BOARDS OF HEALTH 
507 
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 on 
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 helpfulness of alcohol 
in disease are not supported by the facts. The reverse is 
true. Alcohol is known to decrease the. power of the body 
to withstand disease and does not assist in destroying the 
poisons which arise in the case of bacterial diseases. At 
present there is no scientific evidence which justifies the use 
of patent medicines, or of alcohol unless definitely prescribed 
by a physician. 
387. Headache and Anti-pain Patent Medicines. — Many 
preparations advertised under these general names are taken 
by persons ignorant of the fact that these medicines generally 
contain harmful drugs. It should be sufficient to know that 
no reputable doctor will ever give any of these preparations 
except in a mild form, and in case of extreme pain. No 
person except a trained physician has a right to prescribe 
drugs ; and he only after a knowledge of the patients symp¬ 
toms. Many of these preparations affect the heart and 
blood, and none of them has any beneficial effect on the real 
cause of the pain. 
388. Boards of Health. — Communities and physicians 
have endeavored to prevent the spread of communicable 
diseases by the formation of boards of health, by quaran¬ 
tine, vaccination against smallpox, immunization against 
typhoid fever, the use of antitoxin in diphtheria, disinfect¬ 
ants and fumigants. 
The term Board of Health is applied to a number of in¬ 
dividuals, appointed or elected by a nation, by a state, or 
by a municipality, to enforce the national, state, city, or town 
