SMITH.