Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-09
DANGER OF oUININE
Severe Criticism Of Reeommendation
of State Health Officer.

Severe Criticism OF Hecommendation
of State Health Officer.
The following communication to the
Columbia State is not without inter-
est:
In your paper of today there Is on
page three most remarkable state
ment credited to DR.. James A. Hayne.
state health officer, viz. that malaria
could be eradicated in South Carolina
in six weeks II every individual who
has or has ever had malaria would
| take 20 grains of quinine twice a week
until the middle Of February, begin
! ming with Jan. /. It never occurred
| to this writer that Ii was function
of a health officer to prescribe drugs
for the whole state. It Is just as COM
patible with individual liberty for him
to do so as 1t was once for the church
official acting as a civil officer to en-
join that every parent on a given date
have his infant christened.
We have gotten rid of priestcraft In
this country and II Ia time for ua to be
rid Of the doctorcraft.
II DR.. Haynes says he did not issue
this as an official edict, but merely as
helpful suggestion, then II is in or
der for any humble citizen to ask that
the doctor give rational ground for
his suggestion. What proof has any
one that quinine taken into the storn-
ach will get into the blood stream and
there destroy the plasmodium mala-
riae (the organism injected into the
human that causes malaria)?
My experience was that after taking
great deal Of quinine did not get
rid Of malaria, but did get a very large
and badly diseased liver.
Dorland's medical dictionary has
this to say Of quinine: "Quinine Is q
stimulant to the nervous system.
causing congestion Of the brain, ver-
tigo, tipnitus and deafness. 1t is
cardiac and circulatory depressant. In
large doses IL depresses the respira-
ton, decreases the reflex excttabiity
of the spinal cord and lowers the tenn
perature in fever. In over doses 1t
causes destruction Of the blood cor
puscles and fever (quinin f) with cry
thematous eruption Of the skin, deaf
ness, dizziness and temporary blind
ness ending in death from failure OF
respiration"
II DIR. Hayne could view the liver a
few hours after giving his large dose
of Quinine he would find that 1t was
making desperate effort, as 1t does
with all poisons, to take quinine out
Of the blood stream and either shoot
IL out through the sewerage pipe,
commonly called the bile duct, or to
retain II In its own body, hoping to
destroy its poisonous properties, and
that while II was not getting so rap
idly it's cells out Of business as In case
of arsenic and mercury. 1t was never
theless being greatly injured. In 9TH
er words while quinine Is slower
poison than some others, for the liver
it is one Of the most effective. II Is
we'll known fact that persons living In
malarial districts are commonly found
to have diseased livers. 1t Is claimed
that the malaria germ destroys the
red blood corpuscles. That is about all
the scientific laboratories have prov
en- as to the effect Of malaria on hu-
man tissue. It would be very difficult
to see how the destruction Of red blood
corpuscles would put liver cells out OF
business rather than brain or any
other cells.
In short it seems to this scribe
very unwise and dangerous act for
DR.. Hayne to persuade every one In
the state to take 40 grains Of quinine
q week in 20 grain doses. ! should
feel more like suing him for damages
than voting him a salary for looking
after my health. F. c. Hickson.
Gaffney, December 81.