Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1918-04-11
The Red Cross Against Alcoholic
Liquors.

much ado has been made in tn
columns of newspapers by the prohi
bition press bureau over the so-calle,
use of liquors by our armies abroad
A few pertinent facts, probably no
generally known, should be given tt
the public everywhere.
"F'irst-The American Government
has been buying straight and bonded
Whistles for use by the medical de-
partment of the American army il
France.
"Second-Within week, Cook &
Bernheimer, of Baltimore, has bottled
in bond for the United States Gov
eminent about 5000 barrels of
whiskey.
"Third-The English government is
reported to have bought within the
past week 10000 to $4,000 barrels Of
Kentucky WHISTLES for army pur-
poses.
"Fourth-The medical departments
of all the armies of Europe are turn
ing to WHISTLES as an essential in the
conduct of the war"
Such statements as these, together
with recent statement in the New
York World to the effect that prohi-
bitionists are complaining because
the Government is permitting the
sale of wine in the canteens in France
and similar statements regarding the
work of the Red Cross, are exceed
ingly injurious in their effect. The
medical department of the army is
under the command of General Cor
gas, a prohibitionist, who can be
thoroughly trusted to see to it that
there is only legitimate use of alcohol
by those under his command. The
canteens in France are being run by
the Y. M. G. A., and no wine is being
sold at any of them.
AS for the Red Cross, that organi-
cation is absolutely opposed to the
unnecessary use of liquors in any
way. Mrs. Martha M. Allen, super
intendent of the Department of Med
ical Temperance of the Worlds W.
C. T. u, made inquiry of the Red
Cross because of complaints that the
Red Cross first aid books advised the
use of whiskey in certain emcrgen-
cies. The authors of these books
were written to in regard to the mat
ter, and very courteous replies were
received, saying that it was an over
sight on the part of the authors that
the old-time teachings as to alcohol
had been retained, and ASSURING US
that in future editions all reference tt
alcoholic liquors as remedies would
be omitted.
Later, Red Cross nurses in some
places reported that in first aid
classes which they attended alcoholic
liquors were advised as emergency
to stimulate the heart, etc.
A letter was then sent to Lieutenant
Colonel C. H. Connor, at the national
headquarters of the Red Cross. The
following excerpt from Colonel Con-
nor's reply shows that the leaders OF
the American Red Cross are distinct
lv opposed to the medical use of al
soholics:
''The First Aid Division of the
American Red Cross does not ap-
prove of the use of alcohol, either as
a stimulant, tonic, or therapeutic
agent. In fact, the field representa-
tives throughout the country who are
instructing and examining
first aid classes all call attention to
Inc dangerous practice of giving any
alcoholic liquor in accident cases.
eff 1 can be of any further assist
ance to you and to your organization,
Kindly let me hear from you. C. H.
Common, Lieutenant Colonel, Meolcal
Corps, U. S. Army, Assistant Director
General Department Military Relief"
1t is evident that the Red Cross
medical staff is in full sympathy with
he stand taken last June by the
American Medical Association in
passing the resolutions which con-
lemned alcohol both as beverage
md as medicine. SO we need not
ear that sick soldiers will have an
llcoholic appetite put upon them
through old-time erroneous ideas Of
-irtues of whiskey, nor will they be
obbed of a chance for recovery by
he use of drug that quits nail in
he coffin of q patient who is sufferingl
rom shock" and which in cases Of |
extreme exhaustion may cause death