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Show ALCOHOL IN MOST MEDICINE8, Indispensable Requisite In Compounding Compound-ing of Some Prescriptions. It Is of courso true that some proprietary pro-prietary medicines contain alcohol and nearly all liquid medlelncs prescribed by physicians contain It. No honest man will defend tho salo of Intoxicants Intoxi-cants under the gulso of medicine; but every honest man should protest against a sstem of wholesale denunciation denun-ciation bom of malice, or iKnornnco of pharmaceutical principles, and fos tered by selfish interests. It Is assumed as-sumed that alcohol Is tho cause of Intemperance; In-temperance; but there is a great difference dif-ference between alcohol and whisky. If a substitute for alcohol could be found for uso In thu manufacture ol medicines, Its dlscoerer would render a Great service to tho profession ot pharmacy nnd tho science, of medicine, medi-cine, for alcohol Is n very cxpcnslvo Ingredient and a cheaper substltuto would bo gladly accepted, Unfortunately Unfortun-ately the word alcohol, In tho minds of many peoplo Is associated exclusively exclu-sively with bar-rooms, drunkenness and all forms of degradation and vice, This Is duo to a lack of knowledgo by tho general public of tho fact that alcohol Is an Indispensable requisite In drugs, tinctures and fluid extracts All fluid cxtractH and tinctures on the druggists' shelves contain from 20 tc 90 per cent of alcohol; and of all liquid medicines prescribed by pby slclaus moro than 7C per cent contain it In largo proportions, Alcohol Is required to preserve organic or-ganic substances from deterioration nnd from freezing, and It Is also required re-quired to dissolve substances not solu-blo solu-blo In water, while It contributes to their preservation when dissolved. Diluted alcohol Is largely employed In fluid extracts; and whenever a greater strength of alcohol is required ns a solvent (for extracting medicinal principles) prin-ciples) tho medicine is of such a character char-acter ns to preclude a largo dosage; and for this reason preparations, oon If containing DO per cent or moro or alcohol, nro practically loss intoxicating intoxicat-ing than boor. In such cases tho character of the medicinal constituents U such as to absolutely forbid the taking of the medicine In any way except In very small dosos nnd at stated Intervals only. To assumo that any groat number ot proprietary mod-Icines mod-Icines aro used as beverages Is the veriest absurdiij . Kxchangc. |
