The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-07
POINTS FOR MODERN DRINKERS.
4 Doctors Lifelong study of AIcO-
hOlic Effects Upon His Patients.

4 Doctors Lifelong study of AIcO-
hOlic Effects Upon His Patients.
DR.. C. A. Greene in the Medical Record.
1 have read with much interest Prof.
Atwaters report of the experiments which
he has conducted at Middletown, CT,
under the auspices of the COMMITTEE of
Fifty for the investigation of the drink
problem. 1t has long been well known
that the hydrocarbons the oils, fat sac
charine substances, starch and alcohol are
heat-producing, and sources of energy in
the human body The recent expert
ments by Prof. Atwater simply demon-
strate that the human body can oxidlze-
use as fuel, creating energy-21a ounces
of alcohol in a day. 1t is urged that the
alcohol can be more rapidly converted into
energy than the hydrocarbons MENTION
ed, ordinarily used as food, and may sub.
serve a purpose in an emergency where
rapid evolution of force is imperative Un4
like any other hydro-carbon used as food
or as beverage, alcohol has a peculiarly
subtle effect upon the nervous system,
forming a habit which becomes maniacaA
and uncomfortable in character before the
habitue is at all aware of it, l am as
sured from observation extending through
ounces of alcohol or the equivalent in the
finest brandies, WHISTLES, wines or ales.
used daily for a period of time at all ex-
tended, Will not fail 10 make an alcohol
habitue of the most finely endowed man
or woman in the world. The nervous sys-
tenn surely registers the abnormal impress
sion, no matter how carefully the 21s
ounces of alcohol may be taken. Once an
habltue and under the control of the all
cohol mania, the strongest man or wo-
man becomes impotent to escape from the
tyranny of its power.
In neighboring town, three years ago.
hfteen 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 nobiest physicians, men of fine native
and physical powers, commenced the use
of two tablespoonfuls of the purest whis-
ky, to induce sleep when overworked. They
were younger than myself. One gradually
lost his standing and practice and died
four years ago, filing a drunkards grave:
the other, possessing great native hardi-
ness of constitution, fingers yet, hopeless
and helpless alcohol habtue, whom neit her
the Kelley cure, the entire medical phar-
macopoeia, nor the strongest moral aid has
awaited to save. 1t is far more difficult to-
treat traumatc injuries, fevers, influenza,
pneumonia, and prevailing epidemic dis
eases when the patient is very moderate
equal vitality. l have been able to re-
lieve permanently a number of persons
some of whom were women who in the
earlier stages of moderate drinking were
struggling against the alcohol habit, UNI
Willingly formed, and there is no work
regard with greater satisfaction.
1 have always felt it imperative to en-
join upon these patients the necessity of
total abstinence for life, as their only Sc
curity except in the direst medical ex-
tremity. Persons with a refined, sensi-
tive or diseased brain using habituaHy
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 a very temporary neces-
sary eXpedient in an emergency or serious
Illness. 1t should then be conscientiously
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 all
coholic liquors. I find many persons using
10 more and even less than 212 ounces OF
alcohol per day, or lis equivalent, who are
Unconsciously habitues. The eyes and the
skin of the cheeks, nose, ears and neck
show heightened coloring. This is far from
being an indication of health The Of
ordinary hand lens reveals a decided
enlargement of the capilaries in these To-
calities. If this vascular distention has
taken place in the denser and less impor-
tant structure of the skim why must iE
not have occurred, even to a greater de-
gree, in the far more numerous and more
delicate capillaries of the cerebral tissues?
The permanently heightened color indicates
an advanced stage of the alcohol disease.
The deceived victims, however, regard
themselves as very temperate users of all
coholic stimulants and no amount of ar
gumeat can convince them that they are
in any danger of becoming habtues. In
such cases the observant practitioner can
not fail to discern evidences of serious or
ganic changes in the cerbra, hepatic and
other tissues The exhaustion that follows
the burning out of the active fire kindled
with a small amount of alcoholic stimu-
lant is evidently in excess of the stimula-
ton Of the energies. as the nervous sys@
TEN after a little time imperativey re-
quires increased stimulation.
Two and one-half ounces of absolute al
cohol are equal in volume to five table,
spoonfuls This amount of alcohol Is
found in ten tablespoonfuls of the purest
whisky or brandy. l have recently secur-
ed the services of two eminent chemists
who have analysed six varieties of the fin
est wines, native and imported. l give
the result of these analyses by volume IN
common measurements, each being some
what less than the measure stated, to-
avoid fractional reckoning. Two of our
finest California wines contain six table,
spoonsfuls of pure alcohol in one pint.
one brand of port contains seven table,
spoonfuls of alcohol 10 a pint. One French
wine, imported and much advertised. con-
tains five tablespoonfuls of alcohol to a
pint.
During a long and laborious professional
life have never taken of alcohol and its
derivatives what would amount to a sin
gle pint of absolute alcohol / have pre-
scrbed just as litde of IL as / could, and
have never administered 1t to any of my
children. even in severe Illness, and they
are now of adult age.
Alcohol and its derivatives are to1
thoughtlessly used and too carelessly pre-
scrbed by our profession and any physi-
clan who has permitted his patients to be-