The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-03-06
nosTETTER's BITTERs.
From the Charleston Courier, Aug. 20, 1861
THE LIQUORS OF COMMERCE.
Poisonous StimulantS in the Sick Room.

tho Medical Faculty denounced 81, and lamented
tho difficulty Of procuring puro aud wholesomc
stimulants for tho sick.
HrrocRATEa called attention 10 the tricks Of
the Athenian winners four centuries before tho
Christian Era. GALgS, somewhat later, sternly
rcbukod tho vino merchants Of Rome for tampcr-
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 tho "classic
agos'' showed considerable adroitness in their ne
furious calling. Lead. lime, gypsum, and son
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 ts taste and giving
| Il transparency To this day some Of tho Medit-
eranean wines are subjected TO similar process.
All the wines Of Europe arc moro or less aduitera
ted before they leave "nrst hands" aud aH to the
stuff commonly retailed in this country under the
names Of Port, Sherry, Madeira, &c, DC, aloe
juice decoeton Of logwood, powder Of eatcchu.
alum. plaster Of paris lead, litharge, carbonate Of
soda, oil Of almonds, cider and bad rum, may be
mentiancd ag among their pleasant ingredients.
/
that the alulterators Of this generation partiou-
lariy excel. The tricks OF the Greek and Roman
winners were..merc ehili's play 70 theirs. stryeh
nine suiphurc acid, sugar Of lead, jalap, opates.
and variety of puugcnt alkaiiea ARE among the
dellcacics that enter into the competition Of ordi-
nary bar .room liquors," and some Of them consist
almost wholly Of pernicous chemicals with a
small admixluro Of unrectiGeI spirits. No won
der under such circumstances, that tavern brandy
rum, GIN and whisky. carry death aud madness
| in their train. 80 wonder, also, that physieiaHs
hare lost confidence ia The liquors n commerce, and
are afraid Ia them.
stimulants, however, necessary In mcdi-
cal practice az fsbrifuges. eathar,ies, or aRo-
dynes. alternatives. any ether Of the recogniz-
ol specifics for disease. The great question IL,
eaa a pure sflasnLaut BE- had ? Wc say II We
ssscrt ttbatH0sTRTTER's STOMACH BITTERs
the alcohoie basis Of wtich Is tho essence Of
sound Mon5ugahela Rye, IS as Pare siiH'HiaHi
ne II il possible fer Asaan skill 10 manufacture. II
Is. hswcyer, something more and better than this,
to. wit, uliciously aedeaied siitnulani, in which
the qualifying ingredients the finest siomnchic,
eperlcnt, Alternative, and anli-b!ous herbs. roots,
and guns These vegetable constituents modify
and control the eject gf the slifi,aous elements,
aud render the Bi'lcrs the safest, mildest aud
most effective invigorant a. present in uss.
For the melancholy consequences which ensue
from the sale q uawhoesone compounds bearlng <
the names Of tie yarioas spisituous liquors, tha
powers 'ha, lie arc in some degree responsible.-
Deriving. as IL does, largo revenue from the I'm
poriAtion and manufacture of aIeohoIc beverages.
1t ls naBifcstly the deity Of tAe General Govern
uaent u protect the people faF possible against
the introduction Of poisoss into ,heir daily drink.
still more Imperative l. the obligation 10 shield
the sick from the peril oG being killed or Injured
by peEncious e1ciiants admin istersd aa aaeiieiHes
Inspection and taxation ought. In this matter. 10
~ hand ia hand, aud in all oi ndulteFation
the aduiieTatsd article instead Of being taxed
/ should be destroyed. Every tiEcturc and extract
containing, oT puTp0rtug to contain alcohol,
should be examined by competent scientific men,
and not permitted 20 90 into tho market until IL
purity has been suihori,atiyely certified. The
sanitary interests Of the community should be
paramount - tic financial inlercsts Of the Govern
ment-ths public health being of infinitely more
Importance than the public revenue. But no such
protective supervision Is exercised either by tho
central power at Warrington or by the State gov-
erumcuis. The Internal Revenue assessors and
collectors simply demand their tax, knowing moth
ing about the whoiesomcucss or unwholesomuncss
Of the article upon which it Is levied the Custom
House Collectors insist payment of the duties
required by law on imported liquors. but how much
or how little foreign poison there may be in each
eaak puneheon Il is not their business to aseer-
tain. Congress secms 10 have entirely overlooked
its function of public protection in egislating on
the liquor question. State Legislatures have been
lcqually remiss. Many Of them have tried prohibi-
ton aud failed. No ono Of them, so far a. We arc
aware, has endeayorcd 10 mitigate the evils oi
which they have all complained, by iLstituting a
rigid system Of inspection.
We should be glad to sec such system adopted
as an experiment. IL would NJ least prevent un-
principlcd dealers from paiming OF upon the work
ing classes % unlimited extent the fiery fluids
which GIL our jais, poor-houFes, hospitals, lunatic
asyluma, and innumernble graves with miserable
victims.
We're such regulation in force We should have
no need to explain the nature and value of our
preparation through the public press. The report
Of the inspecting officers would be sufficient
voucher stronger advertisement than anv wC
could frame. Gladly would we welcome tho official
agents Of tho Govcrnment-State or Federal-to
our factory, and challenge their closest scrutiny,
their sharpcst tests. An inspection law Of the
kind indicated would, if competcntly administered
be one Of the most useful enactmcnts ever placed
on statute books. 1t would be conservative
alike Of health and morals.
When the British Government literally rendered
opium to the Chinese at the point Of tho bayonet
compelling that unfortunate nation to make il,
election between hopeless war and demornlizinl
and deadly poison, the United States cried shame
We denounced tho conduct of Great Britain al
unchristian and inhuman. So il was but is oul
Government guitless If 1t permits the people over
whom it should exercise pnternal jurisdiction 4
be l,oisoned in the dark? Tho deadly properties
of opium are kROlsn. II cannot be taken unwit
tngy, under the supposition that it Is something
else. It's taste and smell betray 1t, and all wht
buy il understand precisely what they purchase
But this il not the case with adulterated liquors
The taste, the color, the aroma Of undeterioratcG
brandy, gin rum or whisky Is often so closely
simulated by the expert liquor mixer, that ever
connOisseuTs are deceived, to say nothing of thu
ignorant and inexperienced. Nothing short o
scientific analysis can establish tho difference be
tween the genuine and the bogus article and tht
knowledge of this fact emboldeps the mixers Il
food the markets with their atrocious compoun ds
Tho sum and substance of the whole mattor i
that tho standard liquors of commerce, purc anC
indebted, are not procurable in this country, ant
VIC very much doubt if they can be obtained, il
the ordinary course OF trade, on the other side O
tho Atlantic. Even If they could they arc no
: proper for invalids. Unmired alcohol is aot {
medicine. The spirituous principal, however pure
must be toned and modified, and its exciting pow
er subdued by skilful medication before it is fit Il
bc exhibited preventive, remedy, Ror q re
storatiye This has been effected in HOSTEL
! TER'S DITTERS. The preparation is perfect
ly safe and eieacions tonic, Alternative corrective
and anti-bjlops notwithstanding more and moth
ing tess.
PREPARED AND SOLD BY
Redington, Hostetter & Co.,