The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-12-07
W. c. T.U. COLUMN
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. L. HOBBS.
The Belief That Alcohol Relieves Ex
haustiOn.

1
DR.. N. s. Davis, a scientist Of au'
thority in this country says: al
ter an ample clinical field OF obser
vation in both private and hospital
practice for more than 80 years and
a continuous study Of our medical
literature, am prepared to main
tain the position that the ratio Of
mo, tally, from all the acute general
disco SEES, has increased in direct pro-
portion TO the quantity OF alcoholic
remedies administered during their
treatment. How can we reasonably
expect any other result from the use
# an agent that so directly and uni
formly diminishes the cerebral, re-
spiratory, cardiac and metabolic
functions OF the living human body?
Both the popular and professional
beliefs in the efficiency Of alcoholic
liquids for relieving exhaustion,
lfaIntness, shock, ETC., are equally
fallacious. +"
We have now, both in Europe and
liz this country, large hospitals treat :
ing their thousands OF cases with' u.
one drop 0. alcohol and with Il 9
most satisfactory results. In some
hospitals whole wards have been d.
vided, some put upon the old alco-
nolic treatment and others upon one
entirely free from its use, and the
percenta. Of recovery without il
was fully equal to that with it, and
lin some wards much greater.
1t is dangerous experiment for
a physician to pres r.be ale hol as
a curative agent in disease, and |
am glad to announce that the med
ical fraternity has at last arrived at
a point when it is looking into the
hangers of the practice, and hosts Of
the leading minds are calling halt
in It's use. Intemperance is the
:urse OF all curses OF modern civil
lation. So many have been and SO
many are addicted to the use OF al
coholics that physician in pre-
.cribing it in illness little knows
what a confagration he may be
xndling by applying the fuel to the
lingering, laIent spark hidden with
n his patient. Then when other
lrugs will answer better he is not
,xcusable for the practice.
Physicians should be wise,
thoughtful and judicious, and re-
mem Der that they have not only the
Welfare Of their patients at stake,
but possibly progeny to follow,
They should never prescr be alcoho
vheil it can possibly he avoided, a;
il is more dangerous and more
|treacherous than either OF the other
Ipcisons | first enumerated.
"Oh," you say, "are there times
when it cannot be avoided" Here
- where, as a medical man, ! am
,om PEELED to draw medium line
There are conditions which are diff
icult to bridge over without the i'm
mediate action OF diffusible stimu.
liant, or, as some may choose t
term alcohol, an irritant, to excite
the hearts action more quickly thar
IAN be accomplished with ammoni
acs. But those instances are very
very rare, and then it is more thu
mechanical effect that is sought thar
curative one. Something elst
must te looked to for that. Blu
his should be only for temporary
relief when all else fails, as that i:
the only medicinal virtue it has
When a conscientious physician il
! (if every forced to its use in bridg
ing over a chasm Of sudden RELAPSE
|or prostration, attended with appa
rently empty blood vessels, h'
should do so with a mental protest
realizing that he is inevitably doint
mischief in some other direction
and should not continue its us
ongcr than the few minutes Required
to produce a rallying effect. Unde
no other circumstances do | con
slider alcohol advisable as remedia
agent in the treatment Of disease.
Physicians are not all exemp
from the weakness Of yielding 10th
force or habit, and some Of then
have given alcohol so long as sup
pos d re.r edy that they still go OF
lin the old ruts, regardless Of caure
or effects. This is noticeable no
only in private practice, but also il
many public institutions, such a
some Of our insane asylums, wher
lin many cases the patients hav
reached their unfortunate condition
Through the drink habit, and yet tn
|, appetite is kept alive and fred a
Iby the use Of alcoholics permitte'
or prescribed by the medical attend
ants, and the insanity is prolonged
But, thanks to the recognition Q
|hyRienic laws and the light OF tn