Evening star., 1920-01-29
NEED Of ALCOHOL
FOR SICK AROUSES
HOW-T0-GET QUERY
Suggestion Made That Sup
ply Be in Hands OF
Red Cross.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


liquors with which to treat influenza
patients, but how about the thousands
of victims who are confined to their
homes and whose physicians have had
and may have difficulty finding drug
stores with a stock of such stimu-
lantS?
Inquiry at the legal department OF
the internal revenue office here.
where directions are given for the
national enforcement of the prohlOl-
tion law. yielded some pertinent IN
formation as to the manner in which
the law is being construed as well as
the legal method by which the wants
of anybody in the United States suf-
fering from influenza or any other
ailment for which physician de-
clares alcohol is necessary as medi-
cine can be supplied.
Process Set Forth.
The process is this: Any physician
who sets forth under oath that he
needs alcohol. whether in the form OF
beverage or anything else, ana
makes the proper affidavit before
United States attorney. can get the
liquor. The United States attorney,
of course. must apply to the federal
court in his Jurisdiction for the neces-
sary permission, and il there is an
available supply in the hands OF the
collector of internal revenue. obtained
through confiscation, the court may
require the collector to sell to phySl-
clans or to drug stores who hold per-
mits for the sale or distribution OF
alcoholic medicines.
Under the law the United States
court may authorize the grant OF
liquor free of charge to any govern
ment agency. Thus the Army or Navy
internal revenue who happens to be
nearest any camp or port.
Red Cross. Perhaps, Included.
Also it is quite probable that the
American Red Cross would be con-
strued to be government agency.
The Red Cross hitherto has not sup
piled medicines to influenza patients,
but has confined itself to the distriou-
ton of gauze masks and nurses. But
it would appear to be possible for the
Red Cross to obtain a supply of liquor
for distribution in needy cases. though
this point is still under discussion at
the headquarters of the Red Cross and
at this writing no decision has been
reached.
Clearly. whether agents of the Red
Cross or physicians obtained liquor
from the federal courts. they would
be legally responsible for any abuse
Of the privilege and subject to the
penalties imposed by the court.
Az to the supply.
Whare would the courts find supply
of liquor for distribution to agencies
that SHOULD have it? There are thou
sands of gallons confiscated right along
every where. Liquor sent by express
or otherwise under false pretences or
smuggled in trunks or suit cases and
left by the owners who fear the con-
sequences of claiming their property
passes into the hands Of the govern
ment at the end of sixty days.
And if there is an epidemic in Okla
homa and the collector of internal rev.
enue has no liquor on hand the federal
court can ask him to obtain the same
from some other internal revenue dis
trict. say New York or Chicago, where
any quantity on hand may be trans
ferred to the point where 1t is most
needed.
Differ Over Medical Value.
OF course. medical opinions differ
as to the value of alcohol as a
medicine. At the Offices of the United
States public health service no official
opinion has been rendered and prob
ably will not be. 1t was said, how
ever, that the principal physicians
there did not consider alcohol necces-
sary in the treatment of influenza or
pneumonia, but that it might be USE
full in handling patients who had been
accustomed to the use of alcohol.
When the prohibition laws were
under consideration by Congress the
question of the use Of alcohol as a
medicine was debated from every angle.
Physicians did not seem to agree.
One member of Congress expressed
it this way:
Representatives. Opinion.
IF you put all the physicians of
irH
of the number might say alcohol was
unnecessary in treating their patients
and another third might say it was
necessary and still another third
might be on the fence and would not
commit themselves. Even doctors of
the same school have differed on the
subject, therefore the safest thing to
do is to let those physicians who say
it is Indispensable to their practice
have it,.
seems to be, however. a timidity about
expressing an opinion for or against
the use of alcohol as a medicine.
Whether it is fear of the wrath of the
Anti-Saloon League. which has mar
shaled considerable medical testimony
to the effect that alcohol is unneces-
saror whether it is genuine doubt.
is hard to say.
Anyway. the government is putting
no obstacle in the path of those ply
sicianS who require 1t Tor their pa
tients and is constituting section q
Of the prohibition law in a manner
that will permit individuals. whether
in hospitals or elsewhere, to obtain
| liquor.
Would Cooperate to Save Life.
Officials at the Treasury said that
if lives could be saved by their CO.
| operation they would do anything
! they could to cooperate. They gave
| the impression, moreover. that they
did not want to face the anger OF
| individuals whose relatives might lie
of the flu or pneumonia and who
! would forever entertain the idea thai
possession of some alcoholic stimu-
liant might have averted death.
| There are many people here who
| think the Red Cross ought to take up
the whole thing and not only make
alcohol promptly available every
where to those physicians who need
it. but prevent drug stores from set,
| ting arbitrary prices on the small
quantities they have on hand.
| Copyright, 1921