ALCOHOLOGY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 97, 2 August 1910, Page 3

ALCOHOLOGY.

BY DOCTOR'S ORDERS?

(Published by Arrangement)

"By doctor's orders" is the piea used nowadays by the one who imbibes alcoholic drinks when in company, as is now not infrequent, where the majority do not drink. How much is there in tJuit plea ? It is generally called a reason, but in reality it is only an excuse. The enquiry is made now since the trouble over the liquor at the Old People's Refuge. Many people are enquiring why the medical officer in charge ordered that certain of the inmates should receive a portion of whisky—not administered by a trained nurse, but by the assistant caretaiker. By the way, the caretaker is to be commended for the prudence he displayed in the whole affair. One is inclined to enquire why the doctor ordered the whisky to these to women, it seems. Is it for the same reason that the captain, after a bit of extra work on ifche part of his crew, gives the order, "Splice the mainbrace"? No one would wish to debar the old men of any medical comforts or little bits of luxury, only it.might be in some way less dangerous, and less apt to cause disorder and trouble, than to serve out tots of whisky. On the other hand* was the whisky considered as a medicine? And then for what? No one.can tell; perhaps even the doctor himself cannot. In the kindness of his heart he wishes to give the old men a little pleasure and he says that they may have a little whisky at night; that is a reasonable and charitable explanation of so unscientific a proceeding as was taking place at the Old People's Home lately. It would be well now, perhaps, to follow the captain's example here also; When there is any row among his crew he just "stops their grog." Taking the excuse generally, is it really "doctor's orders" and not rather "doctor's permission"? The patient has the old-fashioned faith in alcohol as a cure-all, and asks the doctor if a little would not do him (the patient) good and the doctor consents,* not that he believes in the thing at all, only he thinks it will please the patient, and that bit of pleasure may' be a help towards recovery. The strange part of it is that the "doctor's orders" in this are adhered to for years, while if it had been the doctor's orders to take some common drug the patient would have 1a time allotted and then rigidly adhere to it. There was a time when doctors did order a little wine, a glass of beer or whisky at bed-time in a very indiscriminate fashion. This, however, is altered now; at least with any doctor who considers himself professionally up-to-date. It was on account of this easy-going way of using alcoholics that the London Temperance Hospital was founded. It was not intended, nor is it practised here, that all use of alcohol should be given up; it was asked that it should be uged with the same care as any other powerful drug, and the cause stated for which it was to be user l , and then the results—favorable or otherwise—duly recorded. This institution lias been carried on for over thirty years pn that principle, with, the result that more is now known about alcohol botn as a curative agent (when it is that) and also of the, hindrance it was as formerly prescribed. There are strange patients as well as strange dockers: the patients "fish" for doctor's aider:, because they like them and carefully and continuously obey them according to their own interpretation thereof. As to strange doctors little need be said—they abound. The writer of this, had the misfortune to break his leg and the fracture did not heal readily; he consulted several doctors, and one said, "Drink beer." That in the light of the'present day was verily a strange doctor to order beer for a broken leg.