The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-06-19
BOOTLEG LIQUOR FOUND GUILTY
Nine of Ten Samples Are Rank Poison

WASHINGTON. - When you drink
bootleg the chances are better than
nine out of 10 that you are drinking
rank poison.
The Ardmorelte through NEA Serv-
ice has established this by chemical
analysis of 3S samples Of bootleg bought
In Is cities scattered throughout the
nation.
The samples have been analyzed by
government experts.
ONLY TWO OUT OF THE 3S SAM
PIES PROVED TO BE WHISKY OF
PRE.PROHIBITION QUALITY. One
of these was purchased in Boston; the
other in Washington.
Two more were synthetic gin-held
passable.. One of these samples was
from Cleveland, the other from Los
Angeles.
But bootleg consumers in Boston,
Washington, Cleveland and Los Ange-
les need not jump to the conclusion
that because these samples were pass
able, all bootleg vended in these cities
is safe For other samples bought in
these places proved dangerous.
OF the remaining "a samples, 10 were
doctored and diluted whiskies or whisk
les produced from an alcohol base and
artificlally colored and favored; II were
raw moonshine and varying degrees of
rankness one was poor beer, contain
ing wild yeasts; and one was distilled
wine. Of poor quality
Where Samples Were Collected.
Samples were collected from these
widely scattered cities Dallas. Texas;
Memphis. Tenn; Denver, Colo; Norfolk.
Va; oklahoma City, Okla. Birming-
ham, Ala; Cleveland; Chicago; Seattle,
Wash; San Francisco; Los Angeles;
New York; Providence. X. l.; Boston
and Washington.
Theye were bought from wide range
Of bootleg channels and analyzed with.
out selection. They came from drug
stores, bell boys, bootblacks. BARRIERS,
porters milkmen. near-beer saloons and
similar channels Of the trade, with
few seized In official raids.
The samples were assembled In
Washington, and analyzed for the Ard
morelte and NEA Service by govern
ment chemists in government labora
tories.
The analysis showed that when you
buy bootleg you get nearly always a
dangerous concoction of colored and
disguised alcohol. or raw distillate
fun of aldehydes and violent poisons
that will leave you with an awful head
the day after drinking, and a wrecked
constitution after repeated doses.
"Aldehytles" are PerilOus to Health
The "aldehydes" found in the moon
shines and doctored whiskles are ele.
ments intermediate between alcohols
and acids They are derived from the
higher alcohols by the oxidation and
removal Of a certain hydrogen content
and the addition of very small amount
Of oxygen converts them into active
acids.
THE effect of these aldehydes," says
William V. Linder. government chem
list. "is to knock one out much more
quickly than would high. grade whisky.
Their consumption over any con.
siderable period undermnes the gen.
oral constitution to O point where II
seems much more susceptible to. many
diseases.
While not Immediately poisonous,
causing sudden blindness or death as
does methyl or wood alcohol, their
effect is definitely and cumulatively
harmful"
Dangerous Elements In Moonshine.
The dangerous elements in moon
shine and doctored WHISTLES. for most
part, Linder explains. are due to the
unscIentific dlstilling and blending. and
10 the unsanitary surroundings In
which most OF the operations are car.
rled on.
'Moonshine." says Linder. "is re.
produced for most part under the most |
unscientific and unsanitary conditions.