The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-06-24
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE
THE PASSING or ALCOHOL.

1 Union the latter part or 1919 issued a
most interesting pamphlet bearing the
above title.
In referring to the attitude of the
medical profession toward the use of
alcohol we are told:
| 'Multitudes of people still believe
in these time-honored but now scien-
tifically condemned fetishes of the
medicine closet, and we have album
dant work to do in educating them, a
work in which this official condemna-
ton will be great help. Our able
and far-seeing Superintendent, Mrs.
Martha Ne. Allen, has worked hard to
secure it, and it is a fitting success to
mark her twentieth year of medical
| temperance work.
"One reason assigned for striking
these liquors from the pharmacopeia
is the rapid decrease of their prescrip-
ton by the best physicians.
This decrease, we'll marked every
where, in some of the states has
reached the point Of absolute prohibi-
ton. In at least four, Alabama,
Georgia, Oregon and West Virginia,
the laws forbid the prescription by
physicians of wines or liquors though
allowing the ethyl alcohol to be dilut-
ed with water, but this liberty is
hedged about with so many restric-
tions and formalities and the penalties
for violating the law in any point are
so severe that it is not likely to be
frequently used. In West Virginia the
State Medical Society warned the doe
tors to carefully observe the law. In
Alabama alcohol can be sold for medi-
cal purpose only upon the prescrip-
ton OF a physician regularly practic-
ing in the state, certifying that he
has examined the patient, whose name
must be given, and that he, or she,
needs the alcohol to alleviate or cure
illness. The prescription may not ex-
coed one-half pint in amount, and can
only be filled on the day given or the
succeeding day, and may not be re-
hlled. At the end of each month
druggists must file all prescriptions
hlled with the probate Judge of the
county, who is entitled to collect ten
cents for each subscription, as he is
required to file and index the same,
the record to be open for inspection.
THE Oregon law is similar though
not identical and has the added clause
hat the person making the purchase
must sign an affidavit as to the pur-
pose for. which it is needed and swear
that he is not Incorporate and will
make no use of the alcohol other than
that designed. In both states there
are other points in the law and severe
penalties for it's violation In North
Carolina liquors may be sold on pre-
scription but under drastic restric-
tiOns, and the State Medical Society
has passed resolutions against their
use, and statistics gathered by the
State Board of Health show that the
best physicians prescribe less than 4
tablespoonful per patient per year.
I'm Kansas liquors may be prescrib-
ed, but the physicians may make no
charge for them. This clause was
placed in the law at the request of
physicians who said they did not wish
to be responsible for violations of the
state prohibition law by conscience
less doctors.
I'm North Dakota liquor may be
prescribed, but the druggist must have
a permit from the district Judge in or
der to sell it. As the permit was often
abused, no judges will now grant
them, so no liquor can be legally sold
for any purpose in the state.
in Iowa alcoholic liquors may be
ordered by physicians and sold by
druggists who have permit to do so,
but records OF such sales must be kept
and filed with the County Auditor.
"In Mississippi alcohol can be sold
for medical purposes on the prescrip-
tion of physicians, but not without it,
(My informant does not state whether
this means pure ethyl alcohol or al
coholic liquors.)
I'm Oklahoma liquors may be sold
on prescription.
I'm Tennessee prescription of
liquors is allowed, and druggists who
have license can sell for medical pur-
poses, but the penalty is severe if it
be obtained under false pretense, and
the country druggists do not take out
the licenses, and the city druggists do
not care to do So
In Maine there is no law against
the prescription of liquors, but as
there is no place in the state where
those containing more than two per
cent Of alcohol can be legally oh.
tanned, not much is used as medicine
In Arkansas the law fbrbids the
sale or giving away for any purpose OF
any form of alcoholic liquors. This
law went into effect January l, 1916.
There has been no attempt under the
present law to prevent prescription.
In Washington sale on prescription
is allowed, but under many restric-
tions and with severe penalties for
violation of the law in any point.
Coming to license states, New
Hampshire last winter passed dras-
tic law for the prevention of fradu-
lent prescriptions by physicians
yet another fact gives us hope and
encouragement-the action of the New
York City Board of Health. When
Commissioner Goldwater announced
his campaign against alcoholic drinks.
asserting that as a cause of disease
they come properly under the jurisdic-
ton of the Board of Health, and an
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