Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-05-10
.s7Y.HULAvTS AS MEDICINES.
Committee.

The annual address of the President Of
the American Medical Association, con
tsins some advice to the medical faculty
upon the use of alcoholic stimulants and
opium, which is of vital importance to the
profession and community The respon-
sibility of physicians in the prescription OF
stimulants to patients is heavier perhaps
than they are accustomed to feel. Constant
practice may tend to make them careless
even if they understand the risk they as
sumo, or the desire of patients may over
balance the better judgement of their
medical advisers, and thus the use of
stimulants may unconsciously and vicious
" increase under the hand of the physi-
elan. There is no doubt that there is a
considerable portion Of dram drinking in
what is styled the better class of society,
that is due very largely to the advice and
countenance of physicians. The man who
takes alcohol rs poison, unless he is a
confirmed drunkard, will not be very likely
to drink to excess unless through long
habit which wears off first impressions
and establishes 4 desire for stimulation,
but when the wine cup or the brandy or
gin bottle is held up before him by his
trusted physician as containing the very
elixir Of life, adding to its other fascina-
tons the property Of restoring health and
vigor, what wonder if the patient drinks
and continues to drink until health, re-
spectablity pride, property, usefulness and
happiness are all gone, and the drunk
ards grave is yawning before him. In
no form of temptation can the demon OF
drunkenness present itself SO plausibly
and successfully rs in this. Under this
guise it reaches men and women that it
could never have conquered by amy other
means. We are pleased therefore to see
this subject mentioned in the quarter OF
which we have spoken, and copy with
satisfaction the following remarks:
As conservators of public health and guar
dams of the mental aud physical hygiene of
people it may well be a subject for our deep
and earnest attention whetherwe can do more
than we have done and are doing to prevent
the gigantic evils attendant upon the use OF
achoiic stiInulaDts and Of opium. Whether
we can in our therapeutic administrations OF
stimulants and preparations Of opium, particu-
larry in chronic diseases, find substitutes or
make combinations that may diminish the liza
bility segforms tastes OF habits Incompatible
with TIE highest welfare Of our patients. The
growing popularity OF the use of narcotics by
hypodermic medcaiion in chronic and slight
4 Ia he
inquiry. Far be it from me to impugn the
motives orcriticisc the judgment of my profess
sional brethren. ] cannot, however, but feel
that it is quite possible for us to jeopardize the
best ultimate interests of the sick by the fire.
quent prescription Of stimulants, which is pc
culiarly one Of the notable features in prac-
tice at the present time. IT we are doing this
when avoidable, we are taking a fearful re-
sponsblity with those placed under our care,
the evils of which may be developed and last
long after we are mingled with the dust of the
earth | suggest that we consider this sub
ject carefully, and then act in the light Of ex-
perienee-and of conscience. 1t may be seri-
Gus question, also, whether we have yet filled
the measure Of our duty in giving our influence
toward rectitying and amelioratng the re-
suits Of the habitual use of alcoholic poisOns.
The institutionof inebriate asyums should be
more prominently urged upon the profession
and the people, directly and through recon-
mendations Of State medical societies, from
whichthe more direct influences upon legisa-
tive bodies ought TO proceed, / would ask
where j. there a, wider field for sanitary re-
form than is here presented and where our
efforts arg 40 sinlperioasly demanded? A
pestience, destructive of both body and soul,
where the destroyer is staying its thousands
and tens of thousands annually Of the best in
the land, surely requires our most earnest eff
forts to abate il.