The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-02-13
HosTETTER's BITTERs.
[From the Charleston Courier, Aug. 20, 1871
THE LIQUORS OF COMMERCE.
Poisonous StimulantS in the Sick Room.

THE VILE ART OF ADULTERATING
alcoholic liquids was practcod In Grceee aud Rome
moro than two centuries ago, and then, as now
the Medical Faculty denounced II, and lamented
tho difficulty Of procuring pure and wholesome
stimulants for the sick.
HiPPoCRArEs called attention TO tho tricks of
the Athenian winners four centuries before the
Christian Era GALES, somewhat later, stornly
rebukod tho vino merchants of Rome for tamper-
ing with the juice of the grape. There was no
distilled liquors In those days, and many Of the
subtle poisons at present used by liquor mixers
were unknown, but considering their knowledge
and opportunities, tho adulterers Of tho "elassio
ages" showed considerable adroitness In their ne
farious calling. Lead. lime, gypsum, and sea
water were put into wine by tho Roman deal
ers, and Il was boiled and left to cool In metal
vessels. by way of improving It's taste aud giving
II transparency. To this day some of the Medit.
eranean wines are subjected to similar process
All the wines of Europe more or less adultera-
to before they leave FIRST hands," and TO the
stdn commonly retailed in this country under the
names of Port, Sherry, Madeira, dc, de-, aloe
Juice, decoetion Of logWood powder Of cGteehu,
alum. plaster of paris lead, litharge, carbonate Of
soda. oil Of almonds. cider, aud bad run. may bo
mentioned as among their pleasant ingredients.
But IL ia the concoction Of "spFituous liquors"
that the adulterators Of this generation particu-
larry excel. The tricks of the Greek aud Roman
vintners wers.mero ohild's play to theirs. strych-
nine sulphuric acid, sugar of lead, jAap, opates.
aud variety Of pungent alkaiies are among the
deleacies that enter into the composition Of ord-
nary "bar room liquors." aud some Of them consist
almost wholly OF pernicious chemicals with a
small admixturc Of unrec,ihed spirits. No won-
der, under such circumStances that tavern brandy
ruin, gin and whisky. carry death and madness
in their train. No wonder. also, that pAysieians
hare losf confidence IA hs liquors Of commerce. and
are AFRAID TO ,sse them.
r stimulants, however, arc as necessary In medi-
cal practice febrifnges. or eatharties. ano.
dynes alternatives. any other Of the reeognir-
|, ed specifics for disease. The great question Is.
can a pure sfimaiaHt Be Aadf We say IL can. We
assert thatHosTETTER's STOMACH DITTEks
the alcoholic basis Of which is tho essence Of
SQUAD MonongAhela Rye, fs pure a stiplHlaHi
as IL is possible for AHmaa skH 70 manufacture i.
is. hOWeVer, something aud better than this.
wit, judieiousy medicated stmulant, in which
the qualifying ingredients the finest ssomaehio.
aperent. Alternative. and bilious herbs roots.
and gums. These vegetable commitments modify
and control the effect Of the sIirituous elements
and render the Bi,,srs the Eafess. niidsst and
NEST effective inTigorsnAa; present in use.
For the melancholy Consequences which snsus
from the sale Of unwholesoms compounds bearing
the Of the various spirisuous liquors, the
powers that bO are in soms degree Fesponsibis.-
Deriving. ne II does, large revenue from the i'm
poTtaiion and manufacture Of alcoholic beverages.
it is manifsstiy the desy Of the General Govern
mesa to protect the people far possible against
The introduction Of Poi'oas into their daily drink.
still more Imperative Is the obligation 70 shield
the sick from the peril Of being killed or injured
By pernicoas exeisAnts, Admi isteTsd as SsdieHes.
Inspection and taxation ought. in this matter. 10
go hand in hadh. aud in all OF adultera,on.
the adulterstsd article Instead Of being taxed
should be dssfyoyed. Every tiEeture and extraei
containing, or pnrportiug 10 contain alcohol.
; should be examined by competsn' scientific men.
and not permitted To 60 into the market until Iis
purity has been aatboTitalively certified. The
sanitary interests Of The community should be
paramount the financial interests OF the Govern
msns-the public health being Of infinitely more
Importance than the public revenue But no sueh
protective supervision Is exercised either by the
central power At Washington or by the Stats gov.
eFnmenis. The Internal Revenue nssessors and
collectors simply demand their Ia <, knowing moth
D log about the whoIrsOmeueka or unWholesameness
Of the article upon which il is levied the Custom
Ilouse Collectors insist payment Of the duties
required by Law on imported liquors. but how much
how little foreign poison there may be ia each
cask punehkon il is not their business TO ascer
tain. Congress seems 10 have entirely overlooked
It's function Of public protection in legislating on
the liquor question State Legislatures have been
equally remiss. Many Of Them have tried proh:bi'
ton and failed. No one Of them, so far as VIC are
. aware, has endeavorcd 10 mitigate the evils o
, which they have all complained. by iLstltutlng Z
rigid system Of inspection.
oI We should be glad To zee such n system adopted
: as an experiment. II would a. least prevent un
principIed dealers from palmiug OF upon the work
ing classes, TO unlimited ext;Dt, the fiery audi
which GIL our iails poOGhOuses hospitals, lunati'
: asylums, and innumerable graves with miserable
: , victims.
l. Were such regulation in force we should hav,
= = no need to explain the nature and value Of Gu
= preparation through the public press. The repor
- Of the inspecting officers would be our suticien
:, voucher stronger advertisement than anv VI
= could frame. Gladly would we welcome the ofica
D. our factory, and challenge their closest scrutiny
their shaTpeet tests. An inspection law Of tn
= kind indicated would, II competently administered
be one Of the most useful enGctments ever place
: ON our statute books. 1t would be conseryatiy
- alike Of health and morals.
~ When the British Government literally tondere
- opium to the Chinese at the point of the bayone
:, ):ompeling that unfortunate nation to make il
" election between hopeless and a demoralizin
and deadly poison, the United States cried shame
We denounced the conduct of Great Britain, q
unchristian and inhuman. So 1t was but is bu
. Government guiltess If il permits the people owe
whom it should exercise paternal jurisdiction I
be ooisoned in the darkf The deadly propertie
iOf opium are knotOn. 1t cannot be taken unwi
Fftngy, under the supposition that IL is somethin
ielse. Its taste and smell betray ii, and all VIII
buy it understand precisely what they purchase
/ but this is not the case with aduterated liquors
The taste, the color, the aroma Of undeteriorate
brandy, gin, rum or whisky is often so cloFel
simulated by the expert liquor mixer, that eve
connOisseurs are deceived, to say nothing of th
Ignorant and inexperienced. Nothing short
scientific analysis can establish the difference b
tween the genuine and the bogus article, and th
knowledge Of this fact embodeps the mixers
food the markets with their atrocious compound
The sum aud substance of thes.whole matter
that the standard liquors of commerce, pure an
undefled are not procurable in this country, an
We very much doubt if they oan be obtained,
the ordinary course OF trade, on the other side
the Atlantic. Even if they could, they are NJ
proper for invalids. UnniIed alcohol is Adot
medicine. The spirituous principal, however pur
must be toned and modified and its exciting poV
er subdued by skillful medication before it is fit
Nbe exhibited preventive, a remedy, Tor q r
storative. This has been effected in H0STE.
TER'S BITTERS. The preparation Is perfeC
ly safe and effcacous tonic, Alternative, correctiv
H. ttAw4 1sAf~ IL