ALCOHOL AND DISEASE 245 



untrained sufferer cannot interpret the meaning of his 

 distress and is incompetent to select the proper medicine. 

 As real medicine is given for specific symptom- associated 

 with a specific disease, it is apparent that ;i patent medi- 

 cine advertised to cure from six to forty diseases is worth- 

 less. Furthermore, real medicine is given to relieve a 

 certain set of symptoms at a given stage of the disea 

 and is frequently changed. This is, of course, impossible 

 when using a patent medicine. If every one would eon- 

 suit regular physicians, and cease patronizing the quacks 

 and patent medicines, one of the sources of much sickness 

 and suffering would be destroyed. 



186. Alcohol and Patent Medicine. — Repeated chemical 

 analysis of many of the patent medicines shows that they 

 contain a considerable amount of alcohol. There are over 

 120 patent medicines which the United States Government 

 will not permit to be sold except by the possessor of a 

 liquor license. This fact alone shows the harmful nature 

 of patent medicine. 



187. Alcohol and Disease. — It is unnecessary to make an 

 elaborate series of quotations from eminent men to prove 

 that alcohol is not useful and necessary as a medicine in 

 the cure of disease. One of the chief reasons has already 

 been given in connection with the discussion of tubercu- 

 losis. There is no evidence that alcohol has any effect "ii 

 the destructive course of a disease, or any beneficial 

 effect upon the person suffering from disease. This last 

 phase of the problem has been under critical study Long 

 enough to show that the earlier claims of the helpful- 

 ness of alcohol in disease are not supported by the facts. 

 The reverse is true. Alcohol is known t«> decrease the 

 power of the body to withstand disease and dm>s not 

 assist in destroying the poisons which arise in the 

 case of bacterial diseases. At present there is no 



