The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-01
MEDICAL USE OF ALCOHOL.

The undoubted fact that medicinal drugs,
IN three or four repiHtons Of the dose, have
often proved sufficient to initiate the alcohol
habit, is as grave an argument against tne
prescription of such stimulants as Is the cir
cumstance that single dose OF the same
passion of O reformed drlmkard, 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 OF
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 O pernicious drug
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 similar concll-
sion"
"The banishment of alcohol" says the edi-
tor of the Boston Journal of Chemistry,
'woIld not deprive us of single one of the
indispensable agents which modern clv1llza-
ton demands. Neither would chemical
science be 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
digestive tonic is exactly analogous to the
popular fallacy which mistakes process Of
irritation for q process Of inTgoration, and
which in this case accepts the effect OF
digestive poison-fever as an evidence OF re-
stored health. In its effort Of sef-preserva-
energy to e1pel q e-endangering poison,
but that task once accomplished, the OBJ
normal activity Of the system yields TO
torpor Of exhaustion, which IN it's turn has
to Be relieved by q more reckless application
of the spur till the repetition Of the outrage
ends in total collapse Of vital vigor.
1t is equally certain that the alleged anti
pyretic, or fever preventing effect Of alcohol
is founded merely on the circumstance that
the animal organism can rarely attend TO
more than one disease at time. A severe
burn will, for time, confer immunity from
the tortures of bad toothache. a severe
catarrh win tbreak" a spell Of obstinate
asthma A sick headache viii give way to
the effects Of a sprain, though otter reduc-
ton Of the swelling, the former trouble is
apt 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-bite may
actually be neutralized by brandy Though
other drugs WILL answer Gno same purpose ~
promptly, and with less collateral risk, but
unlike the virus administered by the snap
bite of O rattle-snake, malaria can afford to
bide it's time, and is sure to repeat its attack,
too often with the result of forcing the sur
render of citadel weakened by an assault
from another side.
Only q few weeks ago Mr.. Archibald, the
Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, published
memorandum to demonstrate the advantage
of total abstinence habits in resisting tho 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, I 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 latitudes, the conta-
giousness # summer diseases assumes its
deadliest forms in alcoholzed communities.
1.-THE use of alcoholic drinks" says DR.. r. E.
Adams, IT have found to be a great dispos-
ing cause of malignant disorders. So strong
is my opinion on this point, that, were given
authority and power, I would pfacard every
spirit-shop intown with these words: Cholera
cold berebn-Dr OS,Ddld in the Voice