The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-01-23
La GriDDe.

DIR. J. W. HERING.-l have rarely known
SO much sickness in our community us has
prevailed here for the past few weeks.
Scarcely a family has been exempt, and
while most of the cases have been mild,
others have been severe, and quite a number
fatal.
Influenza, or La Grippe, as the French call
it, has been charged with most Of the trouble,
and suspect truly, for the type of disease
has been vastly worse, in most instances, than
ordinary cold. The grip is supposed by
many persons to be a new disease, but this
is not so. 1t has prevailed from time to
time for centuries, and all over the world
and always in sweeping epidemcs. 1t is Il
very depressing form of disease, but is rarely
fatal, except as it is complicated with disease
of some other kind, or where 1t occurs IN old
persons. or persons of otherwise enteebled
constitutions, as for instance, persons whose
vital resistance has been weakened by the
continuous use of alcoholic stimulantS. In
deed, persons who are given to the liquor
habit are always an easy prey TO any form
of severe, acute disease. Stimulants, them
selves, are peaceful agents of indirect de-
preston to the SYSTEM While the first effect
of stimulant appears to be that OF giving
strength to the system, it is not So.
Stimulants never give strength; they simply
call it forth That is all. They are TO the
man what the whip is to the horse. by the
use of the whip you may make horse pull a
load through the mire, in which he would
otherwise stick fast; but he will come out on
the other side painting for his breath, and III
a state comparative exhaustion. And so the
man is always weaker after the exhilerating
effect Of stimulant has passed off. And J
may remark that the only use to which
alcoholic stimulants can ever be put ration
ally, is-under the direction of a consclen.
cious physician who prescribes them, to pull
the man through the mire; never more than
that.
If there use is continued, as we see every
day. the vital energies are exhausted and the
man DESTROYED; Just as the horse will be killed
by the continuous use oithe whip.
Some persons seem to entertain the idea
that stimulants protect the system against
disease The very opposite is true, as IS
borne out by the observations OF all nteiii-
gent doctors.
The physician always realizes that he is
coming in contact with troublesome case,
when he is called to attend man, who has Il
severe form of disease, and who has been an
habitual user of alchoholic stimulants. Why
Because he knows how depressing to the vital
forces is this habit. And moreover, II the
system then requires stimulants, as 1t prob
ably will, it has already become so aeeustom-
ed to their use, that they now have little
effect, and the man fails to pull through the
mire-dies-
Over and over again doctors have just such
an experience as this-a patient with an
amount Of disease not sufficient to kill MN,
under ordinary circumstances, and yet with
constitution too much shattered and enieebied
TO give him the slightest chance OF getting
well. the result being due rather to the non
resistance Of the system, than to the force
&c tba lisaasa