Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-04-28
Alcohol a Double Poison.

! uSlC dlS llllNN SSllOlcli NltlooNo VI bSi-
son: The narcotics, which affect the
nerves; the irritantS. which affect the
membranes and tissues, and the narcotic
irritants, which do both. Alcohol belongs
to the latter class, and hence finds place
equally among the narcotics and the irri-
tantS. ConcreteIy considered, alcohol as
a narcotic is in the same list as cocaine,
chloral, morphine and opium. The logic
of this classification compelS us to treat
alcohol, socially and legislatvely, the
same as we do treat the drug narcotics
with which it is clasSed These being
thrown out of the category Of proper
uxuries, and the sale of the same legiSla-
lively prohibited for social purposes, al
cohol must be disposed OF in the same
way. The following positions are, there
fore, impregnable: First, there is no more
reason in modern science for the bever-
age use of alcoholic liquor than there is
for the same beverage use OF opium, NOR
phine, or cocaine. Second, the appetite
for liquor is as abnormal, unscientific, and
inexcusable as is the appetite OF morphine
fiends, and the user of liquor ought to be
as much ashamed of his habit as is the
user OF morphine. Third, there is no
more reason in modern science for the
legalization of the sale OF liquor for bev-
erage purposes than for the legalization
for the same purposes ofmorphine or CO.
caine. No one questions the accuracy OF
the prohibition principle in legislation
which is invariably applied to cocaine and
the other drugs mentioned. 1t betrayS
dense ignorance Of the facts to apply any
other principle OF legislation to alcoholic
beverages. Fourth, saloon, therefore,
isas much out of place in modern civiliza-
ton as would be an opium joint or a CO.
caine den. Fifth, alcohol, being mar
cotic-irritant, becomes double effective.
While cocaine, being exclusively mar
cotic, will lower the mental, moral, and
physical tone of its user, he seldom be-
comes criminal beyond minor miSdemean-
ors OF the law; whereas, alcohol, combin-
ing in itself both narcotic and irritant
quality, is apt TO make its user vicious,
and when he goes home under its influ-
ence, he is likely TO shed innocent blood.
So that, for every argument for the pro-
hibition of the sale and use Of cocaine and
other like drugs, there are two arguments
for the prohibition OF the sale and use OF
alcohol as double poison.
Every poison has a Selective affinity
for some one part of the body above all
others. For instance, the poison of lead
likes the muscles of the wrist; mercury
the Salivary glands; manganese the liver;
tobacco the heart; arsenic the coating OF
the stomach strychnine the spinal cord:
whereas alcohol likes the brain the best.
This places alcohol at the top OF the list
as the most serious poison OF all those
mentioned vital and sensitive parts OF the
human body, the home Of the mind.
Why does alcohol like the brain the
best? Recent investigations by Prof.
Hans Meyer, of the University OF Vienna
confirmed byother noted specialists show,
that nerve substances contain larger
portion Of fat than other tissues; that all
the substances called narcotics are able
to dissolve fat. They enter into loose
chemical combination with the fatty con-
stituents OF the cells, and Immediately in
hibit the vital processes Of the cells.
II is also well understood that alcohol
has a peculiar selectiye affinity for some
cells over others; that in the case Of the
habitual moderate use Of alcohol some
cells become more or less seriously I'M
paired, while in the so-called excessive
use OF it some cells 90 into permanent
degeneracy and finally become totally
destroyed; that when a cell becomes
wholly destroyed no power can be in
voked to replace it by normal cell. II
is gone forever II that is not serious
statement, pray tell US what serious
statement is. ! confess that before men
begin to tinker, legislatively, with the
liquor question. it would be wellfor them TO
learn what alcohol does to the brain; and
vet. not one in a hundred thousand ofour
voters, and very few Of our legislators,
ever dreamed OF such thing.
No one can go on impairing the brain
cells continuously like that without finally
and seriously impairing the mental facul-
ties residing in the cells. 1t is now well
known that alcohol taken continuously
| in very small doses depresses the higher
faculties, first Of all, judgment, con-
science and will, afterward letting loose
the lower and animal impulses to run not
in the mans body, SO that he comes al
last to do what he would not otherwise
think of doing.
The nature OF alcohol, not exclusively
fhe overdose, unbalancing the guiding
faculties OF the man and unduly awaken
ing his emotional nature, accounts for the
fact that there ale more moderate drink
ers in the penal institutions oftliS country
who have committed offeHses while drunk
In the State Of Massachusetts there are
twenty-four thousand men IN the pena
institutions who have committed crime
under the influence OF liquor; four thous-
and of them are registered as habltua
drunkards. while twenty thousand are
REGISTERED as moderate drinker.-FrOp