The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-31
ALCOHOL AS A MEDICINE.

THE CONFLICTING JUDGMENTS OF MEDICAL
scIENcE-GUILT AT THE PHYSICIANS DOOR
ITS REMEDY.
10 The Editor Ofthe Indianapolis Sentinel: -
SIR: With regard to the woman's temper
ance movement, for the success of which
all true friends of humanity NAV hone and
pray, may it not be well to enquire. what is
the prospect ofpermanent beneficial results9
Will the use OF intoxicating drinks be ma
terially and permanently abated? For our
part we have grave doubts in regard 10 this
question. When we look at the attitude of
political parties on this subject, and see that
aireaoy large part of the voting pom
uIatlon (perhaps enough TO hold the balance
OF power between the two parties). are ar
rayed against every effort for the suppres-
sion Oh the sale OF intoxicating LIQUORS.
when we look at the overwhelming influ.
ence of the medical profession unon the
customs and habits of society. and the in.
dulgence of the flowing bowl by the neu,-
Ders thereof, generally on festive occasions ar
the teachings of the profession, and at he
extensive use of alcoholic liquors il, the
illeuical practice, We see little ground TO
nope Tor any considerable permanent good
TO The cause of temperance reform. The
present movement may succeed to consider
able extent in closing the liquor saloons. and
abating, in good degree, the retailing of
intoxicating liquors as beverage; still
OF drinking will find in some wav the
means OF indulgence in their vicious habit.
The whole effort of the present movement.
as well as that of all previous ternperanoe
organizatlons, and of legislation, is and has
Deen directed against the use of intoxicating
liquors as beverage, permitting and adj
mlttlng 1t proper and legitimate as q medi-
cine. Now, the greatest obstacle. in our
Judgment, to the complete success of the
tenlperance cause, is the teaching and prac-
MEDICAL PROFESSION
in relation to alcoholic liquors. The
teachings of the profession are gross
ly inconsistent with true science and
with common sense, for thew sell
us that alcohol is caustic and irritant
poison, that it is inimical to ANYTHING that
has lie, animal or vegetable; that ii inflames
the blood and eXhausts the nerves: that il
hardens the brain; that long train oG dis
eases are induced by its use, as dyspepsia.
liver complaint, apoplexy, paralysis, mania.
delirium tremens de-" Yet thev;tell us
=" that it is employed incidentally, as stom-
achlc stlmulant, as restorative and a peace
full excitant to support the vital powers.
that IL is supporter of vitality; that it i'm
parts energy to the living fibre; that it is a
respiratory food; that it is capable
OF sustaining the failing powers of
Now, one or the other of these contradic-
tons is true; the other false. 1t is simply
impossible that both should be true. II ia
utterly absurd to say of any one article.
that it is both food, and a caustic and
irritant poison; that it infiames the blood
and exhausts the nerves, and that it i'm
parts energy to the living fibre, and is a
powerful restorative to the falling powers of
life; that it is inimical to any thing that has
life, animal or vegetable, and yet that it is
capable of sustaining the vital powers under
great exhaustion. Alcohol is not a food.
because it is indigestible by the human
stomach; is poison per Sc, always a
poison to animal and vegetable life, whether
IN large doses, or in small doses; whether
used as medicine or drank as beverage.
and its effects on the human constitution
are always those of poison, and always
equally poisonous, equally injurious in
kind, varying only in degree, and if il be
admissible in any ease, it should be admin>
istered to the well man. rather than to the
sick and feeble tor the system of the we'll
man would be better able to endure
and conteract its injurious effects.
rUr DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE.
Further, if it is restorative from ex-
haustior, a supporter of vitality, &C., as as
serted by the profession, then there is no
reason why it should not be used daily, and
especially by the laboring man, for recruit
ing his energies and restoring his exhausted
vitality. But, as we have already shown,
bhO oSNbAAhO Va ttO pAO1CoclOu tudL buo
dicinal use of alcohol is beneficial and SAL
utary is false; false in theory and in practice,
and there is no more reason in science or
in common sense for its medical use, than
for its daily use as beverage. Professor
MuZZy and hundreds Of others of the emil
nent men in the profession, both in this
country and in Europe, years ago, gave it as
their opinion, that alcoholic liquors were
unnecessary in the treatment of the sick;
and advised for the good of the temperance
nd Tow tnfs - l.
intemperance, that all alcoholic liquors be
banished from the shelves ofthe apothecary,
and from the sick room; and had this advice
been then followed by the profession gener-
ally, and the people taught that these liquors.
are always injurious and detrimental
and in health, intemperance, with its mani
fold evils, would by this time have been
very greatly diminished. But instead there
of, the use of alcoholic liquors in medical
practice has immensely increased, the evils
of Contemporaries have been greatly augmen-
ted, and the cause of temperance retarded
for unnumbered years to come. We may
write, talk, preach, pray and sing; we may
gather the statistics of crime from the jails.
prisons. and penitentiaries of our land; we
may go through the poor-h houses and
the lunatic assylums of our country
and estimate the number of the in
mates reduced to that condition
by strong drink; we may foot up the long
catalogue of drurkards and of moderate
drinkers; and enumerate the vagrant, the
prohigate, the homeiess, the friendless, the
heartbroken, every where made such by
intemperance; we may publish all these
dark pictures in books, and tracts, and news
papers, and scatter them broad cast like au-
tumnal leaves ali over the land; all this
and much more may we do, and still intern
perance will go on, and all its tremendous
evils will continue to curse our earth, until
the medical profession can come up to the
demands of true science. and lend its full
influence to this cause of humanity and Of
God. A. NJ. i.
indianapolis, March, 20, 1874.
The women's whiskey war in Ohio and In.