INTERESTING LOCAL CASES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 91, 26 July 1910, Page 7

INTERESTING LOCAL CASES.

To the Editoi Sir,—Under the above ding, Mr. Enroth quotes the case of -d lady of eighty-three who lias ash, <ed doctor,'nurses and friends, when, .Iter ihe verdict had been given that she could not recover, she did recover. She states that she had been. taking whisky and stout for a great number of years, in moderation. Quite so; but 1 have Known others, who did not' take it, live equally as long. However, in this, as in all other things, it is not the moderate use, but the immoderate use, that is and I lias been denounced quite as far back as the 'time Mr. Enroth quotes; and in this, by Mr. Enroth's own admission, we are agreed. And in the case under no- | tice, it would be interesting to. know if the recovery was due 10 lue use of these stimulants, and whether the doctor prescribed one or both to die old lady to cure her of her serious illness. The main point I wish to draw attention to is Mr. Enroth's statement that the poisonous nature, of alcohol was not heard of' for thousands of years, even as far back as the time of the Hood., Quite possible; but there are Hundreds of things that were unheard of and unknown even at a much later date Uian the flood, that we know and recognise us absolute facts, even though the ancients had never heard of them. To quote a few: Electricity, steam, radium, photography, wireless telegraphy. As far as we know, the people at the time of the flood did not know about these things; but is that anv reason why wo should doubt their reality. There are scores of things that are not, wnen taken in small quantities, appreciable as poisons; but keep on taking them, or take an extra dose, and s'ae what will result: just the same poisonous elects as if Mr. Enroth took a half-pint of neat whisky. If the . symptoms that superseded where not verv much like those of poison, I should be verv much surprised. Mr. Enroth says he lias been reflecting. Well, he needs to go on reflecting, and roiise himself uy> a bit, when he will discover scores ot things that were unit known at the time of the flood that are now well known facta 1 —scientific and otherwise. I can assure Mr. Enroth that if everyone had been content to take their stimulant in moderation, neither he nov nnvone else would have heard of prohibition; but it is the direful effects of its constant and ovcpssive use that has raised the quesj tion of its abolition into the position of ' a national one.—T am. etc.. \ A LIFELONG TOTAL ABSTAINER.