The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-11
tBy CORA FRANCES sToDDARD. J

1t is good for US occasionally to
stop for a little and take account of
our facts and our resources In our
work for temperance education. to
consider what kind OF information is
needed: what facts we have to rely
best advantage.
This occasional stock king" I
regard as especially important in deal
ing with facts pertaining to ques-
ton where earnestness and eagerness
to accomplish a given result as good
as possible arc a constant temptation
to elaborate on our facts. Details es-
senttai TO accurate presentation of
them tend often TO clip away from
Jig. New investigations afford new
data or new light on old data. Hence
1t is vitality necessary for us every
now and then TO re-survey our field
for work, to 20 back TO our original
sources ana check up our work by
them. asking oneself. What truths does
the present state of knowledge re-
quire?. How far DO the facts warrant
me in going In making my applica-
ton OF them? Do they Justify tho
them? Am ! using them in the way
best adapted to reach and convince
the public7 At the same time we
need constantly to enlarge our vision
of the sources from which facts can
he drawn that will illuminate this
old question with which we are deal
ing
What Information Is Needed
First Of all we must direct our
concerning alcohol In which IT'S use
s rooted Many of them are held
by people of exceeding intelligence
upon other subjects, There Is the
old belief that alcohol Is a stimulant
now utterly exploded by scientific ex-
Fermentation. An exceptionally we'll
informed lady of my acquaintance
recently remarked that a certain per
son upon whom social and club du-
could not keep going II she alta not
take "stimulants.' that when she
came IN tired in the afternoon with
perhaps a dinner party ahead of her
for the evening she had to take a
cocktail TO keep her up. Here were
two points OF ignorance: First, the
belief that alcohol Ia a st'mulant:
second. ignorance that "A cocktail
taken at these times and under these
circumstances Is a specially danger
ous form In which to use alcohol
There IS the old belief that alcohol
Is necessary as medicine An intelli-
gent gentleman of elderly years told
me month ago that he didn't be-
lieve in prohibition If It would make
Il necessary for him to forget having
brandy on hand for his heart attacks
= he wanted TO use II. One of our
workers who went 10 Vermont dur
ing the recent prohibitorS campo IN
told me that ne found widespread a
doub1e-headed error which the liquor
interests were seduIousIy oultiva-inx
viz, that under State prohibition
Vermonters would not be able to get
alcohol for medicine This was
considerable factor in the vote
against State prohibition. The FUN
damental error here. Of course, was
the belief that alcohol is indispcn-
sable as medicine: the secondary
error Law in the fact that the proposed
prohibitory law made no change IN
the present provisions for obtaining
liquor when prescribed for medicine
We are in position now to meet
| this belief in the medicinal virtues cf
alcohol by the following facts 3rar
can not be too often reiterated:
!. That because alcohol has come
In general to be regarded as having
little value as medicine It has been
dropped from the list OF official
drugs in the United States Pharma-
copeia.
. That all physicians use alcohol
as medicine far less than formerly
3, That all up o-date PHYSICIANS
agree that II 1t is to be used at all. II
should be prescribed and admins
tered as carefully as other drugs and
It's action as carefully watched; that
II has no place as a home remedy
for seT administration.
4. That an increasing number Of
physicians never use 1t at all hecauss
they regard II an indispensable and
unsatisfactory drug
Then there are beliefs to he COM
hated that alcohol Ia an aid In hard
work. IN work requiring exposure 10
extremes OF temperature and in
clement weather; that beer is
nourishing drink. And above all,
there ia the belief most widespread
that used moderately with a per-
sonal Interpretation Of "moderation")
alcoholic drinks are harmless or
even beneficial,
Now these beliefs as 10 the sup
posed virtues of alcohol not only ex-
LIST as century-old traditions fostered
by the deceptive sense effect of alco-
hol hut they are diligently cultivated
by the Pra-liaaar pra Paaanda- through
press advertise and reading
matter. through books pamphlets