Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-12-16
TEMPERANCE COLUMN
CONDUCTED BY THE ADDISON
COUNTY |. OCT.
Expert Testimony on the Use of Alcoholic
LinmOrs for Medicines md fnr nriu1.a

! Ihis does not mean simply testimony
by educated physicians, however great
their scholarship or reputation; nor the
testimony of educated men In general.
Before man can become an expert in
these matters, he must be one who has
given the subject special attention, so as
to have knowledge flrst-hand. Because
man is physician of many years.
practice is not conclusive evidence that
he has accurate knowledge about these
matters. He may have taken the old
theories about the beneficial effects of
intoxicating liquors when used properly,
and acted upon them without testing
them to find out whether they were ac-
curate or not. Such a mans testimony
Is good for nothing. If one asks what Is
the proper use of such liquors, the an
swer Is, use in moderation IL second
question is asked as to what amount il
within the limits of moderation, no de f.
mite answer is given. The whole sub.
ject ends in confusion.
The theory of the beneficial effects Of
Intoxicating liquors on the human svs-
tenn has never been proven. In attempt
ing to prove 1t o large amount of ex-
perimenting and observing has been
done by physicians and others. Such
experimentors are the experts in this
matter, and, if they are men of great
ability and have had good opportunity
for doing well their work, their testimony
comes to us of the laity with convincing
force. 1t is not what physicians in gen.
eral say of The effects of alcoholic LIQUORS
on man, in health or in sickness, that
is of any special value, but what do
those say who have given the matter
special attention and have gained know
ledge first-hand.
One of the experts on this subject in
the United States is DR.. j. II. Kellogg,
who stands at the head of the sanitarum
at Battle Creek, Mich. This sanitarium
is one of the leading institutions of its
kind in our country, and DR.. Kellogg
experimental for several years upon
thousands of patients to find out the
exact medicinal value of alcohol, as it is
found in different drinks and when used
IN different amounts. He is man capa-
BILE of making accurate observations and
he had the best of opportunity for doing
so. short time ago an individual In
Iowa wrote him asking him four ques-
tions which deal directly with this sub
Jet. Here are the questions with their
answers:
Questions ffrst-For what number and
proportion of your patients do you pre-
scribe, during years practice, no al
coholic liquors when other practitioners
would probably have given alcohol in
some form? Answer-Ot the eight or
ten thousand patients annually treated
in our % different institutions BY myself
and colleagues, not one receives alcohol
in any form. The practice of physicians
differs so widely that it is not easy to
say how many of these would have re-
ceived alcohol if they had been treated
by the average practitioner. 1t is really
hard to say what the average practition-
er would do nowadays, as there is rapid
change taking place In the practice of
the profession in the use of alcohol.
Ten years ago 1 think nine-tenths of
them would have received alcohol from
the average practicing physician; at the
present time perhaps One-fourth.
Question second-DO you consider that
more favorable results are obtainable
without than with the use of alcohol as
medicine? Answer-Certainly or |
should use it; for do not refuse to use
alcohol for my patients on sentimental
grounds, but on scientific grounds.
Question third-At this stage in the
advance of medical science is it safe and
practicable to wholly dispense with the
use of alcoholic liquors as a medicine ?
Answer--Certainly; it is not only safe
to dispense with alcohol, but safer than
to use it. | know of no disorder in
which alcohol can be curatively helpful.
Question fourth-Do you think it pos
sibie to have gotten along in treating
our soldiers In the war with Spain with
out the use of alcoholic medicines? An
swer-Most certainly. | am satisfied
that the extensive use of alcohol among
the soldiers suffering from typhoid fever
was in some instances to the highest de-
gree damaging to them. | am sorry to
be obliged to say this, but it is my
opinion that in time every branch of the
medical profession should come 10
recognize the fact that the use of slcohol
Is not only or no service In typhoid
fever, but highly detrimental to the in
terest of the patient and damaging to
! his prospect for recovery.
Such testimony is not to be put lightly
aside, but to be considered. Notice DR..
Kellogg says, 81 know of no disorder in
which alcohol can be curatively helpful. D."
He does not stand alone in this matter.
One of the model hospitals in London,
England, is the Temperance Hospital.
Its medical staff Is composed of physi-
clans of distinction. Every one of them
is free to use all the alcohol he wishes in
the treatment of diseases, the only regu-
lations being that he fully report it to
the board. In one of the reports of the
medical practice in the hospital this
sentence occurs: "As a matter of fact.
alcohol has only been used in one or
!