The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-07-26
TEMPERANCE NOT.
ALCOHOL IN MEDICINE
Physicians Implored to Cease PrescI
Liquors.

taught, by my preceptor, that all Z
holics were stimulants, and shouE
prescribed in all cases where a SCI
strain on the vitality of your pa,
was brought to bear. entered Sd
fully imbibed with the stint
theory, fully expecting, when emf
the field of practice, to fill my pal
full of spirits fr,aiianti on the leaf
pearance of general weakness on
ing of vitality, and was induced til
them little as preventive: and
was my surprise when Prof. Sim,
lecture, said alcohol was not s.
liant in any sense of the word
should be classed as narcotic pd&
This declaration, of course, put
studying, and l have come to thd
illusions which 1 will endeavor
forth in this paper.
l. l do not consider alcohol
liant in any sense of the word.
2. l believe it to be a marc otic p, "a
B. | do not think it should Ell
prescribed by a physician who hi
welfare of his pats o1,l = s..etl--,-,ltss
and moral, at heart.
These three cesertions may VSa
very strange to older physiciana a
| may to some sound egotisticdl from Q
so young in the profession. But letH
say that | am not so conceited as
think know it all. The above conci
sions have been arrived at after CA
full study of the subject.
| will first take up and try to pro
that alcohol is depressing in its effet
from the first. No one will deny tn
alcohol in large quantities is depre
ing: but some hold that it is in SIN
| quantities stimulant, in large quar-
ties a depressant. Let us analyze
statement. Can a substance which CO
pletely paralyzes the system be rega
ed as stimulant? When alcohol is fl
introduced into the system it produi
period Of excitement, not stimulate
| This excitement is similar to IL
produced by all narcotics, q
is caused by dilatation of
capillaries of the brain 7
the entire system. The heart bel
| quicker but not stronger; the increaa
heart beat is caused by the dilatat!
of the capillaries, which throws off
terial tension; thus the heart has <
to do and consequently beats fast
! The heart is a machine which perfol
the work of propelling the bl !
through the arterial system of bla
vessels, and ordinarily it beats seve
times per minute, with sufficient fl
to carry the blood to every part of 4
system, against a normal amounW
arterial tension. Now under the eff
of alcohol large per cent. of this 4
sion is taken off, which of course
lows the heart to beat faster.
Take for an illustration the dr
wheel of an engine which is produi
a power equal to ten horses. 1t
make sixty revolutions a mini
Throw off the belt, and it will--u5l
hundred per minute with m ehe
power. Is the wheel stimulate OF |
| it has less resistance, and OF are
runs faster. Alcohol does not har
stimulate the heart, but throws pro
tension, and it for time beats are
Alcohol, from it's first dose are
produces its narcotic effects, a, thei
J the same. 1t is absurd to suppt upO
it has two effects SO directly OPP drr
stimulation and narcotism. plac
stance which stimulates, kills | mac
stimulation; a substance whi' ton
cotizes, kills by coma. Take, Uni
ample, strychnia, which is
stimulant; how does it kill? b
stimulation, which produces tn II
BILE convulsion and contraction. kill:
l'opium, which is a typical nj ard
how does it kill? BY coma. A Al
to me that alcohol is at first fort
liant, and then a narcotic. 70 is Gems
to stand investigation. All n; hab
have first period Of excitement A.
is typically portrayed in alcohol hav
cation. If alcohol is first a stiI nua
what on earth can tell it w trat
change its action? What is it II
says, Mr. Alcohol, you have stin fles
this gentleman long enough; it moe
you put in your second action, houi
press him awhile? l do not for A
see how a physician can belle long
any medicine can have suchef that
to stimulate a while and del erie
while. ~ won
When | first started to practic W
cine in the country, every ~ stro
came after me always got SOM and
the idea of having sick folH habl
doctor without whisky was II You
thought of. The doctor who h1 Nhabl
tiecd here before me always pre- CT i
it, and always liked to take alid sefn
his patients, to see if it wa may
whisky; and let me say, a doc'WOn
drinks whisky always prescribe -.
his patients. A doctor who cheyW
bacco always prescribes tobacco. IlH
use 1t and imagine it does themj +
and prescribe it for all ills. A i've
clan who is careful about the tind n
and fluid extracts he uses, alwal Is
quiring if they are p. & D. or S.
eSsayed extracts, and will have IA
ing but the best, will send his -
scriptions to one of the ante-roor
hell, called q saloon, and there
drunk bartender will fill them on A.
barrel which has three or four plu
navy tobacco and ten pound
India berries in it. Oh, consiste N
thou art a jewel! Doctors. stop
think what you are doing beford
tell your patients to take three or
drinks of whisky a day. Stop
think that that man has the utM
confidence in you, and does wha