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

the difficulty of procuring pure and wholesome
stmulants for the sick.
HIPPocRATEs called attention TO the tricks OF
the Athenian winners four centuries before the
Christian Era. GALEN, somewhat lator, sternly
rebuked tho vino 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 adultcrors of tho "elassic
ages" showed considerable adroitness In their me-
farious calling. Lead, limo gypgum, and sea-
water were put into new wine by tho Roman deal
ers, aud it was boiled and left to cool In metal
vessels. by way of improving It's taste and giving
II transparency. To this day some Of the Medit-
eranean wines are subjected 10 n similar process.
All tho wines of Europe arp moro or loss adulteTa
ted before they lsavs FIRST hands," and as to the
stuff commonly retailed In this country under tho
names Of Port, Sherry, Madeira, &C., &C., aloe
juice, deooctiOn Of logwood, powder of catcehu.
alum, plaster Of paris lead, litharge. carbonate Of
soda, oil of almonds, cider aud bad rum, may be
mentioned among their pleasant ingredients.
But 1t is in the conGpcton Of "sprituous liquors"
that the adtAterators Of this generation particu-
larry excel. The tricks Of the Greek and Roman
winners weremsrc child's play 70 theirs. stryeh-
nine, sulphuric acid, sugar Of lead jaap, opates,
and variety of pungeut alkalies are among the
delicaoies that enter into the composition Of ordi-
nary 'barrooIq liquors." and some Of them consist
almost wholly of pernieious chemicals with u
small admixturc Of unrectihed 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 physieiaHs
Aare to. confidence in the !quors Of commerce. and
are afraid 20 ess them.
| Stimulants, however, arc ~ necessary in nedl-
cal PRACTICE ~ febrifuges, eathartiea, or ano-
dynes. alteraiyps, pr any other Of the teeognia
ed specifics for disease, Tho great question l.,
ean a pure stimulaHi be had We say IL eaa. We
assert that tHosTRTTRR's STOMACH BITTEks
the alcoholic basis Of which Is tho essence Of
sound Monongahela Rye, IS a' pure 'ii"'aia"'
ne IL is possible for AUH,an skiR 10 manufacture. II
is, hswever, something more and better than this.
to-wit judiciously sedieated s,imulant. In which
the qualifying ingredients the 1ness ssoaehic,
aperiens Alternative. and anti-bious herbs. roots.
aud gums. These vegetable constituents modify
and control the effect Of tho sTritaous elements
and render the Bit,era tho safest, mildeat and
most effective invigorant ut present in use.
| For the melancholy consequences which ensue
from the sale Of unwholesome compounds bearing
the names Of the various spirituoas liquors. the
powers that be arc in some degree resPonsibie.-
Deriving, as IL does, large revenue frola the i'm
portation and manufacture of alcoholic beverages.
it is mAnifestly the duty Of the Genrral Govern
ment to protect the people aa far as possible agans.
the Introduction Of pofsoEs into their daily drink.
Still moge Imperative Is ;he obligation to shield
the sick from the peril Of being killed or injured
by peruieious excitanis. administered asdeias..
Inspection and taxation ought. In this matter. 10
60 hand in haad. and in ali eases Of adpiteTatio.
the Adu,eraisd article instead Of being taxed
should be destroyed. Every tineture and extract
containing, or purpoT;ing To contain alcohol,
should be examined by competent scientific meu.
aud not permitted 10 60 into the market until its
purity has been authoritativeiy certified. The
sanitary interests Of the community should be
paramount 10 the financial interests Of the Goyern-
ment-ihe public health being Of infinitely more
/ importance than the public revenue. But such
protective supervision is exercised either by the
central power ~ Washington OF by the State gov.
ernmenis. The Internal ReTenue assessors aud
collectors simply demand their tax, knowing moth
/ ing about the Wholesomeness or unwholespmenesz
Of the article upon which IL il levied the Custom
House Collectors insist on payment Of the duties
required By Law on imported liquors. but how much
or how little foreign poison theEe may be in each
eask puneheon Il IL not their business aacer-
tain. Congress seems 10 have entirely overlooked
its function Of public protection in legislAting
the liquor question. State Legislatures have been
I equally remiss. Many Of them have tried prohibit
ton and failed. No ope Of them, 80 far as we are
aware, has endeavored 70 mitigate the evils Of
which they have all complained, by iLstitutiAg .
rigid system Of inspection.
We should be glad 10 sec such q system adopted
as experiment. 1t would At least prevent un-
principled dealers from palming of upon the work
ing clasEes, TO an unlimited extent the fiery fluids
which ill our as, poOE-houses, hospitals, lunAtic
asylums, aud innumerable graves with miserable
victims.
Were SUCH a regulation in force we shoud have
no need to explain the nature and value Of our
preparation through the public press. The report
Of the inspecting officers would bo our sufficient
voucher stronger adyertisemeat than any we
could frame. Gladly would we welcome the Official
agents Of the GOyernment-State or Federal-to
our factory, and challenge their closest scrutiny,
their gharpest tests An inspection Law of the
kind indicated would, If competently administered,
be one Of the most useful enactments ever placed
| on our statute books. IL would DO conservative
alike Of health and morals.
When the British Government literally rendered
opium TO the Chinese at the point Of the bayonet,
compelling that Unfortunate nation 10 make its
election between hopeless and demoralizing
and deadly poison, the United States cried shame.
We denounced the conduct Of Great Britain
uncbristian and inhuman. So it was /; but is our
Government gultlcss if it permits the people over
whom it should exercise "a paterna Jurisdiction to
be poisoned in the dGrk7 The deadly properties
Of opium are knoUn. 1t cannot be taken unwit-
tingly, under the supposition that it is something
else. It's taste and smell betray it, and all who
buy it understand precisely what they purchase.
But this is not the case with aduterated liquors.
The taste, the color, the aroma Of updeteriOrated
brandy, gin, rum or whisky is often closely
simulated by the expert liquor mixer, that even
connOisseurs are deceived, TO say nothing of the
| ignorant and inexperienced Nothing short of
scientific analysis can establish the difference be-
tween the genuine and the bogus article, and the
knowledge of this fact emboldeps the mixers to
food the markets With their atrocious compounds.
THE sum and substance Of he..whole matter Is
that the standard liquors of commerce, pure and
undefled, are not procurable in this country, and
We very much doubt if they can be obtained, in
the ordinary course of trade on the other side of
the Atlantic. Even if they could, they are not
proper for ipvalids. pnmiaed alcohol is aot
medicine. The spirituoBs principal, however pure,
must be toned and modified, and its exciting pow
er snbdued by sklful medication before it is fit to
be exhibited as a preventive, remedy, Ior re-
storative. This has been effected in HOSTEL
TIERS BITTERS. The preparation is perfect
y safe and ecacious tonic, Alternative, corrective,
and anti-biliOus medicine-motbins more and p9th-
ing Tess. Ea ssH
PREPARED AND SOLD BIZ
EnrrED q. GNTTTH