The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-02-27
HOsTETTER's BITTERs.
[From tho Charleston Courier, Aug. 20, 1851
THE LIQUORS OF COMMERCE.
Poisonous StimulantS in the Sick Room,

THE VILE ART OF ADULTERATING
alcoholic liquids praeticed in Greece and Rome
more than two centuries ago, and then, as now'
tho Medical Faculty denounced 1t, and lamontcd
tho difficulty Of procuring pure and wholesome
stimulants for tho sick.
HIPPocRATEs called attention TO the tricks Of
tho Athenian winners four centuries before tho
Christian Era. GALES, somewhat later, sternly
rebuked tho wine merchants Of Rome for tamper-
ing with the juice of tho 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 the "elassic
ages" showed considerable adroitness In their ne
farious calling. Lead. lime, gypsum, and sea-
water were put into new wine by tho Roman deal
ers and il was boiled and left to cool in metal
vessels. by way Of improving It's taste and giving
it transparency. To this day some of the Medit.
oraneau wines are subjected 10 q similar process.
All the wines of Europe arc moro or lcss Gdutcra-
ted before they leave "Grst hands" and as to the
stuff eommony rctailed in this country under the
names of Port, Sherry, Madeira, &C., &C., aloe
juice. decoction of logwood powder of cateehu.
alam plaster Of paris lead, litharge. carbonate Of
soda, oil Of almonds, cider, and bad ram, may be
mentioned as among their pleasant ingredients.
But II Is 10 tho coucoction Of "spiritnous liquors"
that the adultera.ors OF this generation psrtcu-
lary excel. The tricks Of the Greek and Roman
vintncrs wcre::mere child's play to theirs. stryeh
nine sulphuric acid, sugar Of lead, jalap, opiatcs
and variety of puugont alkalies among the
delicaeies that enter into the composition of ordi
nary 'bar room liquors." and some OF them consist
almost wholly Of pernieious chemicals with u
sm all admixturo Of unreeiihed spirits. No won
der, under such circumstances, that tavern brandy.
rum. gin and whisky, carry death and madness
in their train. No wonder. also, that physieians
hare ios confidence ia the liquors Of commerce. and
are afraid TO them.
stimnlants, however, are as necessary in medi-
cal practice as fsbrifuges, or catharties, or
dynes or alternatives, any other Of the reeogniz-
ed specifics for disease. The great question 10,
eaH a pure stiBlnIant be hadf We say II ean We
assert that HOsTETTER's STOMACH DITTERs
the alcoholic basis Of which is the essence Of
sound MoEongahela Rye. ts as pure HimH!ant
az it Is e.sitis for AsHaH skiR to manufacture. Ii
IL. however, something more and better than this.
to-wii, judciousiy msdieaisd stimulan,, in which
the qualifying ingredients the fines, ssomashIe.
aperien, Alternative and uti-billoas herbs, roa,s
and gums. These vegetable constituents modify
and control the effect Of the sFiriiaous elements.
and render tho Btters the safest, mildsst apd
mos, effective inyigorant a. presen. in uss.
For the melancholy consequences which epsus
from tho sale Of unwho!esome compounds bearing
the names Of the various fpiri,upus liquors, the
powers THAI be arc in some degree responslble.-
Deriving as Il does, large FsTeuge from the i'm.
poftation and manufacture Of alcoholic averages
it IS mAuifestly tho dHfy of tho General Govern
10 proieo, the people far possible against
the introduction Of paisoHs into their daily drink
Still more Imperative Is the abiga.ien 70 shield
the sick from the peril Of being killed or injured
by peFuicous cxeitAnts. admit isered as sgsaieHes
Inspection aud taxation ought, IN this matter. "a
20 haad in hand. and in All cases ol adHlteraion
the aduiterated ag,ielc instead Of being taxed
should be dss,rayed Every tiEclaE0 and extract
containing, puFp0rting TO eohta,n alcohol,
should be examined By eompeten; scientific men,
and not permitted 10 go into the market ungll it,
purity has been aathoEitativeIy certified. The
sanitary interests of the community should be
paramount the financial intefcEts OF te Govern.
ment--ihe pEhlic health being Of infinitely more
/ importance than the public revenue. But no such
protective supervision Is exercised either by the
central power At Washington or by the State gov.
Iernmen;s. The Internal Revenue assessors and
collectors simply demand their tax, knowing : moth.
/ ing about the wholesomeness or uuwholesomcness
of the article upon which IL is levied the Custom
House Collectors insist payment Of the dutie,
required by Law on imported liquors. but how much
| or how little foreign poison there may be in each
cask or puneheon IL Is not their business to asccr
tain. Congress seems 70 have entirely overlooked
its function Of public protection In legslating OF
the liquor question. State Legislatures have been
equally remiss. Many Of them have tried prohibi
tOn and failed. No one Of them. 50 far as NC ar,
aware has sndeayorcd 10 mitigate the evils o.
which they have all complained, by iLstituting
| rigid system Of inspection.
| We should be glad TO sso such a system adopted
as an experiment. It would a, least prevent un
principled dealers from palming of upon the work
/ ing classes, 70 an unlimited extent the fiery ludi
which I'll jails poorhouses, hospitals, lunati,
asylums, and innumerable graves With miserabl,
victims
Were such regulation In force VIC should hav,
no need to explain the nature and value Of ou
preparation through the public press. The repor
Of the inspecting officers would be our snficien
youcber-a stronger advertisement than nnY W,
could frame. Gladly would ne welcome the oficia
agents Of the Governmept-StAte or Federal-ts
our factory, and challenge their closest scrutiny
their sharpeEt tests An inspection law of th.
kind indicated would, If fcompeteutly administered
be one Of the most useful enactments ever placoc
/ on our statute books. 1t would be conseryatiy,
alike Of health and morals.
When the British Government literally tendcret
opium 10 the Chinese at the point Of the bayonet
compelling that unfortunate nation to make il
election between hopeless war and demoralizinG
"a he tat lad aha
We denounced the conduct of Great Britain al
unchristian aud inhuman. So 1t was but Is 0u
Government guiltless if 1t permits the people ove
whom it should exercise paternal Jurisdiction t,
be poisoned in the dark The deadly properties
of opium are knalcn. Ii cannot be taken unwit
tngly, under the supposition that it is something
else. Its taste and smell betray 1t, and all whC
buy it understand precisely what they purchase
But this is not the case with adulterated liquors
The taste, the color, the aroma of undeteriornteC
brandy, gin, rum or whisky is often so closely
simulated by the expert liquor mixer, that ever
connoisseurs are deceived, TO say nothing of tbs
Ignorant and inexperienced Nothing short o.
[scentifc analysis can establish the difference be-
Il tween the genuine and the bogus article, and the
knowledge Of this fact emboldeps the mixers tc
food the markets with their atrocious compounds
The sum and substance of he.whole matter j.
that the standard liquors of commerce, pure and
undefled, are not procurable in this country, and
We very much doubt if they be obtained, in
the ordinary course OF trade, on the other side o
the Atlantic. Even if they could, they are moi
proper for invalids. Unmiged alcohol ia qos q
medicine The spirituous principal, however pure
must be toned and modified, and its exciting pow.
er subdued by skilful medication before it is ft 10
be exhibited as preventive, remedy, Tor re-
storative. This has been effected in HOSTEL.
TER'S BITTERS. The preparation is perfect
y safe and eficacious tonic, Alternative, corrective
and anti-bilious medicine-nothing and moth
ing Tess.