Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-01-13
WITHOUT ALCOHOL,
An Argument Against Its Use in Sur
gicaI Operations.
rive Hundred and Fifty Operations Success
fully Performed Without II.

arc struggling today in the mire
vi ignorance, and bearing upon on,
shoulders the burdens of superstition
we hold tenaciouSly to the traditions
OF the past. What is gray with wears
20 man is God-like," and he insists IN
"orshlplng at the feet of his idol. Err
ror mas deep roots and it is with pain
.hat IL is torn away. Without refer
eice TO the scientific side of the o,les-
tloh' believe may assume that every
thinking man and woman will agree
with me that alcohol is. directly or in
directly, one of the most potent agen-
cies IN the depreciation and destruction
or the human race The danger that
threatens modern civilization is that Il
may rail-, owing to the corroding eff
iect OF alcohol on the nervous system.
Many reformers have raised their
voices and endeavored to stay the
storm that has threatened the des-
truction OF the race. But in vain. The
medical profession was swept into the
vortex of popular opinion, and without
sense or reason, prescribed alcohol in
thousand Turing forms for every con-
ceiNable condition and opposing symp-
tom. But science is the voice of God
- '''N'ii ~ iiVSil " IilIlN years dSo
alcohol was the principal agent of our
materia medica. Now we write of the
passing of alcohol" Even twenty
years ago it was almost the universal
custom to see every medical and
surgical case, whatever else was ad-
ministered. we'll fortified with alcohol.
Now thousands of physicians and sur
geonS have reduced the amount admin
iStered their patients to a minimum,
and many eminent members of the
profession, after careful survey of
the present status OF the question:
have abandoned its use as an active
medicinal agent This abandonment
has been based upon scientific reason
ing. and the proof of the correctness of
such action may be found in the splen-
did results that have followed. | was
trained with the idea that alcohol was
stimulant-that it increased and
maintained all the vital functions. |
gave it to my patients literally and
often in large quantities. But | was
never satisfied with the results, and
after close observation and reflection
| began to take note that often | pro-
duced disease when | had intended TO
often fatal when they should have been
successful Then for several years l
diminished the quantity, and finally,
the occasions on which | thought 1t
necessary growing very rare, l aban-
doned it entirely.
Now. for more than Is years, l have
pursued my professional work in hos
pital and private practice, and while
within the bounds Of civilization, have
not found it necessary to administer
alcohol. | am not at all prejudiced
against its use Beyond scientific
medical associations, l belong to no
temperance society. My action is
based entirely upon scientific thought,
observation and experience. L believe
that in most. and probably all, cases
disease can be better removed ana
surgical operations more successfully
performed without its employment
For hundreds of years the world mas
labored under the delusion that alco-
hoI was a stimulant. There is not the
slightest iota of scientific proof show
ing it's stimulating action, anu yet
there are medical men today, appar-
emily rational on most subjects WHO
constantly speak of alcohol as SUM
ulant. on the contrary, it IS de-
pressant a paralyzer, an aheSthetlc' III
its action lowering vitality, ana from
the very inception Of its influence III
terfering with every vital junction
Scientific experiments have proven
conclusively that it is a cardiac lrrl-
tant. but not a stimulant.
The very opposing conditions in which
II is given together with the NarlaDlllE
of strength and dose of the various al.
coh1lic liquids. form one u lhe HioSi
mOnstrpuS absurdities that ever cnlerGu
into the practice Of medicine. 0liiipis
from force of habit. without the SUP
mort If a single logical Thought IT
scientific datum, it is adminlsttIcu III
discriminatory. Strange to say. the ahtS-
thetic effect of this potent poison hi9 -
reduced the will power ana ptliui ilt,
fine reasoning faculties Of those WHO ~
used il to any great extent that theN arr
M Ionger willing or able to think ration
aIlV on the subject. .-
Thirty years ago 2 surgical opr!I iI ~ ~.
was scarcely thought possip!e Wl'Ii ,,,I
tha administration Of alcohol before, our
IN, or after the operation. IN the iSi
81 modern science. this seems 70 me ~
approach the border of charIttii!SShh' III
\ r1uitll operation. what are tht HI
uuirenents of 4 patient? lig nteu9 4
rnnnlete manifestation of all the Nltai
energies. He should have perfect elIp1
Grafton of nerve force from t t i7iniit
NOV -
larry circulation. good eXcrtuoh. esp
n'iaiIv through the kidneys. elimination 81
cnrhon dioXide. thorough oxidation. anu
GnaIiy prrfect digestion. for the pf"hu'-
ion Of p1bulum forming new tissue
VIII any man. in the light Of m"dei.,
SCIENCE dare to sax that alcoho, llrcts
the requirements or the case h. ~
mn n,rIIvZr the heart QuickenlhS iHO
hnat and showing IN the SphI I'm ~ q IN
trarinrs 4 variability of the hofilllii
MS Stimulating that which is observed
n inw forms of fever? Does 1t not leSSti
tha I.,somotor power. and 50 cause con- .
gaetinn Of the entire capillary SN9!'ili !,
DOCS if not impair digestion: oiiilli l',,i
~ ovcretion of carbon dioNide, ltSStH
thn elimination through the klhntIS. dI'
aiso reduce the sum total ~ an i.e rn
rramantitious materials? Does ~
tanii tn lower the vital functions, ~
.trmct nature. and 50 increase the Hd"l
itv to shock?
Since abandoned alcohol in Sur!tIH
| have not had a bad, proion9eu,,, I ~
rasa of shock. In TINS very Cgnr, ,i ~
f"H, wears ago. it was c"nslaettu III, ~
remedv par excellence. Now III o,,ar,.
frnm shock following surgical ~ ~. ~ :
80, where alcohol has been llperdnl !i, az" 20
ra,1iinistered. | should consider II W. 49, ~
imniiire whether the alcohnI hah no. Ne.
iiiIIi,r,mentaI in causing the death. ~
instr UNI Nv. a rule. surgery will be mort
| n,,ccessfuI by a large percentage
| sue - element of alcohol.
til n IN Anril %, 1896 when ! opened iiS
fI1 GI clinic, to June II. 1897, nav
hospiun, 40 consecutive operations
| per lbI ny fnllpW~