Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-01

A. Local Anassthstie, Asaet and Res.
piration StimuIant, Ether, LARGELY
Made Of Alcohol, Necessary - rrsst
Wounds-chsmioal Serves Thevsands
Of Vital Industrial Purpssss.
BY ALLEN ROGERS. Ph. o,
American Chemical Society.
Alcoholic beverages must 60.
The requirement Is clear. Alcohol
can I'LL liquor glasses to satisfy the
willful appetite Of thousands Of Ameri.
cans living comfortably at home. or It
can be transferred to MI a hundred
hospital needs to save the lives and re.
neve the sufferings Of other thousands
on the battlehelds.
Alcohol may play its part in the gay
cites Of the club. in the hotel and In
the home, or 1t may play bigger part
In the manufacture of the munitions
which alone can bring us victory. II
may be transferred into beverages
which make for pleasure. or II may be-
come the fuel that will serve the na.
ton when other fuels are lacking.
Alcohol can no longer satisfy the de-
mands of the countrys indulgence only.
It must serve the thousands Of indus.
trial purposes that are the vital needs
Of America at war. And In wartime
everything must so that hampers the
work of a successful mobilization OF
the countrys resources and leads to
final victory
Every extravaganza and waste in
home life and public life must be elimi-
mated, and the great industry Of alco-
holic beverage manufacture must bow
before the demands OF the nation in its
time Of crisis. This is no sentimental
demand-nor religious nor even moral
1t Is the demand Of the nations chem.
lists. based upon scientific analysis.
Necessary on Battlefield.
No man would assume that We should
curb our supply Of ether In order to In
crease our supply Of beverages In time
Of peace, and no man will say that our
soldiers should be denied the greatest
possible prot. ctiOn because the manu-
facture OF their medicines depends
upon the reduction Of our alcoholic
drinks. AS local anaesthetic, As q
heart and respiration stimulant. and
for many other purposes, ether, 80
largely made of alcohol, finds wide use
on the battlefield.
Ether may be used In connection with
kerosene to produce very satisfactory
substitute for gasoline in motorcars.
1t may be employed as a solvent. as a
cleaning solution for guns, and for
many other important purposes. Its
use as such, on a large scale, II I'm
possible now. because while denatured
alcohol Is free. pure alcohol, used In
the manufacture OF ether, costs 81 40 q
gallon. OF which 81 Is tax. European
countries have removed this tax. and
ether IS now made in Quantities-Eu-
ropes plan has been successful. II was
forced upon her by dire necessity. Let
US learn by her experience.
Alcohol IL Of fundamental necessity
as solvent In the manufacture Of eY.
plosives. We must be sure that the
present abnormal demand Is not ham.
RCAC CNCI ituIptVlN. NOHS1UeT the COTE
parative importance Of alcohol for bev-
erages and for explosives in war times.
AS fuel, alcohol finds great use, and
fuel will be in unnatural demand as
the war goes on. For internal combus-
ton engines, for cooking stoves, and
for numerous other purposes. alcohol,
as fuel, must help win the war.
Emergencies will arise. and shortages
in other fuels will appear suddenly.
There must be no curta ilment Of this
source
Varied Industrial Uses.
Not only for ether. for explosives
and for fuel does this country need
alcohol. This need goes into nearly
every industrial field, and this need n
always increased by war For a great
number Of medicinal purposes other
than ether alcohol IL essential; the
preparation Of dyestuffs depends upon
it, and the manufacture Of many shell
laos and varnishes. These are only Q
few OF alcohOl's industrial uses.
But why not use wood alcohol for
all these PURPOSES goes the argument,
''and continue using grain alcohol In
the manufacture Of liquor:'' And the
nations chemists answer. "Impos-
sible." The vapors Of wood alcohol are
binding, and it's use In highly danger.
GUS for all manufacturing
Efficiency? Economy What will he
ZONE Of these II the great Industrial
units, now deliberately organized and
busiiy engaged in the manufacture OF
alcoholic beverages. must close up shop
abruptly?
Don't close the breweries and distil-
leries. Transform them. Instead OF
making alcohol for drinks. make II for
the manufacture Of explosives. make Il
for ether >and other medicinal pur.
poses, make. It for fuel. make Il for
dyes and shPllacs-make II for every
use to which Uncle Sans chemists can
put 1t in the supreme moment when
all things must go 10 the melting Dot TO
be turned to the nations greatest good.
Power Of the Eye.
An eye can threaten like loaded ana
leveled gun, or can insult like kissing
or kicking, or in its altered mood nv