The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-08
Authorities Worthy of Credence.


I consider I shall do more in curing
disease and preventing disease in one
year by prescribing total abstinence, than
I could do in the ordinary course of an
extensive practice of one hundred years.
DIR. Higginbottom, an eminent sur
geon of Nottingham.
It is no figure of speech, but the literal
truth, that hundreds of neuralgia, hys-
teric, and epileptic patients have been
driven into drunkenness or lunacy, or
both, by the endless folly of advisers,
who had no better reason for the pre-
scription of large doses of alcohol than
the fact that these diseases are attended
with nervous weakness It is grave
scandal and mischief that medical men
should endanger in this serious way the
power of moral resistance of women and
other weak persons.-Dr. James G.
Wakely, in the London Lancet.
All kinds of ardent spirits and other
strong stimulants are not only not useful
in preventing cholera, but dispose to
its attack. Boston Board of Health,
1882.
Resolsed, That the vending of ardent
spirits, in whatever quantity, be consid-
cred nuisance-and as such is hereby di-
rected to be discontinued for the space
of ninety days from this date.-By order
of the Board of Health, James Larned,
Sec. Passed in Washington, D. c.,
1882, on account of the prevalence of the
cholera.
All spirit-drinkers will be the first
victims of cholera. Notice displayed by
the authorities in London in 1882.
Cholera has stood up here (McntreaD,
as it has everywhere, the advocate OF
temperance. 1t has pleaded most elo-
quently and with tremendous effect. The
disease has searched the haunts of the
drunkard and has seldom left them with
out bearing away its victims. Even mod
crate drinkers have been but a little bet
ter off. Ardent spirits in any shape and
in any quantity have been highly detri-
mental. There seems to be natural af-
finity between the cholera and the ardent
spirits.-Dr. Bronson, writing from Mon
treal, 1882.
We have great horror of arsenic, and
fifty other things; the fact is, all these
things are mere bagatelle in relation to
the most direct, absolute, imme diate and
certain poisonings which are caused by
alcohol. There are more men killed, SO
far as I know English statistics-more
poisoned by alcohol, than are poisoned
by all other poisons put together.-Jas.
Edmunds, M. D., London, Eng.
The Volkyreund for August, 1854,
states that out of nine hundred persons
who died in Rotterdam the preceding
year from cholera only three were alb
tainers.-Judge Pitman.
l. have found the use of alcoholic
drinks to be the most powerful predis,
posing cause of malignant cholera with
which I am acquainted. Were I one ot
the authorities, I would placard every
spirit-shop in town with large bills con.
tanning the words: ''Cholera sold here. .
DIR. A. NJ. Adams, Professor of the In
stitutes of Medicine in the Andersonian
University of Glasgow, 1s4s.
Alcoholism is widely prevalent, but il
is not popular to die a drunkard. Its
victims are hardly ever credited to it un,
less they are poor and friendless.-Eightb
Annual Report of Massachusetts, Board
of Health.
I suppose that next to pulmonary dis
eases, more persons come to their death,
either directly or indirectly, by alcohol
ism, than from any other cause. Hun
dreds of men who die from liver COM
plant and kidney troubles might have
been healthy men to-day if they had not
poisoned their systems with alcohol
James W. Alexander, Vice-President OF
the Equitable Life Insurance Company,
New York.
In hospitals where the largest amount
of alcohol is used, there is the greatest
percentage of deaths. King, of the
Philosophical Society of Hull, England.
have amply tried both ways. I gave
alcohol in my practice for twenty years,
and have now practised without it this
last thirty years or more. My experience
is that acute disease is more readily
cured without it, and chronic disea:e
much more manageable. John Higgin-
bottom, FRS.
As to the general use of alcohol in dis
ease, every form of disease would be bet
ter treated without alcohol than with it.
DIR. BENZ. w. Richardson, FRS.
The campaign just ended between the
wet and dry parties in Meriden, Miss, was
very bitter, but no one carried his bitter
ness further than General Burkitt, Sena-