Evening star., 1919-12-27
MANY DEATHS DUE
TO WOOD ALCOHOL
Authorities Begin Crusade
Against Dispensers of Mur-
derous "Christmas Cheer"

NEW YORK, December 27.-Federal
agents. health authorities and police
in many cities in the east were
stirred into action today against traf-
fic in "whiskey" made from wood al
cohol. following the wave of death
and blindness from this cause IN
death list of victims of Christmas
cheer in these states totaled at least
forty-one carly today Ofcials de-
clared it proba Bile that unreported
cases by the score exist from coast TO
coast. A general warning has been
issued here by agencies cooperating
in the fight. telling the public of the
danger lurking in anything that
passes for whiskey in saloons.
Meet Charge Of Murder.
Arrests We're expected in New York
today in connection with tn deaths
and Hartford. Conn. the three towns
hardest hit by the poison drunk as
liquor Four men are under arrest in
Hartford. charged with murder. The
police allege that they bought twelve
barrels of the fluid in the Bronx for
$4,000, which they took to Hartford
by motor truck, where water was
added. Then it was sold. according
to the police. in other cities De-
partment of Justice agents announce
to New York, where they say it was
made,
Fight ON .'Substitutes' Begun.
A scientific fight against all poison
Gus substitutes for liquor has been
started in New York. Associated with
DR.. Charles Norris. chief medical ex-
aminer. in this work are the New
York County Medical Association and
the National Committee for the Pre-
vention of Blindness. In addition to
the crusade against wood alcohol DR..
Royal S. Copeland. commissioner of
health, has announced that the de-
partment will analyZe the many
homemade drinks.
Some of the substitutes for whisky
made according to recipes widely ad
Vertised contain fusel oil and other
dangerous ingredients, according to
the commissioner. A determined eff
fort also is being made to find out if
any methyl alcohol is being diverted
from paint shops or other industrial
use and resold for beverage purposes.
Kills Thirty-Five in Chicago.
CHICAGO. December 27.-F'ive vic
tins of wood alcohol poisoning are dead
here, sixth is dying and several others
are seriously ill as a result of Christmas
orgies.
Federal and local authorities opened
vigorous investigation today to fix re-
sponsibility for the sale of the poison
eight or thirty bodies since July l, all
victims of this drug" said Peter NJ.
Hoffman. coroner of Cook county. i
expect a lot more in II few days from
New Year celebrations"
One ordinary drink of wood alcohol
can make 4 man permanently blind
and sometimes kill him, Mr.. Hoffman
added.
Two men who sold wood alcohol to
men who died after drinking it have
been held for the grand jury on murder
charges A city ordinance which
would limit the sale of wood alcohol
to commercial men alone, and remove
it from drug stores and saloons is
expected to be submitted in a few
days.
"A Deaths, One Murder, at Cleveland.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, December 81
Nine new victims of wood alcohol pois-
oning were in Cleveland hospitals to-
day, raising the weeks total of suffer
ers from drinking the whisky substi-
tute TO twenty-four. In the same period
three deaths have been attributed to
wood or denatured alcohol poison.
placing the fatality toll for the month
at fourteen.
charged with murder and is said by
Sheriff Hanratty to have confessed
shooting Nicholas Osdrich. thirty, of
West Park. boarder, following the
drinking Of homemade whisky and a
fight at a Christmas day celebration
Osdrich's body was found late yester-
day.
Twenty Deaths Mt Detroit.
DETROIT, Mich, December 27-
While records of the police department
| here show that at least twenty deaths
| due to the drinking of home brewed
whisky since September / last none
has been reported here during the last
few days. 1t was stated today.