The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-09-07
DON'T BE TOO SURE THE FELLOW
 IS DRINK

A workman became weak and confused one lday while at work, and because he behaved as though intoxicated he was discharged forth- with. Not until some time later was his true | condition recognized. He was subject to at- 01 o Sa ae o eys n M creas. After 0 complicated convalescence the man regained his health and had no more att great restlessness. The discharge of tho man on snap diagnosis of drunkenness was n great injustice. which Is sanctioned by Amori- can custom and American law. How often do the police pick up an unfor- tunate citizen whom they brand drunk and dis orderly, throw him into cell % and leave him to die without benefit of medicine. Uremia. diabetes, epilepsy (espccially petit ma), cerebral hemorrhage following sonne un. seen injury of the head, and even pneumonia with early dclrium, are some of the emergency | conditions which may place you or me in tho plight of being jailed and denied decent medi- cal care some ignorant polceman's or some self sufficient police Judges snap diagnosis of of "intoxication.'
 The odor of alcohol on the breath Is not sui. drinking may suffer from any of these condi- tions. Indeed there Is no rough and ready test by which intoxication may be determined. Such arbitrary tests as requiring the suspected in- dividuai to walk a line, or to repeat the Peter dence The truth is that the law is weak. there Is not statute definition of intoxcation and the lawyers find the pickings very good. so there IS no prospect of any correction of the evil and tho injustice that inevitably grows out of such a shameful defect in the law.
 If the question were left to me l should have no solution to suggest. I know of no test for in- toxication. To my mind 1t would seem fair to assume an individual is intoxicated if alcohol fact, l think, Is evidence that he has taken moro alcohol than the body can possibly oxid- ize, burn or utilize So should endeavor to devise some gadget through which the suspect would blow, and any alcohol in his breath would produce a characteristic reaction. Obvi- ously such test might brand person as IY,,t. sl1nn ta ilId Uf1nan seriously impaired, by the alcohol. But ! sub init the margin of error would be less than IL is under the present crude practice. By what rule does the court decide now whether automobile or railway engine driv- CT who is involved in an accident. was suffi- ciently intoxicated to be negligent or needless. when he admits he has had flew drinks only?" There Is no rule about 1t. It is just the way the judge or jury may happen to feel or think about such matters
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 Invent Something to Sell l am working on a new idea In tOOth brush holders Can you answer tn: these questions Dr TOT ried to the mouth on the toothbrush? ?. Is It sanitary to have q tooth brush hanging in the through the air any considerable distance? (H. M. Al.
 Answer-I I don't know about toothpastes but I'd rely on plain soap and water to remove or destroy any disease germs on toothbrush 2. Just as sanitary ass though the bath room were closed. The main objection to the custom
 
 to clean up his pipe something. 3. Dis ease germs do not travel through the air. They go only where they are carried by animate or inanmate agents.
 Legs Cranip at Night l am the mother of seven children and have lots of work to do and need my sleep. but my legs cramp sO had at night can't sleep. 1 have t0 get up and stand on them to relieve the cramps. fMrs L. k.)
 Answer-some sufferers find they can get relief from such cramps by pressing the toes against the foot rail of the bcd Others have res ported that dose of half n teaspooBfml of soda (saieratus. sodium bcarbonate) taken with n drink of water will quickly relieve such leg cramps.
 Noises at Night
 Ne Ise Co e noisy section, and | Deycr ret lo sleep uniI Our neiehb0rs. ti,elr children and various stray dogs settle down for tise night. Ii,Is is especially trying in .umnser when wln. hoHs aFe kept open Can s0u stiggekt nny dc. yIee io shat Out suei, D0ises: e. Q. G.D
 AnhNer--sOne persons wear cones of wax in inc ears tO shut out annoying noises when they wish tv sleep. Get physically museuiarly. fired. by d0inx work or playing hard. and the neishhefH the kids. dogs. traihe and tho like will not b0iher you much.
 lcvpyriEht 1888. John r. Dille Col