The New York herald., 1921-09-04
NOLAW AGAINST
EXTERNAL WHISKEY
Volstead Act Does Not Forbid
Physicians to Prescribe
Booze Baths.
ELATION AT LOOPHoLE
Test Cases Probably Will BE
Made to Make Breach in
Prohibition.
ELATIoN AT LooPHoLE
spscidl Despatch 10 THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
WASHINGTON. ID. O., Sept. 3.

Washington, ID. g., Sept. 3. J
Legal sharps in Washington who have
followed the evolution and development
or prohibition enforcement in the United
States have discovered hole in the
voistead law. "a thousand yards wide"
They are preparing to press their ad-
vantage. and one or more test cases
bearing upon the quantity Of whiskey
which can be withdrawn on a ply
sician's prescription are to be brought
according to present plans.
1t seems that Mr.. Volstead in drawing
the act designed to dry up the United
States. muffed at least one mighty
important point. This muff left more
than a loophole-it is a complete breach
of the dry works, in the opinion of the
discoverer and at least one Government
official Prohibition officials say they
are not alarmed. however They say
rule OF reason and not of technicality
will prevail
In framing the medicinal whiskey pro-
vision of the Vostead act, section Z.
title ?, it was provided that no physician
shall prescribe more than one pint in
any ten day period to be taken for
internal use by any person. There Is
no TeSlIICtlOn on the eNIeTndl use. II a
physician will prescribe two barrels for
a rye bath. 1t Is said that under the
lew the prescription must be filled. So
far as the law Is concerned. 1t is, de-
ciared a man may procure enough rye
10 wash himself from head to foot
three times a day in any brand OF
"hooch" that his aesthetic taste de-
sires."
No Bath Diving Allowed.
OF course, the physicians prescribing
whiskey in order to see that their pa
tients did not violate the law would have
to write plainly on the face of the pre-
scription calling for barrel of booze
''for external use only" and further it
would be their duty to instruct re-
cipients Of prescriptions under no condi-
ttons to dive under the surface when
reclining in their bath.
1t is not specified in the act that a
physician may not prescribe any brand
of alcoholic stimulant he sees fit for ex-
ternal use. Section goes further in
placing the key to the national wine
and hooch" cellars in the hands of ply
sicians by providing that every physi-
clan who Issues a prescription for liquor
shall keep record, alphabetically ar
ranged in book prescribed by the COM
ullbSlOueT, WHICH snail snow the GATE OIL
issue, amount prescribed to whom is
sued, the purpose of ailment for which
II is to be used and directions for use.
stating the amount of frequency of the
dose"
A pint in ten days for internal use is
clear enough in meaning, but barrel
day for external use, apparently is not
prohibited, and in the exact interpreta-
ton OF the law is in order at all times.
For instance. a man is Ill with Sc
we're case of typhoid: needs an alcohol
hath. The physician, wishing tolysave
his patient. decides that a bath in
spirftuous liquor is necessary. The law
not prohibiting, he Is well within his
right as a practitioner to order as much
whiskey from the nearest drug store as
will fll a capacious tub in which to
''souse" the patient.
"Souse" Is well taken, according to an
oflcial of the Internal Revenue Bureau.
who points out that any man regardless
Of his physical condition, who was sud-
denly immersed to his eyebrows in
tub filled with rich brown BOOZE would
recover long enough to let a portion
triclxle down his throat
ANY man who OF his own free will
bathed in whiskey should be in the fool
ish ward at st. Elizabeths. the Govern
ment Hospital for the insane" he said.
TWniskey always has been intended FOR
use as a medicine and not as a cleans
ing fluid. The Water Department has
ample provision for the latter
The 1oophole for the physician who
honestly believed that whiskey would do
the work IL taken in bath form and is
sued prescription for bath a day to
keep fever away, is the fact that any
reference to external use OF spirituous
liquors has been omitted from the Vol
stead act.
Incidentally the Bureau OF Internal
Revenue is waiting eagerly to seize any
one who attempts to construe the law as
meaning that It is legal to drain a
warehouse on one prescription and see
II the Judge reaches the same conclusion
regarding the meaning of the act.
II Is deemed likely that should test
case result in physicians being empow-
cred to prescribe whiskey for external
use an epidemic of "epidermis all
ments' would quickly seize upon the
residents Of the United States and that
soon there would be few homes without
m extra bath tub in which papa took
his daily dive to check the spread OF
some infection such as lack of moisture
In the hide. II Is thought that gargles
of absinthe and footbaths OF gin, not
to mention a rock and rye shampoo.
would become necessary for the well