The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-06
LEGAL POISON.

\ F.onch newspaper, under the heading,
sAlcohol u Legal Poison" draws attention to
startling facts respecting the abuse o. al
cOhol shows the mischief that is being donc
BY tho bad, cheap brandy now being sold
throughout France; and which enters more
or less into the composition OF nearly every
drink Of IN alcoholic nature. Statistics prove
this thirst for alcohol to be alsrnliugly on the
increase hero. For every litre OF brandy that
WIS sold in 1870, now five times that quan-
sity is sold. The rapid increase Of cabarets
and wine shops in every part of Paris is
proof OF this. A competent writer on this
subject 5nys: "AlcohOl is becoming for the
FrenchniGu what opium Is for the Chinese.
and it enjoys on the part of the Government
the sama protection that the opium trade does
in China" a profound study on this impor-
tant question by NJ. Lcrdier dc Rambervil-
liers has Just been read before the Academy
Of Medicine. It describes alcoholism and its
consequences as Il hereditary virus poisoning
the blood Of children yet unborn, and beget-
ling in them serofula, epilepsy, madness, in
stinctS for assassination. and other vicious
and deadly tendencies.
TESTIMONY or FAMOUS ENGLISn DOCTOR.
At n recent public meeting in England, Sir
Benjamin Ward Richardson, NJ D., reviewed
.he position taken by him twenty-five years
lgo with reference to alcohol, which may be
summed up as follows
Il can no more accept it as food than can
ehioroform, or ether, or methyl. Tha. aIco-
col produces temporary excitement is true,
but as its general action Is to reduce animal
1cat [ cannot see how it Gin supply animal,
iorcc. can see clearly how it reduces ami
nal power. and Gun show q reason for using
It in order tostop physical pain, or to stupefy
mental pain; but that it gains strength. that
it supplies material for construction Of It's
sue. OF throws force int tissues supplied by
jther matcrial-must be an error as solemn
IS it is widespread. The true character OF
slcohol is that it il an agreeable temporary
Stroud. TO resort for force to alcohol is, To
ny mind, equivalent TO the act OF searching
:or the sun in subtcrranean gloom, until all
S night.
These we-c the words Of 1862" said the
teCrae5 scientist. land now since quarter
If a century has elapsed since they Were
written and spoken, stand on the past. and
without prejudice. without Indifference, but
with observation and research maintained
Up to tho present moment, do not see
single reason for changing one idea or one
wori. ! have, however. something to add.
spoke, in 1869; on experiment. without per-
,onal experience. have been led by what
may call personal experiment to confirm
.he past on the present, and after twenty
hve years have come to the distinct conclu-
,ion, unhesitatingiy and undoubtingly ex-
pressed. that by abstinence have lost moth
ing. retained everything, and gained much.
Practice has sustained theory, and expert
snce experiment. When | had
overcome the physiological difficulties I
continued for some time to apply what
mad originally learned to the treatment of
disease. using alcohol as at least an ex-
,eptional remedy. Gradually it dawned
upon me that the error here might be as
great as the orror relating to health and al
eohol. When the London Temperance Hos
pital was opened to me l obtaihad field
such I had never had before TO, .cientiflc
obseryation-with the result that 700 acute
cases have come under my care, diseases Of
the most varied kinds and acutast in char
acter. all OF which bave been treated without
any recourse to alcohol or to anything that
may be called substitute for 1t. Recoverirs
from Severest discusses are as good. II not
better. under this method, than under the
old one, and conyalescence is unquesttOnn-
bly, advanced. the truth, in short, holds
good all through, that that which is best 10
health is best also in disease, and il it WE'RE
in the power OF any one tJ say, 1 remove
from Your reach alcohol rs Il medicine l
should answer, There is not medicine that
you can remove from me with greater i'm
DunitY.