Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-09
Years Record Shows Many
Serious Cases From Boot
leg Concoctions.
FIVE DEATHS RESULT,
WITH MANY IMPAIRED
Where Vile Liquor Does Not Kill
It Has Been Found to Shat
ter Health.

More than 500 Washingtonians were
treated at three local hospitals dur
ing the year 1921 after drinking bad
liquor. including bootleg whisky.
This years record will be even
higher. judging from reports from
the Washington Asylum Hospital.
where already 107 cases have been
registered and diagnosed for the first
two months and a fraction Of this
year.
The remarkable thing about it all
appears to be, according to health
department records. that only five
died from the effects of alcoholic poi
son!nG. 1t is pointed out that the
low death rate for this cause speaks
we'll for the hospitals treating the
cases. But the cases of serious i'm
pairment of health. causing ultimate
deaths from causes other than alco-
holic poisoning, cannot be estimated
without individual investigation of
each case.
Various Hospital Cases.
At the Emergency Hospital during
the past year. according to official rec
ords there. 120 were entered as suffer-
ing from the effects of the bootleg
products being retailed in Washing
ton. This year the number has been
lighter, only eleven cases having been
the exceptional hospital this year in
this regard. Both of the others show
higher ra tios than last year. The rec
ords for the alcoholic cases were
searched by Assistant to the Super
intendent Dalton today and the above
estimates were the result.
Casualty Hospital is having its
hands full also with the alcoholic poi
soning cases. The alcoholic patients
admitted thus far this year were esti-
mated at thirty by Mrs. Robert X. 10y.
IN charge of the rec
ords and office. while last years num-
ber was fixed at seventy-fve.
1t is Washington Asylum Hospital.
however, which is Washington's
barometer of the effects of fake and
poison liquor. According to officials
there. the vast majority Of cases be-
due to the effects Of imbibing adul-
terated, synthetic and manufactured
whisky and liquors.
Last year these cases numbered
$50. This year they have become the
prime factor of attention at the hos
the psychopathic ward is constantly
filled to capacity. The new year
opened with a ratio of almost fifty
per month, or almost two cases per
day.
Typical Case Cited.
Here's a typical case from the Wash
ington Asylum Hospital. The name
is on the records there, but is with
held from publication. The authority
is the physician in charge OF the hos
pital:
On January 6 Washington bar
ber was brought to the hospital. He
was unconscious. Some time afterward
he regained consciousness, but re-
mained In a comatic state. He knew
vaguely where he was and what the
hospital was. but he scarcely had
definite idea as to what any one around
him was doing. 1t was eight weeks
before he recovered sufficiently to be
taken from the hospital and sent
home. Before leaving. he explained
to physicians that he had taken only
two drinks of bootleg whisky and he
didn't know a thing after that sec
ond drink" until he woke up some
few weeks later in the hospital;
Physicians at the hospital do not
hesitate to place the blame on the
is now being sold. At Washington
Asylum Hospital a certain class of
imbibers has come to be known as
'.thirty-day repeaters." They show
I'D every month or SO to be treated
for a condition resulting from bad
whisky.
Wood Alcohol Drinkers.
The same authorities made the
statement that a number of the pa
tients Of this type were known to be
wood alcohol drinkers.
They will take a few drinks OF
bootleg" one physician said." and will
continue drinking until their money
gives out. Then they will go to a
garage and obtain denatured alcohol.
After mixing up a little with lemon
Juice, sugar and water, they drink
this concoction themselves and the
next thing they are back here again.
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