Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-04-04
CASTOR OIL JAGs POSSIBLE.
Paraffine, Kerosene and Cod Liver
Oils Also IntoXicate.

In the usual acceptation of the term
intoxication, or drunkenness. or in
ebriety-for they all mean practically
the same thing-is referred to the eN-
cessiye use of alcoholic beverages in
one form or another. Norman Kerr,
the highest English authority on the
subject, has pointed out however, that
there are a great many things besides
alcohol which produce intoxication
aud that alcohol inebriety is not so
dangerous or deleteriouS in its effects
as some other kinds of intoXication
DR.. Kerr enumerates among the things
that make drunk come" as the In
dian expresses 1t, ether, cocaine, eau de
cologne, iodine, opium, hasheesh
paraffine, kerosene and even such
seemingly innocuous substances as cod
liver oil and castor OIL 1t would seem
almost incredible that there could be
such q thing as Kerosene inebriety or
cod liver oil intoxicaton, but the rec
ords of scientific research, as set forth
by DR.. Kerr are not to be disputed.
The fact seems to be that Overindul-
gence in any one of the numerous
substances known generically as para
triples begets cumulative appetite,
and that this is accompanied in time
by functional arrangement, and, worse
still, by slackening and weakening
Of moral fiber. Tea, coffee and to-
bacco, while less injurious to most peo-
pie than alcohol or opium or ether,
serve to illustrate the familiar saying
that the appetite grows by what it
feeds on. The tobacco habit. the cof-
fee habit. the tea habit may grow on
one until what was once Il want be-
comes an actual need. and each is as
necessary to the comfort if not the
health Of the devotee as food itself.
In the discussion of al these ques-
lions science is at n disadvantage, says
the san Francisco Chronicle. because
first no two human beings are exactly
alike; and second, no individual is eX-
actly the same ut different times. One
man may drink almost mmberleSs
drinks and evince no sign of intOXca-
tion. while another will become maud
lin ut the smell of q cork out of Il
whisky bottle Then. too. the man Of
clear head and strong digestion, to
whom usually liquor is almost as
water, may find himself in Il condition
where single glass of wine will up
set him. Science cannot deal with
such contradictory conditions. one
thing seems certain-that the human
race. so long as its records have been
kept, has always found ways and
means to impose upon itself the condi-
ton which we call drunkenness. The
theory and process OF fermentation,
and even OF diStilation. has certainly
been known for four Il CUSand years,
and mnl, 1T least since the days of
Noah, have continued to put into their
mouths the enemy that steals away
their brains. Happily the average OF
intoNication. ut least in all civilized
countries, is decreasing. Drunkenness
has gone ont of fashion. and while
prohibition has not won the day, mod
Grafton and temperance have achieved
a notable victory. There will be just
as many ways of getting drunk as
ever, and modern science may discover
many people to intoXicate themselves
as there were in the times to which
we refer as the good old days" when
abstinence from intOXicantS was
deemed evidence of physical and men
tai weakness or folly.