The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-09

eighty.nine dollars and forytwo cents exclusive OF
the cost for alcohol
In 1867 there was purchased Of
Whisky 967 gallons, at q cost S26I5IS
Wine, 0ib gallons, at cost of.......,.... 2oI550
Porter, lO6 prres 1892 gallons nc cost OF 'l2z2VO
s64ii.Os
Making a total OF six thousand four hundred and
eleven dollars ana eight cents exclusive OF the cost
Of alcohol which always goes into the drug account.
In the Pennsylvania Hospital Report for the year
ending 4th mo-, 2Oth, 1861 find the whole amount
for medicines was S2004'I1 which doubtless Includes
alcohol and chemicals, while the .
Wine cost. Sdtf@
spirits lE4i w
Porter and mineral water. 1860
s2424.91
Making two thousand four hundred and twenty-four
dollars and ninetyone cents for stimuiants alone,
exclusive Of the alcohol, which would swell the
amount greatly and reduce the drug bill In pro-
In the report OF the State Lunatlc Hospital for
1885, fnd:-
Winc 35% gallons, cost sl24'75
Pure old rye whisky, cost ..........,....... l2oOO
Porter, 80 dozen 11os bottles, cost........ l54S9
slOI6I
Altogether four hundred and four dollars and
siXty-four cents, while drugs, chemicals, and medi-
cnes cost only two hundred and thrty-four dollars
Ana this is the report nDSdr of the
control of one OF the most humane and enlightened
physicians of the State, one, too, who almost en-
tirey repudiates the necessity OF smulant, except
in single form Of insanity. In all Pennsylvania, If
we could have the reports from every almshouse,
jail insane asylum, and hospital we would read the
same story, that brandy, whisky, wine, and porter
were among the leading medicines and cost more
than all other remedies together. We know of but
one slnge almshouse in which not one drop is used.
or It, we shall speak hereafter, and shall ask you to
take note of it.
The of alcoholic liquors by physicians seems to
be founded on the popular doctrine and belief that
they noursh the body by supplying plastic material or
heat MATERIAL else indirectly support the system by
hence this Class Of REMEDIES is spoken of as sup,
porers OF vital heat, food for the nerves. generators
OF force, etc. The mind is filled with u vague idea
that strength and increased health are the results of
their use by persons in health thus wardng of dis
ease; and that in the Sick in whom, they say, the
vital force is always depressed, they aid in sustain
ing ii. This is popular doctrine, and were il not
that it has led to fatal results, it would be amusing
to witness the satisfied air OF those who so tri-
umphantly prate about giving brandy and whisky as
rood for the nerves. to build up the system to pre-
vent metamorphosis etc We utterly fenudiate mia
doctrine We deny that alcohol increases vital force
is food for the nerves. or is Indispensable in sickness
or in health.
DR.. T. Kennard, of St Louis in an article in the
Med5cdl Archirea on alcohol says:-'Whatever may
be the exact nature of the deeterous agent in al
cohol acting upon the human organism, we know
that II affects different individuals In very different
degrees, b1f arrays by 06rdngjIg tho neFrqUs SYSte
Some persons are injured by it III even the smallest
quantity, some are rapidly poisoned by its abuse,
while Others are very slow to experience its
baneful effects. II creeps upon them slowly and
unconscousy, and its temporary soothing and cx-
harating effects delude its victims with the belief
that it is the deficiency and not the excess of amount
taken, which gives rise to all the miserable symp-
toms of chronic alcoholism" Professor n. s. Davis
who has with much propTety been called the Father
the Effects of Alcohol" writes :'Tt is probable
that very large majority of the people, even at the
with moderation, as tonic, nourishng, warming and
fe-sustaning, the conservators or strength in
manhood and the milk of age These popular
notions are strengthened on the one hand by
the Hfect eXhilarating effects of alcohol on the
nervous system, and on the other by certain theo-
reical dOgmaS promulgated by Liebig, Johnston,
Hammond, and others, who have boldly proclaimed
alcohol to be respiratory or accessory food. This
class of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES simply point to the
fact that alcohol in its chemical relations belongs to
the class of hydrocarbons: and that those substances
"bustlon, by uniting with oxygen; and they
gtraJI,tu,ov 49,, ~ to the conclusion that when
taken ntQ the system, they actpnny en!er ln'o IKE
combination with oxygen, and thus Become respira-
tory food And yet search in all their writings,
in vain, for the first item of proof that
their mere theoretical deductions are correct. A
from this school Of writers makes alcohol not
respiratory but accessory 1000, ii nallng seen
others, that the presence of alcohol in the system
lessened the atomic changes and SccretiOns in such
a way as to diminish the sum total of eliminations
in given time, it was at once assumed that the
dminuton Of atomic changes in the tissues OF the
body equivalent to Just so much nutrition or adj
dltion Of new matter through digestion or assmila
ton hence the alcohol was declared to be accessory
or indirect food o fallacy which Will be exposed
fairly the theoretical doctrines of this class OF
men, because their names are continually quoted as
authority throughout all departments OF our ntera-
ture. Let us now see how their theoretical assump-
tions and popular notions are sustained by a wide
range of experiments and carefully observed facts.
''First. Numerous chemical analyses OF the blood
and different tissues, made by different experiment
eTs show that, when alcoholic drinks are TAKEN the
alcohol enters the blood and permeates with it every
part OF the body This position is acknowledged TO
be correct by all classes of observers.
'SeCoud. An equally reliable series OF experiments
have shown that alcohol undergoes no chemical
change in the SYSTEM but is eliminated through the
eXcretory organs, more especially the lungs and
Kidneys within few hours after being taken. This
position, though long disputed, fully established
by the results of the well-devised and carefully exc
Cuted experiments OF Laemand Perrin, and Duroy.
"Third. While in the blood and circulating in the
system the alcohol dminishes the sensbility of the
other an9sthetcs, and also retards the active
changes in all the tissues; and consequently
diminishes the sum total OF eliminatiOns or
eXcretiOns in given period of time. The
numerous and patient experimental Investigations
of PrOut, Sandras, and Bouchardat, Boxer, Ham
mOnd, and Others have removed all doubts III regard
TO the truth OF this proposition.
'FOuTth BY diminishing the atomic changes In the
tissues of the body and the senslbity or the nervous
SYSTEM the alcohol by It's presence also dlminshes
the temperature the strength, and the power Of en-
durance. That its presence in the system reduces
the temperature was first fully established by the
results Of series OF experiments performed Dy my
self in 1850, some of which repeated IN 1861 These
experiments consisted in testing the actual tenn
perature Of the body every half hour with
decatply graduated thermometer, for three
hours after u moderate drink OF alCO-
hollc liquor. The tests were applied TO both wine
and whisky, These results are confirmed by the
observations OF Magnus and others in Europe. That
the preseuCe of alCOhol directly dlminishes the
strength and power OF endurance is proved, not only
10y the foregoing scientific investigation, but also BY
large number OF carefully observed Facts in rCla-
tiOn 10 the results OF labor in civil ana military lle
aud by the statistics OF sickness ana morality"
the authority of great names, among whom may be
| found DIR. benjamin Rush, Dr. Frank II. Hamilton,
! and others as cminent 10 prove the truth of his
position. In conclusion he says:-'It were easy to
iii volume with facts ana statistics showing that