THE BLESSINGS OF SUNDAY CLOSING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 780, 30 March 1877, Page 3

THE BLESSINGS OF SUNDAY CLOSING.

o The Ballarat Star says Facts speak for themselves. The following we present as nuts to crack to those who were foremost in conceiving anil passing the present stupid Licensed ‘Victuallers’Act. We may merely add that our information is derived from a medical gentleman, who, as a rule, is strictly opposed to the use of spirits by his patients, unless urgent necessity exists for such a course. We give as nearly as possible, the doctor’s own words : —On Sunday week (February 11,) I was called to a patient a woman rather elderly, poorly nourished, and in a very low state. The heart’s action had nearly ceased, owing to a complication of disorders, and the first thing to be dona was to restore the circulation—to, in fact, keep life going while time could be allowed for subsequent treatment. ‘ Have you brandy, whisky, spirits of any kind in the house V was my first enquiry. ‘ No" came the reply, ‘we never keep such things.’ ‘ Then get some at once, or the patient will die.’ Nearly ten minutes was expended in a run down the street among the neighbors in search of the desired stimulant, but none came. Hastily writing a prescription, a lad was despatched to the nearest chemist’s shop, with, as I anticipated, small chanco of success. The shops were all shut, their owners taking Sunday afternoon out. My patient’s condition grew more and more and more critical. Ether or ammonia would have boon worth gold, but was out of the question, and the next best (or possibly tbo better) thing—alcohol in any form was not to he had. Nine or ten hotels wete tried, but not a drop could be obtained. In each the pressing requirements of the patient were stated, but probably the story was not believed by the landlords. At length, when all other means had failed to procure tho stimulating medicine’so urgently required, I drove round to half-a-dozen hotels in search of what was required. In most cases tho landlords were away from home, and the houses were entirely closet, no ono being about to answer the knocking at tho door. Tired out, at last a Sturt-street landlord, upon being acquainted with tho facts, generously presented a bottle of brandy, refusing any payment. Quite threequarters of an hour’s absence from the sick room introduced me to, as I thought on my return, a dead woman. For ton minutes we fought with death, but the spirit did its work at last, and kept life up until tho other remedial agents proper to the case could be app'ied efficiently. ‘ God bless you,’ said the patient’s son as I left the house, but, as 1 explained, the half tumbler of alcohol, and not the doctor, was tho ono thing needful in tho case. It saved a life, as without it the patient would probably have been a corpse in loss than another half-hour.