The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-07-13
THE GINGER HABIT.
Not Alone In Maine Docs 1t Supple.
ment the Use Of Liquor.

PHILADELPHIA, PA, July 10.-The GIN
ger habit has supplemented the liquor habit.
1t has become kind of rage in some classes
OF society, and its dangerous inroads upon
health are forcing 1t upon the attention of
physicians, while as an outgrowth of high
license legislation, it is at the same time rec
commencing itself to the attention of the
law makers. The ginger habit is worse than
the ordinary liquor habit, because it is more
rapid in its effects and means early ruin to
the health of the individual. 1t has only re-
Gently come to the attention of the physi-
clans and druggists that in thousands Of
families the peppery dose that has borne the
popular appearance Of innocence and res
pecta6Illty las become an agent Of debauch-
cry. The tincture OF ginger, or Jamaica gin
ger, as 1t Is popularity known, is the strong
est and most irritating acholic solution
known, ranking next to alcohol absolute,
which is undrinkable, and standing equal to
commercial alcohol, which Is never used as
beverage. The Jamaica ginger is sold by
druggists and grOcers in ounce vials, and
the un0ottied tincture is retailed at one
ounce and upward. During the past few
months the demand for the article, which
has been steadily growing tor number of
years, has become unprecedented, and some
druggists are already beginning to flag" hab-
itual inquirers. The greatest demand is in
those sections that are at distance from the
principal business centers of the city,
druggists themselves have experienced and
noted the rapid growth Of the traffic. The
most alarming phase of the habit Is the pre-
Valenc6 among women.
DR.. w. g. Mcconnell said, recently:
The tincture of ginger can be bought for
about five cents an ounce. 1t contains fully
50 per cent Of alcohol, so that in an ounce of
ginger there is nearly an ounce of whis-
key. The way 1t Is now being used is amaz-
Ing. knew physician, man very promi-
% %nent in his profession. VINO died only short
time ago from the effects of ginger drinking
You would think physician would know
better. and he did, but in spite of the warn
ings and protestations of his friends In the
professions, he would use Ii daily as a bev-
erage, diluting 1t One-third. was In drug
store only few days ago when a young girl
came In twice. buying at each time ounces
of ginger. The druggist said that she had
been in twelve times that day. He knew that
her mother and her sisters drank 1t, but it
never occurred to him that he should refuse
to sell them the article. was called not
long ago to attend women who admitted to
me that she was in the habit of drinking 16
ounces day. Think what dose that is !
1t would have the strength of more than
twice that amount of whisky lt would sur
prise you to know how many patients affilct-
ed with the ginger habit the physicians of
this city are now struggling with. The ma
]orlty OF them are women who, until few
years past, were accustomed to sending TO
tno hCi6uUUKluB SdlOOu IOE Deer OF WHISKY
whenever they wanted 1t, night or morning,
or Sunday. One women told me she began
TO drink lt when she could not run into a
handy saloon with her pitcher, but found
that she could buy all the ginger she wanted
at the druggists or at the grocery store, and
that it went further and had more effect than
anything else. Old drinkers at the bar are
familiar with the effects of ginger, and sup
pose the growth Of the habit had its origiu
with them. 1t Is encroaching upon the very
and afternoon gathering of ladies about the
table of some elegant hostess indulges in the
ginger tipple. 1t Is passed around diluted in
water, and it seems harmless enough. But
the habit once acquired is almost hopeless.
1t is worse than the liquor habit. The ginger
through which the alcohol percolates in its
manufacture is an irritant OF the worst kind
when taken in excess, and the alcohol is in
almost its absolute state. Its effects, too, are
distinctive. The ginger drinker invariably
Of ordinary intoxication. You will find all
the small drug stores outside the center Of
the city do an enormoaS business in ginger,
and the same with the grocery stores. There
ought to be legislation against its indiscrim-
mate sale, as there is against the indiserm-
mate sale of other alcoholic drinks.
A prominent druggist whose business is
wholesale and retail said the growing de-
mand for ginger had been noticed and COM
mented upon in his establishment and in
others which he had visited.
"In our store" he said, "we have adopted
the rule of refusing to sell ginger to any per-
son who appears to have been drinking, but
we have not gone so far yet as to refuse to
| fill the orders that are sent in to us from
families or that are brought in by children.
There ought to be some restriction, must
admit, but what and how? Most Of the gin
ger drinking is done down town, l should
| Judge by the quantities ordered by the drug
gists. Wesell good deal OF II, too, and to
people who would be Mortified If accused Of
tipping.
According to the pharmacopea, the for
mula for the tincture Of ginger Is: "Ginger.
| twenty parts: alcohol, sufficient quantity
to make 100 parts. MOisten the ginger with
| five parts of alcohol and macerate twenty
four hours, then pack 1t firmly in cylin-
drical percolator and gradually pour alcohol
upon 1t until 100 parts OF tincture are OBJ
| tanned"