Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-04-28
TEMPERANCE COLUMN
CONDUCTED UNDER AUSPICES OF
ADDISON COUNTY |. o. 6. T.

should Alcohol BE Used i'm the Treatment |
of Disease?-E Experience of Temperance
Hospitals in the United states.
In previous paper some testimony
was given from the new, large and well
appointed London Temperance Hospital,
showing how successfully alcohol
was dispensed with there. The state
ment was made that in twenty-five
years it had been administered in but
twenty cases, and that the death rate
was low compared with other hospitals.
The writer can mention three hospi-
tails which have come to his knowledge
in this country, where it is the practice
TO treat disease without alcohol. One
of these has been recently established
in New York under the auspices of the
Red Cross society, and is located at 233
West One Hundredth st. On the
medical staff is DR.. George F. Shrady,
who became well known as physician to
President Garfield and President Grant.
He has thus expressed himself on the
subject:
"There is altogether too much loose
ness among physicians in prescribing
alcohol. 1t is a good stimulant, but
dangerous drug. In cases where it Will
do no good it is sure to do harm, often a
great harm. For that reason it should
never be given unless it is plainly
needed. 1t is like knife-good in its
place. There" said the doctor, pointing
to knife IN glass case, sis the knife
that cut President Garfield, and the
knife did him good, but | would not stick
it into every sick man in my care. | am
bound to no school of medicine, and
would not say that would not use any
particular remedy. Should the occasion
arise, | would do anything which
deemed necessary to save life. But
there is much more alcohol used by
physicians than is necessary, and it does
great harm. Whiskey is not a prevent
/ i've; it prevents no disease whatever,
contrary to a current notion. 1t should
also be remembered that alcohol is a
medicine and not food. A sick man
has need of stimulants and can consume
more without injury than a well man !;
but for a healthy man to drink is a posi-
! tive injury, like burning a candle at both
]
blamed wrongfully in many cases.
People who want to drink and Go drink
often lay it on to the physician who
prescribed it. They are always ready
for excuses. They drink at weddings,
at communion, and at funerals. The
devil feeds with long spoon. ! think
that in most cases where alcohol is now
used, other drugs with which we are
familiar could be used with far better
effect and with no harmful results.
There Is, however, an occasional case
where | think that nothing yet con-
trived quite takes it place. 1t is ques-
ton of Judgement
In 1895 no less than 1873 cases were
treated at this hospital without the use
of alcohol. Among the substitutes en-
ployed were ammonia. catfein, nitro
glycerin and koafra. At the head of the
institution is DR.. Lesser, German ply
sician who few years ago would have
secuted the idea of discarding the use of
liquor from his practice. He now is
Convinced that there is no need of it, and
that other agencies will do just as much
good and leave none of the disastrous
effects.
The Maryland Medical college of
Baltimore was reported few moths ago
as about to open hospital of the same
kind.
The Woman's Christian Temperance
union have for several years operated a
hospital in Chicago. called The National
Temperance Hospital My latest aces
sible Information reports it in 1891 as
not operating on very large scale
owing to lack of room and want OF
funds, 40 cases being treated In one
year. But their death rate was only a
little more than half that of severa
prominent hospitals in the city where
alcohol was used. Patients were turned
away every week for lack of accom-
mediation. Some further light on the
subject is given by DR.. J. II. Kellogg
who is at the head of Battle Creek San
itarium, and who in answer to the fol
lowing questions gives the statement;
annexed:
so For what and proportion of YOU
patients do you prescribe, during {
., years practice, no alcoholic liquors
where other practitioners would prob
| ably have gwen alcohol in some form
(2) Do you consider that more favorable
results are obtainable without than will
the use of alcohol as medicine? CD 4
this stage in the advance of medica
science. is it safe and practicable t
wholly dispense with the use of alcoholic
liquors as medicine? (l) Do you thinl
-,
ing our soldiers in the war with SpaiI
without the use of alcoholic medicines -
Q) OF the eight or ten thousand pa
, tlents annually treated in our % difleren
Institutions by myself and colleagues
not one receives alcohol in any form
| The practise of physicians differs ST
widely that lit is not easy to say how
many of these would have received
alcohol if they had been treated by tn,
ave rage practitioner. 1t is really hard t,