The Monitor-register., 1897-07-23
Non-Alcoholics IN Medicine.

BY LYDIA w. STOKES M. ID.
[ 1t gives the writer of Gleanings great
pleasure to be permitted to present to the
readers of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the
following brief, but able treatment of
subject that is claiming the attention of
physicians through the efforts of white
ribboners, throughout the State
The idea in the popular mind that
alcohol is stimulant has so long existed
that it is difficult to raise the question
and to combat it.
People are astonished, many are in
credulous, when they hear alcohol
called narcotic, sedative, an anesthetic
or a depressant. Yet many eminent
scientists are convinced that so far from
having tonic effect, it weakens, para
lyzes and destroys.
That alcohol in large quantities is
harmful, 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 a beneficial effect follows it's
use. The idea is that it stimulates the
heart, tones up a weak and weary sys-
tenn, warns a chilled. body, etc. Let us
see what ONE medical authorities say
about these points.
DR.. Harley, of London, believes the
increase of the hearts force and fire.
quency of beat to be wholly due to the
paralyzing influence of the alcohol on
the nerves that are meant to restrain and
govern the hearts action.
DR.. Davis. of Washington, says that
this substance "does not protect indi
viduals from cold by increasing the
temperature, nor from weakness by
nourishiDg live tissues" but simply like
ether and choloform, "by dimini shipg
the sensiDility of his nervous structures,
thereby lessening his consciousness of
cold, or weariness. or pain"
DR.. James Edmunds states that
"Aloohol is never stimulant at all when
we come to examine it, and 1t neoer acts
like anything but a paralyser."
In short, not to multiply quotations,
the ooncensus of opinion among large
number of prominent 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 demon
strate to the world that this poqoertul
drug can be almost entirely dispensed
with in the practice of medicine. The
older one is the London Temperance
Hospital, which it's founder, DR.. James
Edmunds, states, has Al per cent. lower
mortality than any other hospital, tax
ing the same number of cases.
The other is our National Temperance
Hospital ia Chicago, whose records, to
quote Miss Willard. ''prove conclusively
that alcohol is entirely unnecessary in
the treatment of disease" Physicians
have watched the results and many have
finally discontinued the use of poison in
their practice.
A leading American author and
scientist of-over fifty years experience.
DR.. N. D. Davis, says: II have found no
case of disease and no emergency arising
from accidents that | could not treat
more successfully without any firm Of
fermented or distilled liquors than with
it "
Sr Hsnry Thompson. of London, a
celebrated physician. asserts that
alcoholic drugs are perfectly useless for
any of the conditions of life to which n
are subject, save under the most excep-
tional circumstances.