Evening journal., 1919-09-05
nEMAnE anEsE RENERACEs.

- INCE war prohibition went into effect many Of those
~ who love strong drink have turned to all sorts OF
substitutes harmless and others exceedingly harm
full Delaware has not been immune from this course
Among the dangerous liquids resorted TO are wood
alcohol denalured alcohol medcated alcohol Such
sinister results have attended their that the National
Committee for the Prevention OF Blindness is sending
broadcas special warnings Of the tragic consequences
which may follow the use any Of those three acohos
for beverage purposes
The Evening Journal feels that it owes TO the people
or This city and Peninsula the duty of assisting IN
the dissemination Of those warnings which are embodied
in brief in these words:
One teasnoonful Of wood alcohol taken internally is
sufficient 10 cause blindness larger quantity often
death. " you value your eyesght or your me-
wood alcohol denatured alcohol or medica'ed
alcohol drinking purposes. Pass this knowledge on
II you would assist in reducing the fatalities when are
occurring from this cause
Il is owing TO the heavy increase recently noted in
the number OF deaths and Of blindness resulting
from Tie drinking of wood alcohol by those ignorant Of
IFS dangers that the National Committee for The Proven
lion Of blindness las acted Occasional Of This ma
ture liaye been occurring from time to time for iFml
years but National prohibition went into enect
there has been an alarming increase in all sections of
the country the preparation Of drinks in which
wood alcohol has been used in cases where 1t has
been taken straight
The harmful action Of this poison not only from
taking It internally hut may likewise be induced by
breathing its fumes, and by absorption through the
mucous membranes Of the body. It's effect is usually
noticeable very shortly after exposure Within fey
hours after drinking. acute headache IS noted usually
accompanied by Violent attacks Of vomiting, body pains
extending the region Of the kidneys and excessive
dizziness Vision may become impaired total blindness
occur and death itself result
The wood alcohol in the United states is obtained
chiefly from the destructive dstation Of Woodland
wood, birch beech maple oak elm and alder being those
chi of fo otNhie ig
are for the denaurng Of grain alcohol for various pur-
poses in lines Of common manufacture especially as
solvent in the preparation Of heac, yanish dyes, etc.
as an ingredient in medical and pharmaceutical prepara
tlons in the chemical industries and fuel and iu-
mnant.
only within recent years has wood alcohol become so
dangerous to life and sight. Formerly It dark
bad-smelng bad-tasting fluid which no tempted
to drink Later process developed by which this
color smell and taste are removed Wood alcohol, when
purified this way looks smells and tastes like grain
alcohol may thus be substituted easily for by un-
scrupulous persons.
In 1906, Congress, following the lead OF European
countries enacted law permitting the general use Of
tax-free industrial denatured domestic alcohol in order
TO stimulate industrial purposes for which the high cost
OF grain alcohol was prohibitve Denatured alcohol
usually consists Of 30 per cent grain alcohol and 10 per
cent wood alcohol thus rendering IL unfit for drinking
u is being increasingly substituted for wood alcohol in
Industrial uses, 10 eliminate great ueiibes
tendan upon the use Of the latter
Pharmacists who hold pernas and have given bond are
allowed TO medcae alcohol and sell it for non-beverage
purposes in quantities not exceeding pint provided
they first medcae accordance with Of nine
formulas specified by the Commissioner OF Internal
Revenue United States Treasury Department Carboic
acid formadehyde and bichlorde Of mercury are the
chief Of these denaturng agents The contaner Of such
medicated alcohol must bear Poison label The sale
by pharmacists Of medcated alcohol for industrial pur
poses is prohibited 1t is sold chiefly for rubbing pur-
poses.
In spite OF these regulations and precautions some
persons are using these posons for drinking purposes
even at times completely dlsregardng the Poison label
which may have appeared the bottle In other in
stances the victims have been ignorant Of the dangers Of
that which they using-he beverage having been
prepared by others and sold under false pretences
under some misleading name When the original manu-
facurer mixtures OF this nature can be apprehended
he has been many subjected to pun
ishment by the courts.
So there is the story. Thirsty Delmaryians who de-
sire to court blindness and death viii those alcohols
Those who value eyesight and life will leave such beyer
ages alone.