The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1905-09-06
The Lexington Dispatch.
Wednesday, September 6, 1905.
f'Alcohol and the Medical Pro
fession.''
After the Dispensary What?

functions of Alcohor, in the Lit
ersry Digest of August 5tb, 1905,
says: IF there was any subject of
which they knew less than another
n it Was the action of drugs on
the normal body; and conspicuously
was this true of the action Of alcohol.
Now, it is the popularity OF this
compound that sll the indications
which it appears to furnish to empir-
icism and superfciality are falsifed
by serious and systematic study.
Nevertheless our professional fore
fathers held certain beliefs and incul-
Gated them into willing. audience.
The laity--small blame to it-holds
these beliefs almost without reser-
vation to-day, but experimental phar-
mscuology supported by every other
relevant branch of modern science
experimental psychology, clinical med
icine, the study Of insanity, Grimm
ology and q host besides now repu-
dates them.
Thus it comes about that the first
gropings for the truth did not pro.
ceed from the medical profession
which thus resembles all other iu-
stitutions and authorities and estab-
lished things-and though the first
medical men who, sixty years ago.
stood up against alcohol and lies,
were laughed at and branded, like
the worthy of all ages, as
cranks; yet recently some fifteen
thousand doctors presented a petit
tion to the government praying that
the truth about alcohol be taught
in our schools, while the leaders of
the profession in this and every other
country have declared themselves
againstlalcohol- -erstwhile the vaunted
panacea-snd last week there was
held in London q medical conference,
presided over by the Kings physi-
cisn, at which it was resolved that
the profession must set it's shoulder
to The almost superhuman task Of
educating the Board Of Education in
the matter" Mr.. Saleely sdds: s'The
facts I have stated are disputed by
no competent person." and he is
happy in the thought that "wben we
have educated our educators" alco-
hoi will have no one to claim for
it powers which it does not possess.
Just now some few editors, lawyers
and sundry politicians are prophecy
ing as to what we will have when the
dispensary is removed. Their pro-
phecies are childish or wicked. If
they really believe that all law is in
the dispensary, they are to be pittied.
If they are encouraging defiance of
the law they should pause.
I submit herewith few helpful
questions by Hon. B. W. Crouch, of
Saluds answered by Hon. r. a.
Cooper, Solicitor of the Sth Circuit:
QUERIES.
1st. Under the law of South Gar.
olina ss it now stand can whiskey
and other intoxicating drinks be sold
legally in any other manner and
through any other channel than the
dispenssrJ?
2nd. IT g dispensary be voted out
OF q county under the "Brice Bill
can whiskey be sold in such county
lawfully under the law Of the State
as it now stands?
3rd. Can return ever be made to
the old bar room system in South
Carolina and whiskey be sold there.
from lawfully under the constitution
of South Carolina as it now stands?
4th. Can whiskey be sold under
high license in this State in any
county voting out the dispenssry un-
der the law as it now stands. In
other words, if county now having
a dispensary vote out the dispensary
could whiskey be solo in such county
legally under the laws of this State
as that law is now written?