The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-11-16
TEMPERANCE HOSPITAL.
Demonstrates Alcohol Is Not
Needed rs Medicine.

Notwithstanding that this hospital
has been doing the work for 25 years
having been opened in 1878 - there
are still many people, even total alb
stainers, who do not know of its ex-
istence, and many more who do not I'M
derstand its principles and the motives
of its establishment, nor the extent of
its operations.
Thirty years ago medical practice
might almost be summed up in the
words "alcoholic stimulation" The
doctrines of the late DR.. Todd had
largely affected the medical mind. AL
coholic liquors were regarded as
stimulants of vital force, and as sup
plying a most nourishing and easily as
simulated food to the tissues. Scarce
ly any disease was treated without
some form of alcoholic liquor, and often
in large quantities. Not only was al
cohol given during the progress of the
disease, but its various mixtures (beer,
wSne, etc. were regarded as most val
liable aids to convalescence; to neglect
them was regarded as dangerous to life
itself.
So insistent and persistent were
large numbers of medical men that a
great many total abstainers were in
duced to abandon their habit during
illness, and contracted such q craving
for drink during convalescence that
they never resumed it. The exagger-
ated idea of the very great value of al
cohol as medicine and a preservative
of health and strength which this brac-
tice led so many to entertain proved
most disastrous.
The London temperance hospital
was founded in 1878 in a private house
in Cover street, London, with II beds
Such was the prejudice with regard
to alcohol that it was expressly stated
in the rules that any of the visiting
medical staff might order alcohol in a
pure form in any case in which he
might consider it necessary, and that
special notes should be kept of such
cases and of the results of its admin
istration. Up to the present time
there have been 81 such cases, 81 surgic-
al and 10 medical, of which 20 have
died, or II per cent.
The accompanying tables give the
statistics presented at each annual
meeting up to that Just held March
1S99), by which it will be seen how the
work of the hospital has increased both
in its i'm and "out" department. In
1881 new building was opened in the
Hampstead road, by which the number
of beds was increased to 50, and in 1885
a second wing was added and the beds
increased to Sc. In 1898 another bed
was added in a specially constructed
''asceptic ward" A sum of c 500
($2,500) has just been allotted to the
fund, on condition that 10 new beds
were added, and this is now accom-
plished, as a liberal friend has given
6 LOCO ($5,0OO) for their maintenance
for one year.
Cases of every description are adj
mitted, of exactly similar character to
those admitted in other general hos
pitfalls; nevertheless the death rate has
been under seven per cent. of the whole
number of 1924 in-patients. which, as
far as it goes, is strong testimony to
the value of non-alcoholic treatment.
1t may be added that in consequence
of the success of this hospital other
Temperance hospitals" have been es-
tablished in other parts of the world,
while there has been concurrently
very large diminution in the amount of
alcoholic liquors consumed in other
general hospitals.
The thousands of persons cured in
this hospital have undoubtedly re-
ceived practical demonstration of the
possibility of recovery without alco-
hol, many of them from the severest
diseases and operations. and in no case
have habits of intemperance been con-
tracted to their ultimate ruin, as is so
frequently the case when Intoxicating
liquors are employed.
In the extensive out patient depart
ment very many have been saved from
following advice to drink alcoholic bev-
erages, which they had been recon-
mended to do by doctors and friends.
This hospital, then, proves to demon
stration that the large quantities of al
coholic liquors still prescribed in sick
ness are quite unnecessary, and in all
probability often actually in iurious.-
DR.. j. j. Ridge, Senior Physician of the
Hospital.
ARROWS.