Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-05-20
Non-AIcohoIics in Medicine.

IA paper by DR.. Lydia W. Stokes. of Philadel-
phia, read at the recent w. q. T. U. gloucester
County Convention at Glassboro.l
The idea in the popular mind that alcohol is a
stimulant has so long existed that 1t is difficult
to raise the question and combat It, People are
astonished-many are incredulous when they
hear alcohol called a narcotic, sedative, an
anaesthetic or a depressant. Yet many eminent
scientists convinced that SO far from having
a tonic effect, it weakens, paralyzes and des-
troys. That alcohol in large qualities is harm
ful-abstracting water from the tissues, causing
fatty hearts. hardening the blood vessels,
poisoning the brains-very few people will deny.
But in small doses and prescribed by physician,
they think beneficial effect follows its use. The
idea is that it stimulates the heart, tones up a
weak and weary system warns chilled body,
etc. Let us see what some medical authorities
say about these points. DR.. Harley of London
believe the increase in the hearts force and ire
quency of beat to be wholly due to the paraly-
! ling influence of the alcohol on the nerves that
are meant to retain or govern the hearts
actions.
| Dr. Davies, of Washington says that this sub
stance :" does not protect individuals from cold
| by increasing the temperature, nor from weak
ness by nourshing these tissues, but simply, ike
| ether and chloroform, it diminishes the sensl-
bility OF MS nervous structure, thereby essening
| his consciousness OF cold or WEAKNESS or pain
| DR.. James Edmonds states that alcohol is never
| stimulent at all when we come to examine It,
and it never acts like any thing but paralyzer.
In short, not to multiply quotations, the concen
| sers of opinion among large number OF prom1-
| nent medical and chemical Investigators, is that
alcohol is only and at all times narcotic, and
you know that tobacco belongs to the same class.
| There are two institutions that demonstrate to
| the world that this powerful drug can be almost
entirely dispensed with in the practice of medi-
| cine. The older one is the London Temperance
Hospital, which its founder DR.. James Edmonds
states has AZ per cent. lower mortality than any
other hospital taking the same number OF cases;
| The other is our National Temperance A0spleaii
| in Chicago whose records-to quote Miss Willard
-proye cnnclusiyely that alcohol is entirely I'M
necessary in the treatment. Physicians nave
watched the results and many have finally DIS
continued the use of the poison in their practice
| A leading American author ana sclentlst OF
over SO years experience. Dr. w. Il. DAVIES, says:
I have found no case of disease and no emer-
gency arising from accidents that | could not
treat more successfullr without any form OF Ter
mented and distilled liquors than with it
| Sir Henry Thompson. of London. celebrated
physicia asserts that alcoholic drugs are per-
fectly useless for any of the conditions OF IRE TO
which men are subject, save under most excep-
| tional conditions.
DR.. r Nichols, of Boston, makes more
| sweeping statement as follows: In no instances
of disease in any form is it medicine when
might not be dispensed with and other agents
| substituted.
These men are not alone in their opinions.
1 there are hundreds of others with learning and
experience enough to give weight to their words
| who say and believe the same thing. NOW arises
| the questionable shall we use in the place or
this useless drug. Instead OF wine or porter
| taken as a tonic for WORKOUT system. one
4 debiiiated by Illness or overWork-use unfer-
mented grape juice, Blairs non-aleoholc matt,
hot milk, egg cream, or egg lemonade.
| In an emergency. as fainting, accident or col
collapse depend on the preparations of ammonia
inhaled and taken in small doses.
Where Jamaica ginger or brandy have been
relied upon for the relief OF collie or other pains
| in the abdomen, use hot applications and give
hot water. ginger sea, and capsicum tea. Or
| better have your physician prescribe remedy
Naturally am prejudiced against home pre-
scribing, therefore 1 give only these few ex-
ampIes trusting that your doctor will know of
| substitutes for all other needs.
| If this is not the case, and greatly do regret
that so often it is not then comes an opportunity
| for you to give him an arrest of thought on the
subject. You can quote the great names OF the
profession, give him leaflets in which ne may
read their state.