Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-12-07
PHYSlC-TIPPLERS.
A Plea for Temperance In tho Use oi
Medicinal Preparations.

Medicinal Preparations.
One of the most interesting Of the
papers read before the State Sanitary
Convention was in the form of warn
ing against intempcrance in the use Of
drugs. The writer, DIR. Frank Wood
bury, of this city, has permitted the
publication Of this noteworthy contrl-
button to popular knowledge in ad-
vance of the annual report Of the con-
vention. and it is certainly worthy Of
careful study. The habit of taking into
the system drugs of whose ultimate
effects the partaker is either ignorant
or supremely careless has grown very
common of late among large class of
people who are usually credited with
more than ordinary intelligence. DR..
Woodbury's experience leads him to
the conclusion that it has attained to
such considerable proportions as to
command attention and consideration
from all medical practitioners. He
finds the physic-tippler and medicine
bibbcr everywhere-no the solicitous
and over-anxious citizen, who, with
every sight cold or sore joint, rushes
Off to a doctor. for course Of constitu-
tional trcatment nor altogether the
devotees of narcotic and stimulant
drugs, but great mass Of people who
use almost every description Of real or
pretended medicament without knowl-
edge and without stint. Even the COM
paratively harmless ndinnocuous soda
water fountain has been diverted to the
use Of the physic-tippler, for upon in
quiry DR.. Woodbury. found that power
full tinctures, extracts and elixirs, as
well as potassium and sodium bromide.
soda mint, sodium bicarbonate, acid
phosphate and aromatic spirits Of am
monia, were regularly served out to
patrons of soda-water fountains in the
drug stores. Probably very few Of
these customers could give logical or
pathological reason for this form
Of indulgence in extemporized
mixtures, which might or might
not prove harmless, but which,
in any case, could not be classed as
remedial agents. For decentralization
Is danger against which the physi'
clan guards no less carefully thar
against the earlier stages Of an acute
disease. He knows when TO admins
ter and when to withhold. But the
slave of habit of drugging often per
sists until an enfeebled digestion ant
collapsed nervous system sound i'm
perative notes Of warning.
In the immense increase noted o
late years in the preparation of mar
cotiG and alkaline drugs, as well as ii
the continuous aocessions to thu
amount Of money invested in making
patent medicines, DR.. Woodbury. find
reasons for believing that the practic,
of medicine .bibbing is more than keep
ing pace with the growth Of wealth
and population. Especially has ther,
been increase in the demand for thos
drugs that act specifically upon tn
nervous system. But few years ag'
the bromides were little known o
used; at the present time it is esti
| hldtCh luub ONCt bWO HuuuLCu tuuo I'll
annually used in this country. Chlora
hydrate has been in use but fifteel
years, yet its consumption in Europ
and America now amounts to man
hundreds of tons each year, while Q
the opium products, of ether, chlorc
form and the iodidcs, there is cor
stant flow from severely-taxed ye
apparently exhaustless source of SUP
ply. DIR. Woodbury. tells of a formul
for mixture containing chloral whic
he saw conspicuously posted behind
druggists counter. 1t was found o
, inquiry that the posting was merely
matter of convenience, since the call
for the mixture were exceedingly FIRE
quent Alcoholic mixtures he learne
were similarly redemanded, often 70
months after the occasion for their us
had passed away. Intemperance i
drugs and medicines, it appears, is n
less common than are other forms {
self-indulgence. Philadelphia Rccort