The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-10-19
SCIENTIFIC TESTIMONY.
There Is Absolutely No Use for Which
Alcohol Is Indispensable.

serving men became alarmed a. the
dreadful work which alcohol was ac-
COmpishing in the world. the cry has
been that it is an indispensable agent
in its applications in medicine and the
arts. There was more truth in this
assumption fifty, or even thirty years
ago, than at present, as science had
not at those periods made sufficient adj
vancement to supply substitutes for
the alcoholic liquids. Vast changes
have occurred in medicine, phar-
macy, chemistry, and in all art proc
esses since the days Of the early Tenn
perance reformers, and it is well to
look about and ascertain our true posi-
ton as regards the present necessity
for the use of alcohol
The scope of this article is made
quate to discuss the matter in detail,
and therefore at present we can give
only a b lief summary Of the reasons
which lead US to conclude that alcohol
subserves no indispensable uses in the
world. Its domestic or household APP
plications are considera BILE in number,
and regarded by some as impor-
tant. In this direction, however,
they are very much less so than
formerly, before science shed upon
families q clearer light Since it
became known that alcoholic solu-
tions of camphor, paregoric, cordials.
tincture of peppermint, etc.-articles
once found in every household--are
remedial agents of doubtful efficacy,
or positively hurtful under indiscrim-
mate use, they have been to a large
extent banished from dwellings. Cam
phor is Il drug not needed in any fam
lily, save as an insectitude. The cid
camphor bottle, containing rum and
the drug which host Of eXasperated
and deluded men hourished in the face
OF DR.. Lyman Beecher when he COM
men ced his Temperance crusade fifty
years ago. is thing of the past. Rum
or alcohol as an embrocation was
formerly regarded as OF the highest
efficacy; but it is now known that hot
or cold water is much better applica-
ton to infamed surfaces. The ex-
ternal use of alcohol upon the human
body under any conditions OF disease is
practically useless. 1t may serve to
cool intiamed parts by rapid evapora-
ton, but warm water meets the same
end and more effectively. Alcohol in
the forms of gin, brandy. whisky Or
wines may be banished from families
as domestic remedy without risk to
the welfare of single member of any
age. sex or condition.
1t is we'll to remember that favorite
aromatics, like peppermint, ginger,
etc, are now associated with sugar in
elegant forms, and are easily access
ible to every one when needed.
The facetious DR.. Holmes has said
that If the contents of our drug-stores
werel taken out upon tho ocean and
thro En overheard it would be better
for the human race, but worse for the
1ishek This statement may be a little
swebping, but it is true that quite all
the snowy bottles in drug-stores which
contain alcoholic decoctions and
tinctures might be submerged in tho
ocean, and invalids would suffer no
detrimcnt. Since the active alkaoidai
and resinoidal principles of roots,
barlls and gums have been isolated,
and put into better and more con-
venient forms, there is no longer need
OF alcoholic tinctures and eliXirs.
Laudanurn, which is tincture of
opium, might be banished from the
ShaVpC nf hnnDp1y DC IL ic
not needed. 1t is now known that the
valuable narcotic and hypnotic
principles Of opium are contained in
certain crystalline bodies, which can
be isolated and used in minute and
convenient forms. and that they can
be held in aqueous solutions. Alcohol
is no longer needed to hold the active
principles of opium, Peruvian bark,
or other indispensable drugs As re-
CARDS the vegetable tonics, so called,
the best among them is the columbia
(RdGtr cotunj0), and this readily
yields its better principle to water, us
do quaSsia, gentian, SIENNA, rhubarb.
and most other valuable substances. A
careful survey of the contents of a
well-appointed modern pharmacy
leads to the conclusion that there is no
one indispensable medicinal prepar-
alton which requires alcohol as u free
constituent.
The catalogue Of modern remedies
is almost endless, and many OF them
hold alcohol in some form; but every
intelligent physician knows that
ninety per cent of these alleged
remedies have little or no intrinsic
value. The nostrums of the quacb,
the bitters, elixirs, cordials, extracts,
ETC., nearly all contain alcohol. and
this is the ingredient which aids in
their sale. The whole unclean list
might. with advantage to mankind,
be thrown to the fishes.
The chemist. more particularly the
pharmaceutical chemist. may inquire
how he is to conduct his processes
without alct hol. 1t is from the
pharmaceutical laboratory we derive
some OF the most important sub