The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-06-04
In the Supposed Virtue of AIco-
hol as Shown by a
Paper Read.
(Ry A. s. Grimm. NJ. D., at Medical

The purpose of this paper is to
prove from n scientific standpoint.
that alcohol ~ not a food, but on the
contrary II Is a poison, and that 1t
should not seriously be considered as
medicine. The authorities that L
shall cite are we'll recognized scientif-
lie men whose statements Of facts /
believe no one will doubt, and with
out further preliminaries let us note
the result of their stndies which
were made along the lines usually
pursued in studying drugs.
Prof. George Rubin, pathologist Of
Rush Medical College, reported in the
Journal of Infectious Diseases. May
30. 1904, as follows: into rabbit
having n leucocyte-count af 5000 was
injected hypodermicaIly / c. C. of
fresh streptococus culture. The next
day the lcucocyie count was 1900;
the following day 23300. This rab-
bit made a good recovery. At the
same time rabbit of practically sim
liar weight. having leucocyte count
of 1899 was given a &C. CT OF 95 per
cent alcohol, and then L C. C. of
streptococus culture. The next day
the leucocyte count instead of in
creasing had fallen to to 700. Ten
days after incubation this rabbit
died in cachectic state.
Another rabbit with n leucocyte
count of 10000 was Civ 1-3 G.. G.,
pneumo-coccas culture. The next.
day its leucocyte count had risen to
l1400; the day following 1t had risen
TO 10000 This rabbit recovered with
out any serious trouble
At the same time there was inject
cd into another rabbit whose leuco-
cyte count was 14O0O,s C. C. OF all
cohol and G. G, ofgppeumo-culture.
This rabbit lived only "a hours and
Immediately after death Its leucocyte
had dropped to 100.
Rubin reports quite number of
other interesting experiments along
this line. and in everyscase the mar
cotized animal died, and in the few
cases where the control animals died
they lived longer than the ones that
had been given the alcohol and
showd evidences of resisting infec-
ton to a greater extent by the high
err leucocyte count as well as by 9TH
er physical signs.
Rubin's conclusions are: That alco-
hol nottonlyj icripples the leucocytes.
but also the leucocyte producing or
gans, and that instead of benefiting
the patient with a severe infectious
disease it served to destroy his only
chance of recovery.
Delearde,s Of Pasteur Institute.
France, found that rabbits to which
he administered alcohol in his ex-,
periments in Illumination against
anthrax died If this disease while
the control animals which were given
no alcohol could be vaccinated With
out difficulty.
Abbott confirmed these experiments
and proved that animals which had
been given alcohol We're more sue
ceptible to the harmful effects of
several microbes. such as ctrepto-
cocci, staphylococci, and bacterium
coli.
DR.. David Paulson, superintendent
of Hinsdale Sanitarium, ILL.,, says in
reviewing these experiments: I'm
view Of these unuuestionable facts
which have been developed by the
most pninstaking experiments, is it
not self-evident that the physician
who depends upon alcohol. in the
sick room leans upon broken reed
1t is clear that the bodSsregards al
cohol not as an aid in n struggle for
existence, but as dangerous foe.
AS the body is compelled to fight this
enemy its opsonic index may be
temporarily Increased, and there may
lie other similar indications of the
struggle thus provoked just as there
is when 1t Is compelled to wage a
warfare against any other toxins.
But such evidence will never lead
the observing student of nature and
that they present anything other than
a definite resistance to a toxic agent.
| might enumerate a great many
more experiments along this line but
time will not permit.
The physicians. of generation ago
and some even of today, but these
viii soon be extinct, taught that al
cohol was the sheet-anchor in such
diseases as pneumonia and a cure all
in any diseases. but men who were
wise before their time, such as DR.. N.
$, Davis. founder of the American
Medical Association, whom we all SO
much revere and admire, placed 1t
rightly where 1t belongs, in the list
of narcotic poisons. The fact of the
matter is this: that we should have
to unlearn great deal that we have
learned wrong, and it requires ju-
dicial mind to do this.
The celebrated scientist, Mr.. Hux-
ley who was graduated physician.
said to brother physician: you
doctors remind me of great and
lusty giant armed with a big stick
filled with enthusiasm to destroy dis
ease striking about. him most vigor-
ons blows, but he injured his friends
quite as much as his enemies, fo-
alas. he was blind
Prof. w. s. Hall, of the Northwest
crn University, of Chicago. makes n
declaration with which ali physicians
agree when he says: Not only will
the poisonous excretions of any living
organism poison the organism which
produces 1t, but 1t will have a poison
Gus action upon any organism of n
higher rank Tho nofsonOuS eXcre-