"LET THERE BE LIGHT."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 41, 10 August 1911, Page 8

"LET THERE BE LIGHT."

To tho Editor. Sir,—"ls alcohol a poison?" in this morning's News, asked for light. He has had the light for j years, but I am afraid he is like the 'young man in New Plymouth who, the other night, professing to be deaf when being medically examined for the Territorials, when asked by the doctor if he could hear, said "No." J.J.H. "happens to know a hotelkeeper in this borough who has supplied alcohol to the order of evety medical man in town for their patients." If alcohol is consumed at all, this is as it should be, because it is a poison. "Don't call alcohol a poison," said King's counsel to the Government analyst in Thursday's murder trial, "or you will offend a lot of people" (telegraphs our Christchurch correspondent). "Well," replied the analyst, "It will cause death just as much as prussic acid." King's counsel smilingly suggested that, instead of using the words "no poison, except traces of alcohol," he should use the words, "and no other poison but traoes of alcohol." "Very well," said the analyst, "but it is less correct."—Auckland Star. Guy's Hospital, London, has about 12,000 beds, and deals with 400 to fiOO fresh patients daily. Its liquor bill for the year 1908 amounted to £8 12s 6d. It represents a complete revolution in medical opinion and practice in England in relation to the medical value of alcohol.—l am, etc., AND THERE WAS LIGHT. New Plymouth, August 9, 1911.