Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-06
FOR MODERATE DRINKERS
Alcohol and Its Derivatives Ars Too
Thoughtlessly Used.
Points by a Doctor Who Has Made a
Lifelong Study of the
Subject.


Dr. C. A. Greene in the Medical Record.
| I have read with much interest Prof. At
| waters report of the experiments which
| he has conducted at Aiddietown. Ionn.
| der the auspices of the committee of fifty
| for the investigation of the drink problem
| 1t has long been well known that the n.y.
| dro-carbons, the oils, fats. saccharine sub
| stances. starch and alcohol are heat-pro-
| ducing. and sources of energy in the hui
| man body. The recent experiments by
Prof. Atwater simply demonstrate that the
| humany body can oxidize-use as fuel-cre-
| ating energy-two and a half ounces of alco-
| hol in day. 1t is urged that the alcohol can
| be more rapidly converted into energy than
| the hydrocarbons mentioned, ordinarily
| used as food, and may subserve purpose
| in an emergency where rapid evolution of
| force is imperative. Unlike any other n.y.
| dro-carbon used as food or as a beverage,
| alcohol has a peculiarly subtle effect upon
| the nervous system. forming habit which
becomes mantacal and uncomfortable in
| character before the habitue is at all aware
| Of 1t. l am assured from observation ex-
| tending through fifty years of professional
| life that two and a half ounces of alcohol
| or the equivalent in the finest brandies,
WHISTLES. wines or ales, used daily for Il
period of time at all extended, Will not fail
| to make alcohol habitue of the most
| finely endowed man or woman in the world.
| The nervous system surely registers the
| abnormal impression, no matter how care
| fully the two and half ounces of alcohol
| may be taken. Once a habitue and under
! the control of the alcohol mania the strong
| est man or woman becomes impotent TO
| escape from the tyranny of its power.
In a neighboring town. three years ago,
| fifteen patients were reported cured of the
| alcohol habit by the Kelley method of
treatment; only two of these patients are
| sane today. Thirty six years ago TWO of
the noblest physicians. men of fine native
and physical powers commenced the use
| of two tablespoonfuls of the purest whisky
| to induce sleep when overworked. They
| were younger than myself. One gradually
| lost his standing and practice. and died
| four years ago, filling drunkard's grave:
the other, possessing great native hardi-
| ness of constitution. fingers yet, a hopeless
| and helpless alcohol habitue, whom neither
| the Kelley cure. the entire medical phar-
macopoeia nor the strongest moral aid has
availed to save. 1t is far more difficult to
| treat traumatic injuries. feVerS, influenza,
pneumonia and prevailing epidemic dis
| eases when the patient is a very moderate
| drinker, than to cure a total abstainer of
| equal vitality. l have been able to re-
/ iieve permanently a number of persons,
some of whom were women. who in the
| earlier stages of moderate drinking were
| struggling against the alcohol habit,
| Willingly formed, and there is no work l
| regard with greater satisfaction.
| l have always felt it imperative to enjoin
! upon these patients the necessity of total
| abstinence for life as their only security
| except in the direst medical extremity.
| Persons with refined, sensitive or dis
| eased brain using habitually even the
smallest amount Of alcohol are in great
danger. The most active and susceptible
qualities of mental activity readily take on
| an unnatural excitation.
| Two and one-half ounces of alcohol
| should never be used by any individual
| daily, except as very temporary neces-
| sary expedient in an emergency serious
| Illness 1t should then be conscientously
/ withdrawn by the attending physician at
| the earliest moment when the necessity
| for its use has passed. Facts everywhere
| demonstrate that untold mischief results
| from the daily use of what is usually re-
| garded as small amount of the purest al
| coholic liquors. 1 find many persons using
| no more and even less than two and half
| ounces of alcohol per day, or it's euuiva-
| lent, who are unconsciously habitues. The
eyes and the skin of the cheeks nose, ears
| and neck show heightened cooring This is
far from being an indication of health.
| The use of an ordinary hand lens reveals
| a decided enlargement of the capiilaries in
| these localities. If this vascular distention
| has taken place in the denser and less i'm
| portant structure of the skin why must it
| not have occurred even to a greater de-
| gree In the far more numerous and more
| delicate capi1laries of the cerebral tissues?
| Inc permanently heightened color indicates
! an advanced stage of the alcohol disease
| The deceived victims however regard them
| selves as very temperate users of alcoholic
Stimulants and no amount of argument can
| convince them that they are in any danger
| of becoming habitues. In such cases the
| observant practitioner cannot fail to dis
Germ evidences of serious organic changes
| in the cerebral. hepatic and other tissues
| The exhaustion that follows the burning
| out of the active fire kindled with small
| amount of alcoholic stImulant is evidently
| IN excess of the stimulation of the ener-
gies, as the nervous system after a little
time imperatively requires increased stimu-
| lation.
| Two and one-half ounces of absolute al
cohol are equal In volume to five table
| spoonfuis This amount of alcohol is found
| In ten tablespoonfuls of the purest whisky
! or brandy. l have recently secured the
services of two eminent chemists who have
! analysed six varieties of the finest wines,
native and imported. 1 give the result of
these analyses by volume in common meas
urements, each being somewhat less than
| the measure stated. to avoid fractional
| reckoning. TWO of our finest California
wines contain six tabiespoonfuls of alcohol
| IN pint. One much-vaunted American
wine has little over eight tablespoonfuIs
of pure alcohol in one pint. One brand of
port contains seven tablespoonful of alco-
hol to a pint. One French wine Imported
and much advertised. contains five table
spoonfuls of alcohol to pint. The highest
wine, a California brand contains four ia.
| blespoonfuls of alcohol to pint
During long and laborious professional
NE nave never taken of alcohol and its
derivatives what would amount to single
pint of absolute alcohol l have prescribed
| just as little of 1t as 1 could and have
never administered 1t to any of NV chill
dren, even in severe Illness, and they are
row of adult age.
Alcohol and its derivatives are too
thoughtlessly used and too carelessly pre-
scribed by our profession, and any physi-
clan who has permitted his patients to be-
come habftues through his counsel or ne
eject has not been a true friend to the I'M
fortunate sufferers Far better and more
sure than the cure Of the unfortunate is the
preventive work which every physician, by
every obligation to his fellow-men, is con.
scientiously bound to do.
1 am positive that with our profession,
| more than with any other class of persons,
lies the possibility of preventing the alcohol
disease. BY virtue of their sacred office
physicians are, ever should be, the pro-
tectors of the individual and the home, and
the guardians of the public welfare.