Evening journal., 1920-04-17
Keen ARGUMENT
OVER DRY BILL
Physicians Ask Legislature
TO Give Them Right to
Prescribe Liquor
PREDICT CLOSE VOTE.
ON 1T IN HOUSE
s,aT spondenL

g. whisky a drug" This is a question
which is entering prominently into The
nsht for and against The NlcNabb
amcndmept to the Klair Stale prohibit
lion Bill 10 give physicians the right
TO prescribe liquor.
At the hearing giving advocates and
opponents Of The amendment in the
House yesterday afternoon, Dr.. How
ard Kelley, fhe noted Baltimore sur
econ, IN n address on the subject.
conionded that it IS not a drug ana
that In his opinion 70 Is never re-
Quircd TO be prescribed.
Dr. Hobart Hare, another eminent
physician OF Philadelphia, in letter
10 Dr.. Albert Robin, presiden. Of the
New Castle County Medical Society.
which was rad during the hearing
slated that whisky Is a drug and he
considered 10 Important that physicians
have the privilege OF prescribing u
under certain conditions.
The hearine lasted nearly three hours
ad both sides presented strong argu-
ments. A large majority Of the pny-
s.cans Of the slate are urging passage
of Tho bill and a petition signed 10y
% doctors asking for its enactment
was presented 90 the House yesterday
Final action on the bin was deferred
unNl Monday when it IS expected o
Noie viii be taken The indications
are that this vote will be very close.
Dr. Henry w. Briggs opened The dis
cussion for -he amendment lie said
ail tho amendment did was to give to
physicians the right TO prescribe alco-
hol and It's derivatives for medicinal
purposes. The use Of liquor for medi-
cinal purposes, he stated, IS exempted
Under both the Federal and state con-
slituiions. DIT. Briggs said The doctors
of Delaware are only asking for th'
same privilege that the doctors OF sis
Ter states have. we are not here,
DE said. ITO argue prohibition. w
have voted for the closing OF the cor
ner saloon and stopping Of the legaiizal
liquor traffic for beverage purposes
but We did not vote or did not thin
ve did 10 lake away our right to pre-
scrbc liquor"
nr. Briggs said tn. amendment De
fore The House was a compromise an
that Mr. Boyce The Federal prohibitio
Director. was for 70 and .old him O
Thursday that ne wis sorry he coul
not be in Dover 10 lend his presenc
aal influence for the amendment, bt
% wss called 70 Washington on bus
ness. Dr Briggs then presented
speaker Corbt petition which he sal
had been signed by i25 physicians asl
ing for the enactment Of the amenl
mont 81 am not eoing 70 argue
20 the benefits OF liquor as q medicin
the petition speaks for that, but y
do argue for our constitutional rights
Dr. Albert Robin. president OF Il
Kew Castle County Medical Societ
said with The exception Of four or IN
every member Of the society had sig
ed tho petition. "We are not here
argue prohibition" DR.. Robin sal
mat has been settled. Mos, OF
voted for prohibition FOR The san
reason that most OF you did TO clio
ont the corner saloon Dr. Robin sa
ihe many women present who are ne
hoping 10 see a fight for or again
prohibition win be disappointed. Th
question is settled
The speaker said If the pnysicla
are going to be restricted as 90 the u
cf one drug they might be restrict
as 90 others. 81 prescribe very III
liquor. Some other doctor may p
scribe more. according TO his pracli
That is his business and his iudgme
Physicians 10 other states have
privilege of subscribing liquor. II ,
have no confidence in your doctl
you might as we'll take away his
cansc. and there is no reason to kl
% away from all because you mil
think some one might abuse t."
DR. Howard A. Kelly. eminent S
geon Of the Johns Hopkins univeri
Hospital. Baltimore. opsned the disc
sion for The opponents OF The measl
he denied that alcohol was essen
and questioned whether any repuli
authority had advocated its presc
ton for typhoid fever or pneumC
i'm the past i've years This la
statement was ieered by members
the medical profession In The gall
Resumng his argument, Dr. Kelly
sisted that the highest authorities
the medical world discredit the usI
alcohol. saying that he could not
Nifty the liquid by calling it a drug
10 was only an agent. lie asserted
he had never heard any leading
il0rily advocate rs use for The ir
m.ni OF influenza and didn't bel
That the proponents of the bill q
0iil one actual example Of any ben
hat were produced with whisky.
could not have been accomplished q
something else.
III & helps pneumonia indu
Doctor Kelly. what Is the answe
So many German beer drinkers. vic
uf this disease dying Ike tlies in
hospitals Ha admitted that physi,
resent any Invasion OF ihcir rilhis
was oil The opinion that when the
~ humanity was involved. oppOs
merely assumed The garb OF egotis
ile created .augh when DE ella
ihlt n Che treatment or snake
e was chiefly used a. prophyi
and insisted that instead Of benef
patient That has been bitten rs
has often resulted IN dcalh lie p
ci with the legislators TO sch an
ample for Maryland TO follow
urged Delaware 20 enjoy ihe dis
ton OF taking lhs most noble
in lhc country.
Or. l. S. ConVen secretary OF
state Board Of Health OF Camden
-uing in opposition TO the enact
of tho bill. said that physicians
able 20 procure every drug essent
iha practice OF their profession. G.
ibe one that steals away
senses. He conicnded That 10 W,
much tha duty 0f ihe State 90
preventative measures to del
iremcns as 20 prevent smallpox o.
other plagua nc vas ccriain "