Dr. W. A. Chapple. of Wellington, on the use and [unclear: Abu] of Alcohol as a Medicine

Alcohol may be a beveraga to [unclear: anyo] it is only a [unclear: meduine] to the total [unclear: abst] Whoever uses alcohol regularly in [unclear: hea] forfeits all claim upon its medicinal [unclear: virt] in disease. To the drinker, alcohol [unclear: fld] loses its virtues as a stimulant [unclear: bef] develops its vices as a poison. If one [unclear: wo] get the good of alcohol in diseases. [unclear: it] must abstain from its use in health. well prescribe exercise to a postman fresh air to a shepherd, as an alcohal stimulant to a wine drinker. Further if [unclear: on] would have the good of alcohol as a [unclear: ma] cinal stimulant in old age, he must [unclear: bst] abstained from its use through life, [unclear: fl] the constant drinker alcohol offer [unclear: noti] but—first, a " fool's paradise second [unclear: th] irresistible craving; and third, an [unclear: ear] death. To the total abstainer it offers medicine in time of disease, and in [unclear: sen] decay.

As alcohol possesses the power of [unclear: pre] ducing evanescent sensations of [unclear: ple] and exhiliration followed by [unclear: depre] and also possesses the power of [unclear: indi] ultimately an irresistible craving for [unclear: itse] and further, as its use in many [unclear: dise] conditions is distinctly injurious, its [unclear: pre] scription should be strictly [unclear: con] medical men.-Alcohol is a [unclear: diff] stimulo sedative, useful as a medicine [unclear: is] certain diseased conditions; but as [unclear: itr] prescription should be restricted to [unclear: ton] qualified to diagnose the condition where stimulant, a sedative, or a stomachic [unclear: tos] is indicated, some less potent and [unclear: da] gerous substitute should be used in [unclear: thos] simple eases where medical advice is [unclear: net] sought. The administration of spirits [unclear: an] wine to boys and young people for [unclear: everti] little trifle and for absurd excuses is [unclear: tg] perilous practice, and to often the origin [unclear: of] a fatal habit. If alcohol must be given [unclear: the] acute illness it should be disguised as [unclear: scj] in liquid foods, to avoid the [unclear: incep] dangerous associations.

The common ailments in which [unclear: alco] is appropriately prescribed but in [unclear: whi] other equally effective remedies may be used, are:-(l) Fainting (not due to loss of blood; (2) loss of appetite; (3) pain; (4) debility. These are frequent abnormal conditions in which a stimulant may be appropriately prescribed and [unclear: fren] used, but with a crave-begetting drug like alcohol, which has the power to [unclear: clouser] degrade, ruin, and destroy human [unclear: victiaj] to the third and fourth generation, It is the bounden duty of everyone to [unclear: seek] remedy free from these dangers, if it can be found,—and who will say it can not ?

In fainting, a small cup of strong [unclear: hi] coffee, to which from half to one [unclear: teas] ful of sal volatile has been added, is a valuable stimulant and restorative; or the page 25 does of sal volatile in hot or cold water be used These possess all the stimu-[unclear: lu] and restorative properties of alcohol [unclear: this] of its forms, and may be used when [unclear: drug] is indicated. As a stomachic in [unclear: appetic] dyspepsia, colie, and [unclear: ilatu] no amount of ale could equal [unclear: enjoy] such valuable remedies as the of oraganic and quinine, or Easton'S Or the compound tincture of [unclear: ts] or maltine made by the M. [unclear: suc] any all of which can be secured [unclear: say] chemist as cheaply as alcohol, [unclear: tin] the doses written on the labels. [unclear: edu] pain the admirable preparation [unclear: nown] as chlorodyne in every way [unclear: does] alcohol as a remedy, and anti-[unclear: siiant] five grain tablets is to be had from [unclear: cmist] and for the relief of pain is [unclear: sample] and effectual beyond the [unclear: full] of alcohol In debility and low [unclear: rate] alcohol is mostly a defusion and a [unclear: and] cannot for a moment be com-with fellow's syrup, cod liver oil, extract of malt and oil, maltine, [unclear: which] and iron in doses of one grain [unclear: since to ten] drops of tincture of steel.

[unclear: there] are many conditions in which [unclear: it] is given indiscriminately and with [unclear: harm] and danger to the sufferers. In [unclear: going] it is always wrong and fatal to [unclear: parties] Alcohol increases the circula-[unclear: there by] promotes hemorrhage.

[unclear: It] is a grave offence against good [unclear: habit] to give spirits in child-bed, because [unclear: it is] danger, and it should never be [unclear: under] any circumstances by nurse or [unclear: doctor] without a doctor's specific order as [unclear: always] and quantity.

[unclear: It] is a grave mistake to give spirits [unclear: pletly] in case of accident There [unclear: is a red] vessel concealed by the [unclear: stage] or an internal rupture, from [unclear: where] the bleeding may be greatly ac-[unclear: ording] by the administration of alcohol [unclear: stimulant].

[unclear: ting] or collapse due to loss of blood [unclear: it] not be treated by any stimulant [unclear: of th]source of the blood has been [unclear: treat] stopped. Fits and sudden attacks [unclear: ness] should not be attacked [unclear: prties] It is much better not to do [unclear: doing] at all than to fly to the brandy [unclear: sis]

[unclear: hol] lowers the temperature by dimin. [unclear: nisitration] and by dilating the surface [unclear: of an] there by allowing a radiation of [unclear: any heat]. It is wrong, therefore, to [unclear: parties] at times of great cold. The [unclear: what] should be maintained by wraps, [unclear: it is] hot bottles, exercise, and hot [unclear: hot] soups, and hot food. Spirits [unclear: feeding] of [unclear: warmth] by increasing [unclear: practice]and the cutaneous circulation, [unclear: reture] is depressed and the [unclear: certified] by this action.

[unclear: you make] people take alcohol at night for [unclear: process] of inducing sleep. Alcohol is [unclear: writable] for such a purpose, [unclear: creation] the crave-begetting danger. [unclear: and] congestion and stimulation of [unclear: jcedea] the soporific effect of [unclear: the] which further disturbs the normal [unclear: amount] of one brain centre to another. [unclear: condition] are antagonistic to normal [unclear: attamt] under medical advice, alcohol [unclear: can be used] to induce sleep. A warm bath at bedtime or Immersion of the feet and legs in hot water, or a large, hot abdominal compress, are simple, safe, and often effective soporifics. No drug should be used except under medical directions.

That alcohol acts as a disinfectant and protects from infectious disease is claimed by some as an excuse for its use. Spirit drinkers can claim no such immunity j on the contrary, constant drinking diminishes tissue vitality and tissue resistance to infection. The drinker not only becomes more prone to infectious disease, but hasi less power to overcome it when once attacked. If one knowingly has come, or must come, in contact with infection, fresh air and sunlight and moderate exercise, after a bowl of strong soup or beef tea or a hearty meal of easily assimilable food, by building up the tissue vitality and tissue resistance, can claim a potent influence in overcoming infection; alcohol can claim none.

With a two-ounce bottle of sal volatile, a half-ounce bottle of chlorodyne, and a small bottle of five-grain tablets of anti-pyrin, alcohol may be safely and profitably dispensed with in most common ailments suggesting its use and cases of emergency requiring " first aid."

Dr. Wallace Mackenzie, of Wellington, oculist and aurist, says:—" Alcohol is un-doubtedly an active nerve poison, and when taken in quantities far short of what is ordinarily called intoxication may cause, not only paralysis of the limbs, but even blindness and degenerative changes in the brain itself."

A Nutritious Non-Alcoholic Malt Drink.—One teacupful of crushed malt (as commonly sold in grocery stores) to three pints of cold water and a small pinch of hops; let it boil up, and then simmer gently for five minutes, and strain over a tablespoouful of sugar.

The recent investigations of M, Girard, Chief of the Paris Municipal Laboratory, undertaken with the object of making it safe to drink water of questionable quality, have again shown that acids give the coup de grace to microbes. " Citric acid," he finds, "is the most powerful of all. One gramme added to a quart of water will destroy all the microbes that are in it." Now, as the juice of half an average-sized lemon contains a gramme of citric acid, and as few people dilute that quantity with so much as a quart of water, it follows that natural lemonade prepared in the usual way by thoroughly mixing lemon juice with water must be fatal to microbes.—The Alliance News, July 17, 1896.

Dr. Chapple, of Wellington, at the recent Medical Congress held in Dunedin, summed up the evils of alcohol as follows;—"Alcohol is a poison; it disturbs the circulation; tends to produce cirrhotic disease; and an irresistible craving fox it-self; predisposes to all infectious and many organic diseases; increases the sick rate and shortens life; predisposes to consumption; increases lunacy and crime promotes haemorrhage, and does not check it; adds no muscular strength; and is in no way necessary to health."

page 26

Hot Milk as a Stimulant.—Mrs. Hayes always declared that a perfectly adequate substitute for liquor, whom needs a stimulant, could be found in hot milk; and after any cold or wetting she gave this in place of wine or whisky, which others would have considered necessary. This was a custom of Mrs. Cleveland's also, who discovered after the fatigues and many long and wearisome receptions which she was obliged to pass through, standing for hours and shaking hands with hundreds of people, that nothing would restore her so quickly as a cupful of milk, which she drank in little sips, as hot as it could be taken. The aged also will find this vastly better for them than their toddy at night.

If your system is out of order, don't fly to alcohol. A little solid extract of cascara sagrada, about the size of half a split pea, in a tea cup of hot water, at night, is a mild aperient, which will probably do you more good than anything else, if you must have medicine. Your chemist will send you half an ounce by post for two shillings, and it will last you an age. It becomes brittle in cold weather, and soft in warm. It is one of the most harmless, useful, and convenient of medicines.

Cure for Drunkenness.—Leave off drinking, not by degrees, but instantly. Hard drinkers when sent to goal have to, and improve in health at once by it.