Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-19

E<z'aor Star lin the spirit Of honest inquiry
desire to ask, through the columns Of your pa
per, the physicians who are attending our hon.
ored President, what hygienc or scientific reason
mas led them to administer alcohol in any shape
TO their patient? While the President was lying
Frustrated from the shock, 1 can see where slight
stlmulants might have been called for; but now.
WINE ne Is making such a fearful struggle for
existence, aud every particle of his energy is
needed to assist nature i'm her efforts to repair
the damages done by the assassin's bullet. l can
conceive no reason of introducing into the stom-
acn OF the patient an article that Psychologists
nave long ago decided is incapable of being d.
gested. and possesses not the slightest power of
assisting nature in renewing or repairing dis
eased or injured tissues. Scientists have posi-
lively affirmed that alcohol in any shape, when
brought into contact with the delicate organs of
the human system, dt,cdys produces injurious
consequences.
The abumnous portions of the food that the
President takes is the material out of which
nature draws its supplies to repair the lacerated
parts This being tile case, it can readily be
seen that a large proportion of the food the
patient consumes is robbed of its NEST valuable
parts for the simple reason that every drop of
albumen that comes in contact with drop of
alcohol is at once coagulated and thus renders
1t unit for the office for which it was intended.
Nor is this ALL for. as has already been stated alec
hol being incapable of being digested it is taken
up and circulated through the system as an ir-
rltant infiamng and disturbing every part of
the organism with which it comes in contact. 1t
undergoes little, if any, change while in the
system and continues its ruinous effects until
nature eXpels it. and the amount of energy
necessary to eXpel this poison is just so much
taken from the great force that is Indispensable
to the recovery Of the patient. Then, if as
chemistry teaches. alcohol prevents the proper
assimilation of food, and learned PSYCHOLOGISTS
contend that it is only an irritant, and that an
extra effort is required to rid the system Of it,
most respectfully ask. why do gentlemen at
tending the President administer it in his case?
l wish it understood entertain only the kindest
leellngs and respect for the physicians who have
SO faithfully cared for our noble President. and
would state in closing that it is only my deep
concern for his valuable life that has prompted
me In making this communication.
C. A. NORTON.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 10, 1881.
STILL CUTTING THE RAILROAD PASSENGER
RATES.-At 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon the
agents of the New York Central railroad received
kilograms from headquarters, saying 'Aftcr
receipt of this message reduce fare to Chicago to
SO; st; Louis UNCHANGED" The Pennsylvania
railroad Immediately followed suit. and reduced
its rates from 81 to So 'We're bound to fol-
low suit, said a Broadway agent, ''even to the
end. We've got our instructions straight, and
we propose to follow the lead even to the point
of presenting every one with our photograph
and Ohio trod closely on the heels of the other
roads, so that they were all down to the same
price in fifteen minutes after the Central's lead.
The scalper considers himself unworthy of the
name who cannot go the railroad one better on
reductions. Accordingly the scalperS dropped
to $3.50 yesterday, and scowled darby. The
demand for tickets at all the offices was very
great. The public seem inclined to take adj
vantage of the fight, and lay in stock of tickets
that will prepare them in war for time of peace.
New York Central would continue to cut until
the other roads surrendered.-N. T. Sum- to-day.
A RAILROAD PAYMAsTER KH.LED.-A special
dispatch. dated City of Mexico, July II, says:
'The paymaster of the Central road and his
servant were shot by a guard at Napala this
morning. The difficulty was of a personal
nature, and was a long-standing feud. The
paymaster was Mexican belonging to one of
the first families Of the City of Mexico. Both
master and servants are dead