The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-11-17

ing his whisky habitually before break
fast. While it is a BAD habit to drink
strong liquors Immediately after meals,
it is far less dangerous than doing SO be-
fore eating. Any fluid which contains
more than fifteen per cent. of alcohol is
said to arrest digestion if taken with
food. This is true. believe, although
most people who drink doubt it. They
know that they eat and drink and digest,
and hence they do not see how the drink
taken can arrest digestion. The fact is
that digestion is stopped until the alco-
hol is absorbed, and then digestion goes
on. This gives the stomach extra duty,
and prolongs the time of its labors.
Mixing liquors with mineral water, which
has become fashionable of late years, is
great advance in the right direction.
The mixture is not only more agreeable
to most people, but it counteracts the
tendency of strong drinks TO injure the
stomach and liver. It also secures q
slower absorption, and produces more
prolonged and milder stimulation.
Perhaps the most difficult question of
all that pertains to this subject is what
kind of stimulant to use. Those who
drink for pleasure select that which is
IuOSU dSTeeuDlc W Vic UuStcs Wiehouo AS-
gard to the ultimate effects upon the
system; but in using stimulants for the
purpose Of strengthening the weak or in
aiding the cure of disease, the selection
should be based upon different princi-
pies. 1t is impossible to tell beforehand
what will agree with given case. The
only way is to try and see what produces
the desired effect. Some delicate people,
whose appetites are poor, will be bene-
flied by using beer at their meals, while in
others it will cause acidity and indiges-
ton. Some find that certain wines
answer we'll, while others take whisky or
brandy agreeably. A momentary ex-
element is caused by very small
quantity of any stimlant in semi-delicate
or sick people and in others lanauor and
WEAKNESS follow. Both effects are in
furious, and the stimulants should be
withheld or given in smaller quantity.
II digestion is more labored and the APP
petite impaired after using stimulant,
it should be given up. On the other
hand, if feeling of strength without
excitement follows, and the appetite is
improved, or not impaired, then it is
evident that the stimulant is useful.
When stimulation is indicated, and the
first that is tried does not agree, it is
we'll to try variety, and perhaps some
one will be found to give the desired ef-
fects. In short, select a stimulant which
will suit all cases. In giving stimulants
to the sick there is one great mistake
mistake frequently made, and that is
giving too much at first. The dose
should be so small as not to produce any
marked effect, and then it should be
gradually increased until the desired
effect is produced and then that quantity
continued. Care should be taken never
to g.vs moro than nough. This has EN-
the most difficult point to settle for both
patients and physicians. There is one
rule which can be followed on this point,
and that is to give only as much as can
be appropriated by the system. When
ever more alcohol is taken than can bc
used up in the symptoms, the excess is
thrown off by the mucus membrane OF
the lungs and the breath has the smell
of liquor. No matter how much liquor
is taken, if it is not eliminated by the
lungs the quantity is not too great, and
no matter how little is taken if it is
thrown off in that way, the quantity is
too much.
MINERAL WATER DRINKS.
The third class medicinal drinks en-
braces so much and is so closely con-
nected with medicines generally that
volume might be written on the subject
Mineral waters now hold such an inn
portant position among remedies that it
is necessary for every one to know some
thing of their use. Medical men are
supposed to understand their use and to
be able to prescribe them with the same
intelligence which they show in the use
of other drugs. But the people use
mineral waters nowadays freely and
without the ADVICE of physicians, and
therefore, they ought to know more
about them than they generally do.
Perhaps there is no valuable class OF
agents more abused than mineral waters
in the way they are employed by all
sorts and conditions Of men. The fault
is not altogether of the people. They
have no means of knowing how to use
these waters. Advertisements pro.
claiming the virtues Of certain
waters are to be found in abundance
everywhere, but without any specific di.
rections how to use them. In fact, min
eral waters, which are far more valuable
than most of the nostrums in circulation
are not 30 we'll protected from misuse.
Every box and bottle of patent medicine
is labeled how and when it should be
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