The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-11

BALTIMORE, Feb. II.-One and posi-
bly, two wholesale druggists of this city
viii, it is said, be made defendants in
prosecution that viii cause a sensation,
not only in Baltimore, bur throughout the
United States. and VIII prove Of unusual
interest to ocuHsts.
The charge, which viii in a general
sense be the using of dangerous adulter-
ant in the manufacture OF Jamaica gin
ser" viii contain the specific declaration
that by substituting methvl CT wool aIco-
mol for ethyl. or pure. alcohol many per
sons have been stricten blind. This charge
VIII doubtless pave the way for damage
suits involving many thousands OF dollars
In certain local Option towns OF Mary
land. West Virginia. and Pennsylvania ia
maica ginger Is used by 1Opers and vie
tins of alcoholism N lieu of whisky or
other SJimUlants- II is always easy 10 So
cure Jamaica ginger in country towns. aad
il is said that of late its consumption has
grown 10 alarming proportions
Jamaica ginger properly manufactured
that Is. with pure aIcohoI-is said TO be
practically harmless. But pure alcohol
costs S2.45 per gallon The manufacturer
IN substituting wood alcohol. at cost of
40 cents 10 so certs per gallon, thus enor-
mously increases his profits.
The discovery that the use of wood alco
hOl causes total blindness has aroused the
RiedicaI profession and the enquiry set on
foot 10 discover who wes responsible for
using the cheap adulterant in the ginger
led 30 piling up proof against two firms of
This city Il is said that the investiga-
tors have secured. under legal advice, the
kind of proof that will be accepted by
Judge and jury.
DR. Herbert Harlan. OF Baltimore. who
has made a close study of the effects OF
ginger drinking, has prepared paper set
ting forth his experience in dealing with
several persons whose total blindness has
beer traced 10 the use of the adulIeraled
compound. This paper viii appear in the
-Opthalmic Record and viii be accom-
panied by an analysis of some of the ia
Tnaica ginger which it is said was sold TO
and drunk by several persons who after
ward became blind. These victims have
engaged counsel to bring suit against
those charged with having made the dan
gerOus mixture. The paper Of Dr. Harlan
Is as follows:
DR.. HarIan's Paper.
IN 1897 Dr. 4 c. Thompson reported
in the 'OpthaImic Record a case OF com
plete blindness due 10 the drinking OF es-
sence Of ginger. About that time we be-
gan 10 see these cases in Baltimore. Dr..
Hiram Woods reported six such cases.
Their novelty excited a good deal Of in
tPreSU- II has been the habit in local Op-
ton nsishborhoods for a long time for
people craving alcohol 10 substitute the
various alcoholic essences when the Ordi-
nary form could not be obtained And
that cases SO striking as complete blind
ness should have escaped notice ami pub
LEGATION was unaccOunta bic Such cases
must have only been occurring recently.
IN 1898 nine cases Of blindness and
death from drinking 'methyl' alcohol were
reported The very first on record was that
Of FigeT which was generally overlooked,
being published II the TAnnee Medicle,'
jane. 1871 There Is a striking similarity
IN the symptoms Of all these cases and.
as VIII be seen Ialer. they are the same
when the essence Of ginger and peppermint
we're the beverages used.
In EiGrr's case an hour after drinking
there came on Intense headache, vomiting,
profuse eating dilation Of pupils. and
deIITium- Next GAY the delirum WAS gone.
bur there was a complete blindness After
q week sight began 20 return and at the end
81 SIX weeks the patient could see 20 get
about subsequently he became entirely
blind This may be taken as a typical case
where q tgu dose either Of more or less
impure "COd alcohol Or one Of the essences
Is taken.
In scEs cases when the dose was large
or TAKEN on an empty stomach death en-
sucd in @ few hours. Some others where
tHe dose Vas small entirely recovered In
most cases there was violent sickness. then
blindness and then some return OF sight.
tfen complete blindness, with optic Eer7e
c-rophy.
The consumption CT wood alcohol by
manufacturing druggists has increased
enormously IN the last decade + can be
bought wholesale for : certs per gallon
> per cent. 80 cents per gallon Of 81
cent while the ordinary % per cent
alcohol costs S245- When il is re-
bGrc3 that these essences contain
- per cent OF some sort Of alcohol
easy 70 understand the temptation for
scrUpui0us manufacturing druggist 70
he cheap and poisonous variety.
fatisfiad IL nv own mind that such
cling done To prove il was another
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