The Press., 1893-08-24

perience, or could they realize that they transmit to their posterity hereditary taint that is too horrible to contemplate But the truth comes to their impaired brains through so many insidious obsta. cles of prejudice, habit and appetite, that they are so enticed by the pleasurable exciting sensations that they do not trace the paralyzing effects directly to the amount of alcohol they consume, and SC are constantly cheating and fiattering themselves into conviction that they can use these poisonous beverages with impunity.
 Hence the deceived victims of alcoholic poisoning, prompted by an imperious thirst, go on and on, until finally chronic delirium or dementia takes possession oi the brain, or death itself, through some ordinary or extraordinary disease brought on or actively developed by alcoholic poisoning, closes the scene This is es pecially true when attacked by cholera diphtheria, pneumonia and other danger. ous maladies, the certain victim are al. ways those whose systems are impreg. mated with alcohol.
 Even when taken as a medicine, alco- holic beverages cheat both patient and doctor, and frequently produce results far worse than the disease Extensive hospital practice, both in this country and in. Europe, proves the great benefits of an entire exclusion of this poison as a reme- dy, other agents being used, which are quite as efficient, but not followed by the paralyzing or stupefying effects of alco- hops corrosive poison.
 Alcohol, in it's action on animal matter is somewhat analogous to arsenic, mor- phine, or strychnine; it tends to suspend decay in dead matter, and in live bodies 1 it paralyzes or inflames with congestion in this way showing that it is the active enemy of all life, in fact, death in disguise. We put reptiles and other animals, and sometimes dead men into alcohol, to pre- vent animalcule or microbes in the dead bodies from generating or living on the starchy substances contained in them; so that all actual life in the bodies is sus- pended. But certain disintegration in it's most active form is produced by the cor rosion of alcohol in living bodies, and in this way it proves itself to be an acrid deadly poison to human life.
 But the most horrible impositions on the credulity of suffering humanity are the many advertisements offering malt whis- key bitters, pure wines and other poison ous alcoholic liquors as remedies for heart failure, debility and nerve disorders gen. erally. This is the most pernicious vii. lainy, and should be suppressed as much worse evil than lotteries or gambling. Its atrocity is only exceeded by the treasona. ble sanction of license for price, to sell these alcoholic poisons as beverages on the most frequented thoroughfares
 More than two thousand years ago the results of alcohol on the body were com. pared to the bite of serpent and the stinging of an adder; and alcohol has not changed it's nature since. At the present time alcoholic beverages are certainly the most deceptive and dangerous elements oi death and destruction that exist, and the annals of criminal courts prove that it is terrible curse to the community and an aggravated nuisance generally.
 Yet these beverages are so fascinating and the poison in them so insidious, that the whole human race has been deluded and cheated for thousands of years. More injury has resulted from their use than has been occasioned by all the woes oi war, famine and pestilence combined. Now that science, experience, and an en. frightened reason have so largely dissi. pated these delusive cobwebs of apology for this vicious, selfish and unmanly ap- petite, these poisonous beverages should be banished from society with all the en. ergy that an injured and outraged people can command.