The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-02

/ chemistry's lnvestigation--No Pure
| ! wh''s', !
Between Is and 30 deaths IA ore neigh
DOrhOOd OF New York city have been
caused BY wood alcohol within the
last month. All Of the fatal liquor was
obtained from a saloon kept by rudolph
Fritsche at 723 Tenth avenue, IN the dis
trlct known as Stryker farms. The sa-
| loonkeeDer Is under arrest and the whisky
has been taken by the United States
revenue bureau for purposes OF analysis
The fact mas been brought out by this
rapid succession Of tragedies that cases
OF death from wood alcohol poisoning are
far from unusual. The reason for the
Increase IN the number OF such cases IN
the last few years Is stated by tho Medi-
cal Record 10 be the Improvement IN the
method Of manufacture.
80 long as the substance was manu-
factured by the old processes its Of
iensiye smell and taste were sufficient 70
deter even the most hardened drinker
from using IL TO satisfy his craving for
alcoholic stimulants. Since the tune. how
ever. that ''deodorized' wood alcohol has
been placed on the market. under various
names. the fatalities from It's use have
gone up by leaps and bounds.
The application of this substance has
spread rapidly until now IL Is used not
only as a substitute for grain alcohol, but
remedies for external and internal appl
cation. On this point the Medical Record
says.
The reasons for this practice are two
fold. First, and that which appeals most
forcibly TO human nature, is the COM
paratiye cheapness Of wood alcohol. II be-
ing untaNed and costing but 20 cents a
gallon. while grain alcohol taxed. costs
AT retail 81 90 per gallon. The second
reason Is the ignorance Of many manu-
facturers as 10 the deadly nature of
methyl alcohol. Indeed, even among mem-
bers Of the medical profession views with
regard 10 the poisonous nature OF methyl
alcohol are widely divergent, and some
who have had no experience In cases Of
wood alcohol poisoning are openly skepti-
cal concerning its reputed toxic proper
ties In order, therefore, to decide the
question, DR.. Frank Butler OF Montreal
and In. Casey Wood Of Chicago under
took IN the beginning Of 1904 an investi-
cation Of the subject, under the auspices
Of the section on ophthalmOlOgy OF the
American medical profession. The inves-
tigators found that about l7J cases or
blindness and about 100 deaths during the
past seven or eight years could be d.
rectiy imputed TO wood alcohol IN the va
rious forms IN which II Is manufactured:
This estimate Is conservative one ana
only treats of published instances Of death
and blindness. Doctors Butler and Wood
consider that the Investigations UNDER
taken by them confirm the suspicious
entertained by many physicians that the
fumes OF wood alcohol, under certain fa-
vorable conditions, are dangerous
menace to eyesight, and they, moreover.
believe that the consensus Of opinion
Il onnosed 10 the statement OF the maxi
ers Of the various forms of "deodorzed
wood alcohol that its external Use ~ ~
cosmetics hair tonics perfumes etc. is
always devoid OF danger 70 the eyeslehl
The results OF the investigation by DOC
tors Butler and Wood referred 70 above,
are being published IN the Journal or the
American Medical association. The cases
reported have been investigated per
sonally by Doctors Butler and WOOD, or
nh ~ standing
been in charge. The beverages when
caused the III or fatal effects We're whisky
lemon essence and extract, Jamaica gln-
ger Florida Water essence Of peppermint
bay rum. and other preparations contain
Ing wood alcohol as solvent. Many IN
stances were reported OF temporary plnu-
ness or convulsions induced by using
shelac or varnlsh cut by wood alcohol;
face or body washes containing the same
solvent had similar effects. Painters are
frequently overcome In this way with
out having taken any OF the SPIRITS inter-
The Illusions Of those who boast that
they drink nothing but pure whisky
are IN fair way 70 be dispelled by an IN
vestigation being conducted by DR.. III. w.
Wiley chief OF the government bureau of
chemistry. DR.. Wiley gave II as his
whisky sold In this country, in hotel res
taurants clubs and bars. Is nothing less
than a cheap imitation. In an interview
with a representative, OF the New York
Herald DR., Wiley said:
I am not surprised at the revelations
made In New York concerning the ordi-
nary whisky of commerce. | have tried
to convey a warning In times past, and
the situation as developed simply gives
practical illustration Of the necessity Uf
this warning. The bureau of chemistry
has already entered upon an analysis cf
domestcs whislsies to ascertain the diff
ference between the pure and the adul
teratcd and particularly TO find out the
ingredients OF the latter. have ordered
s.fx 81
now In bond from the internal revenue
bureau OF the government This has |
never left the control Of the government
since IL was distilled 1t Is pure whisky |
Agents OF this bureau meanwhile will OBJ
tain as many samples as possible of the |
different brands on sale throughout tho |
or imitation, whisky These will be OBJ
tained from clubs, hotels, and bars OF |
every description Comparisons will be /
made with the real whisky and the in |
alvzed.
DR. Wiley gave it as his opinion that
even pure whisky was injurious, except |
when taken in small quantities. thus Civ |
ing greater force to his attack on the |
adulteratcd article. IT Is supposed that /
this most injurious mixtures are the re- |
suit OF the process known as rectifying I
or compromising OF this DR. Wiley said: |
The compound whskies 1t must be said I
are usually made under the legal system /
OF rectlncatlon. but my contention is that /
heled. Then the responsibility win rest |
on the purchaser Laws to this effect l
should be passed. II the pure food bin /
which has passed the house and is now 1
pending in the senate becomes a law tho +
government win require this label on an /
whisky. entering interstate traffic. We I
have already found that the usual meth /
od OF producing the imitation whisky Is /
Tor the dealer first to purchase a barrel /
Of pure whisky out Of bond He then
buys the necessary amount OF alcohol and \
adulterates IL with water. TO this are +
added burnt sugar and prune Juice for
eoloring purposes, and chemical essences
to ripen, usually bead OIL All this Is then
compounded with a small quantity Of tho /
pure whisky. IL Is given the age of tho 4
real article and al once put on sale
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
considers II "a fair enough presumption /
that most of the stun sold as whisky nv /
saloonkeepers in New York's poor neigh /
horhood Is adulterated with wood alcohol \
And there IS no very good reason for SUM- 4
posing that the practice Is confined to |
New York. Public Opinion.
RURAL JOYS.
Secretary Of AnrfruIfure nm Cr...