The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-04-25

The undoubted fact that medicinal drugs,
In three or four repititions of the dose, have
often proved sufficient to initiate the alcohol
habit, is as grave an argument against the
prescription Of such stimulants as is the cir
cumstance that a single dose OF the same
liquors is almost sure to Teklpdle the latene
passion of reformed drunkai'd and thrust
him back into the whirlpool of misery, like
shipwrecked mariner pushed down from the
saving rocks which he had reached only by
force of utmost efforts. But the cogency or
that argument is still strengthened by the
testimony of eminent physicians who have
found that alcohol, even for the direct pur-
poses of its medical use, is not only dis
pensable but a pernicious drug. ..,
DR.. Andrew Clark, of London, court physi-
clan of the royal family and specialist in
the cure of nervous and digestive disorders,
admits that ''alcohol is not only not helper
of remedial work, but certain hinderer, and
every man who comes to the front Of the pro-
fession is sure to come to a similar conclu-
sion." :,
1.-THE Punishment of alcohol" says the edi-
tor of the Boston Journal Of Chemistry
would not deprive us of a single one OF the
Indispensable agents which modern clvllza,
ton demands Neither would chemical
science DO retarded by its loss In no IN
stance of disease in any form is it a medicine
which might not be dispensed with and other
agents substituted"
The belief in the value OF alcohol as q
digestive tonic is exactly analogous to the
popular falacy which mistakes process OF
irritation for process of invigoration, and
which in this case accepts the effect OF q
digestive poison-fever as an evidence OF re-
stored health In its effort of self-preserva-
ton, the vital organism works with feverish
energy to expel a life-endangering poison,
but that task once accomplished, the alb
&c tl,o, -ta viz n n
torpor of exhaustion, which in its turn has
to be relieved by more reckless application
of the spur, till the repetition of the outrage
ends in a total collapse of vital vigor. ;.
It is equally certain that the alleged anti.
pyretic, or fever-pfeventing effect OF alcohol,
is founded merely on the circumstance that
the animal organism can rarely attend to
more than one disease at time. severe
burn will, for a time confer immunity from
the tortures of bad toothache. A severe
| catarrh win ''break' spell of obstinate
asthma. A sick headache will give way to
the effects of sprain, though after reduc-
ton of the swelling, the former trouble Is
ant to reappear. For similar reasons malaria
may postpone its attack upon system sur
charged with the poison of alcoholic drugs.
| The (transient effect of serpent-bi may
actually be neutralized by brandy though
other drugs will answer the same purpose as
promptly, and with less collateral risk, but
unlike the virus administered by the snap
bite of q rattle-snake, malaria can afford to
bide its time, and is sureto repeat its attack,
too often with the result of forcing the sur
render of citadel weakened by an assault
rom another side
Only few weeks ago Mr. Archibald, the
Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, published
memorandum to demonstrate the advantage
of total abstinence habits in resisting the con-
tagion of yellow fever, and DR.. Livingston
has left record of his experience in testing
that principle under climatic conditions that
defied all other precautions. From my own
knowledge" says the author of Tropical
Diseases las well as from the observation
of others, am convinced that those who
drink nothing but water, or make it their
principal drink, are but little affected by
the climate, can undergo the greatest fatigue
without inconvenience and are less subject
to contagious or dangerous diseases"
Even in the higher ATTITUDES, the conta-
piousness IF summer diseases assumes its
deadliest forms in alcoholized communities.
1.-THE use of alcoholic drinks" says DR.. X. Il.
Adams, ~ have found to be great dispos-
ing cause of malignant disorders So strong
is nv opinion on this point, that were given
authority and power, would piacard every
spirit-shop in town with these words: Cholera
sold heref"-Dr. Os,Uald. in the Voice.