The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-10-16
(C0atinueds from page ~

OF this number twenty-seven died. In
the eye wards OF two prominent Pet
rograd hospitals there were treated
during the same period 1873 persons
with the complete loss Of sight or in
various stages of blindness In Ros-
toy, alone. .s.ccording to the Ryetch,
there have been registered. during the
past five months twenty-eight cases
Of death from the consumption Of de-
natured alcohol, The number. Of cases
Of blindness in the city Of RostoY dur
ing the corresponding; period. u.s. not
given but it is estimated that it is
very large.
DR.. 2. E.: !Tcharnetzky, one of the
best known physicians, of ., Moscow,
gave q detailed account Of the effects
of denatured alcohol and. varnish on
the human system, IN, the paper en-
titled ""Polsoninss fgam vpenatured AL
cohol and Varnish in Moscow,.,' which
he read at the Congress Of Neuropa-
biologists and ..Psychiatrists held in
part: -sss,! :es....As <ss:s. =
"since the pre;siaftatisn Df tie;isle,. If
liquor at the end of August there have
appeared at the Central Moscow Hos
frd ; ;adpa sna 90 vsrnisS
Among the *pat1enfs We're women.
Many of those who were brought to
the hospitals with bad cases Of poison
ines ndted AFTER several tdays, hwhile
others were Cured; though a tAhfesir con-
valesence was very slow. 80:
Similar to Paralysis.
An ANALYSIS OF the symptoms; COM
plex ,dfspiayed'>:: by -these'' patients
I showed that they were similar to those
seen in meningitis or progressive par
alysis. Those poisoned from varnish
and denatured alcohol sufrer general
weakness; their gait ~ Unsteady; their
conversation is incoherent, the pupils
dilate and do not react to light; they
suffer spasmodic contractions Of the
muscles, breathe heavily and their
heartbeat is irregular. =
I'm some cases there was observed
! a arrangement of sight; memory and
| imagination were impaired; they had
| difficulty in swallowing and were over
come with droWsiness. Such patients
required careful treatment. The use
! of denatured alcohol and varnish be.
!: gan shortly after. the. closing OF the
! government liquor stores. The patients
said they took to grape wine whenever
possible; fro | wine they turned to
varnish and later on to denatured IL
| cohol as a cheaper substitute. Con-
sumers OF denatured alcohol filtered It
/ in many different ways It is very in
j teresting to note that recently there
has appeared in Moscow specialists
with a more effective means Of distil-
ling this liquor. These specialists
introduced among the people a pc
! cultar prescription Of their own max
| 1ng-a drink called 'khanza.' Patrons
of these distillers consumed 'khanza.'
d1luting 1t with cider, and when, after
| rev draughts, their desire for drink
ing increased they commenced to i'm.
bibe denatured alcohol unreflned. All
! this finally leads to dangerous sick
ness and DEATH" .I -: -
The Newer Task. E'. -.
- The Russian press, regardless of
partisan or political affiliations. recoR-
| nizes that there is still considerable
| drunkenness in Russia and that in all
likelihood prohibition will prove q
failure If the government, the local
| A~~@A SASS e~AA~ tAo private I0nQeCr
ance societies do not act at once and
set themselves the task Of providing
substitutes for the liquor shop and
for strong drink p. q &
From many parts Of the Russian,
Empire come reports that ''the vii
! lase folk are becoming addicted TO
] gambltng--a passion of, it seized the
1 whole mass Of <peasantry." Vodka has
too long played an, important part
been g zb XIV fig Ak ftq ] pu VI
N the life. of Russia, Vodka drink
Ing has been a habit which has been
inbred in the social and economic
HE Of the. Russian people FOR CEN
turtles. The government can prohibit
the sale Of vodka and it, sale will be
stopped, but It cannot with 4 mere
official decree stamp out the desire
tor vodka. And l.hen vodka 10 not
70 be had the. people win, take to
noxtoust snbstit utes. And. when this
is not to be obtained the peasant will
take to sambli III
No Other e aliots. .
I For there q. no otiher. Ins ms ~ roc
Erpatton s1or tho IN man lasant ana
1.-THE worker. prosrs ssive &c
fnent of Russia have been urgiuR fhA