The sun., 1919-02-25
COUNTY PHYSICIANS
FIGHT PROHIBITION
Medical Society Goes on Rec.
ord as Being Opposed to Dry
Amendment.
CALLS 1T UNSCIENTIFIc
Also Irrational and Agains,
Accepted Usage Of All
Civilized Nations.
CALLS 1T UNsCIENTIFIc

OA' AaAASSNs A'"thOhCs
The Medical Society OF the COUNTY a,
New York went on record last night a,
meeting In the Academy OF Medlclns
II West Forty;third street. as being on.
posed to prohibition. A resolu,io,
adopted after a vigorous and at time,
turbulent discussion described national
prohibition as being Irrational, unscien.
tific and In opposition to the accented
usage OF all civilized nations" Tn,
vote was 40 to 20.
So much time was spent In discussing
the measure and also in debate on corn.
pulsory health Insurance that the doc.
tors found 1t necessary to shelve unfit
the next meeting the scientific papers O,
the evening. which we're about ,horac,c
surgery and reconstruction operations In
cases of cancer of the face. 1t is doub,.
full. however. whether the discussion ,o,.
lowing even such palpits ting subiec'e
as these could have equalled in fer,or
that which followed the introduction o,
the subject OF prohibition.
At first 1t seemed that any condemn.
ton of prohibition was doomed to
parliamentary grave. for DR.. T. Flo,
Harris, chairman OF the committee o.
Public Health, to which the motion o.
Or. John p. DAWN was referred When
introduced at the last meeting, an.
nounced that the committee Unanimously
desired that no action be taken on the
resolution by the society. Dr. DAWN
y I'D nr lii
defence of the measure and amended"
measure approving the report OF III.
committee. so that 1t approved the anti
dry resolution instead.
Quotes Previous Record.
1.-THE house of delegates OF tho Amer
lean Medical Association nearly two
years ago went on record as opposing
the use of alcohol as a beverage Dr.
Harris declared.
Up sprsng DR.. Gottheil
II don't propose to let the House o.
Delegates be quoted as a crushing an.
thority," he retorted. There's too
much Of that sort of thing altogether.
believe that alcohol is useful NJ.
terly condemn the step of teetotale~
and others who have by sleight OF hand
imposed this measure on us
mere LIT. J'anlel -. pOuRnertv, secro'
'sry Of the society, dived into the dis.
cussion to point out that the Leglsla-
ture Of the State had already ratified the
amendment to the Constitution so the
resolution opposing ratification was
somewhat ancient and meant absolutely
nothing Neither side seemed willing
to let the chance Of finish fight on the
subject slip away on such grounds. how
ever. and discussion burst out afresh
Prohibition means that the writing
of prescriptions for alcohol will be die
tated by the president of the AMT.
Saloon League" declared DR.. DAWN.
Alcohol and Health.
Alcohol contributes TO health and en-
joyment of life II moderately used" ~
Max Einhorn contributed. "Prohihltlor
is entirely against all our ideals OF PEI
sonal liberty. II alcohol is taken AVA
they may prohibit after It coffee and
tea. Then they may decide that n1ea,
is harmful merely because some peop,N
are opposed to eating it,
DR.. Charles Howard Peck, presden. 81
the society, interposed to say Few
soothing words about the futility Of op-
posing something the Legislature had Al.
ready done, but Dr. Gotthe!l. in parla,
mentary language explained that IL
couldn't see the presidents argument tho
least little bit.
Il don't think Il risht to strange -
this way" he added. and went righ. o.
resurrecting demon rum.
IT can't sit here and hear all his
buncombe." exclaimed DIR. poushe-'"
jumping up. IAN these arguments 'A''
sun about personal liberty and fren5or
Is damnable-eimply damnabe say
W. take away n mans personal llhert"
to use morphine. don't We? Then W"
not alcohol? It's crazy to say We mus
not prohibit such a menace TO health q,
alcohol simply because we violate PEI
sonal liberty"
After that, things began 70 get g.
volved. because half the members pres
ent were in the dark as "a whetnor I've"
were about to vote for the adoption
the report, or the adoption OF the amend
ment to the report, and then soUctoD"
suggested that an amendment 10 \ roo
ton could not he made directly contra
dieting the motion itself and then SOME
body else said It could. and N a short
time alcohol was forgotten while par''H-
red tape was untangled. FIsa..
ly DIR. Peck called for vote ard '-er,
inter listening with attentive cars -
equally loud choruses Of ayes and 0'cs
demanded standing vote. The 7t''
had It.