The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-08-05
REEDS MILLS, VlSToS Co., ONO, |


REEDS Mills VGSroS Co., Omo,l
July 26th, 1859. !
EDIroR STANDARD What has become of our
friend D. A. Hoffman, and 'the best medicalau-
thority extant? Has he backed down, or
has he simply retired from the ring 2 orBas
he playing bluff? If SO, go ten better apd calf
him. Show us your hand, doctor. h-
At the present propose 10 answer DR.. HOfl
man on the ''cder question, of his letter Of May
the 7th. He commences by quoting four propo-
sitiens copied from the preface Of Carpenters
prize essay on the use and abuse of alcohol," ;"
in which cider Is mentioned as an intoxicating
beyerage-the correctness Of which no unbiased
and intelligent physician will deny. But with
the remainder Of his quotations 1 wish TO dis.
agree. He gives three extracts from an article
written by HiggiDbottom about thirty years ago,
claiming the discovery of a disease which he
named alcoholic rheumatism" He tried last
/ year to revive his bantling, but it was merely
mentioned by the editor of the British Medical
Journal as Csc called) alcoholic rheumatism"
I am not aware that Higginbottom ever got a
single convert to Lis theory, save our friend
| Hoffman. have not found that Fuller, in his
admirable work on rheumatism, mentions ''alco-
holic rheumatism or cider as an immediate or
remote cause Of rheumatism in any form, In
fact the same may be said of every author In my
possession, save John King, the author Of the
American Eclectic Dyspensatory. As his opin-
ion is somewhat Eclectic, will give it,:
The fruit or apple contains both mac and
10 81
and is a useful and healthy article of diet. How
ever, it should not be eaten by dyspeptics or pa
tients afflicted with goul, rheumatism, or venal
and cutaneous diseases"
understand that DIR. King" is revising his
work. We will then see whether he still thinks
that an apple can contain aeetic acid, (vinegar,)
and "a healthy article of diet, should not be
eaten by those afflicted with gout, rheumatism,
&c. How do you like your company doctora
Let us consider the further claims of DR.. Hig-
gnbohom to place among "the best medical
authority extant" In 1857 he wrote an article
for the London Lancet, in which he advocated
'the rejection of alcoholic stimulants from the
treatment of all diseases whatever" This as
sertion was regarded as being somewhat "Utopi-
an ard his judgment as having an 'uncon-
scious bias" Some time before this he wrotsa
yoluminous essay on the use Of nitrate OfsilVer,
by which, if the essayist could be relied on we
might dispense with good share Of the Materia
Medica, and substitute the doctors favorite to
the benefit of our patients. DR.. Hoffman quotes
a combined opinion of Charcot and Garrod on
unfermented cider as a cause Of gout and rheu-
matism. Charcot, find, has assisted in writing
a work on the Anatomical Alterations in Gout,"
which was published in 1864. DR.. Garrod, in
1859, published an excellent treatise on Gout and
Rheumatic Cout. Is it not here that unferment-
ed cider comes in Hso, will not, at the pres
ent at least, disagree with the author or DR..
Hoffman on that point. For cider may be .
cause of gout; but can conceive Of no means.
as it is ordinarily drank, by which it could
cause rheumatism. 3D.,
Rheumatism is disease, the cause, pathology
and treatment of which, still remain open cues
tiOns; but the general opinion seems to DO that
the various causes of debility, such as improper
and insufficient food and clothing, exposure,
fatigue, &C., seem to be the most common cause
of rheumatism. Now how does the drinking Of
sweet or sour cider produce it? 1t is not drank
as "poor vegetable food, . but as luxury. Tho
general treatment of rheumatism is always more
or less alkaline, in order to neuteFalize an undue
amount of acid which is supposed to exist in the
blood, which is prescribed either as a carbonate,
or in combination with some vegetable acid, the
acid being destroyed or oxydized in the lungs,
the liberated alkali uuites with the unhealthy
acid, and carries it out Of the system, Now II
this be the correct theory can the use OF veget-
able acids in their natural condition, when they
are all more or less combined with alkalies, gen.
eral ly potash, cause rheumatism? Win DR.. n.
tell us the dletetic difference between glass Of
unfermented cider and an apple? Or does he
discard apples also, in opposition to the opinion
of DR.. Carpenter, who says;
son the other hand, during the heat Of sum-
mer the more nearly the diet is assimiated 70
that of natives of tropical climates, in the sub
stitution of fruits and farnacea for oleaginous
articles, the less will be the liability to disorder
ed health in the autumn" 3. --H AZ
Let us now consider cider as an alcoholic bev-
erage. In the Log Cabin Song Book," of1s4O,
l find song commencing:
'Should good old cider be despised,
And neer regarded more 2"
Flint, in bis Physiology. says:
Light and agreeable beverages, made from
the juice of apples or pears, are in common use.
When first made, cider contains the organic acids
and salts of the fruit with large quantity Of
sugar. 1t is then called sweet cider, and con.
tains little or no alcohol After it has ferment-
ed, the sugar in part or entirely, disappears,
alcohol is formed in considerable quantity (from
? 5,2l to 9.s7 per cent? and the liquor 10 then
called lard cider The effects of cider upon the
system are substantially those of the light white
wines.n kA
|. DR.. Stile says;
"The habitual dietetie use OF the lighter wines
can hardly be considered Injurious, since II 10
T common to all sexes and ages in the wine grow.
ing countries of Europe. But they are always
+ diluted with water In proportion to the youth
or the delicacy of the const tuition, and arc sell
d dom taken in excess. L. w. BAKER