THE HOSPITAL LIQUOR BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 3

THE HOSPITAL LIQUOR BILL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— your "Loral Gossip" column of April 29, you havo a shot at me on this question, because I moved for an inquiry ;it our Board meeting, as to tho reason why tho hospital liquor bill was moro than 20J per cent, this year over that of last year; and also as to whether it had been beneficial or otherwise to the patients after a comparison of tho results. Like our chairman and others, "Mercutio" imputes base and unvwthy motives to mo for making this inquiry. Ho finishes off with this: "Supposo th« iO(.tcr« were to say that if they used less wino or other stimulants, euros would ho retarded or lifo lost, prohibitionists would still, I suppose, agitate for a reduction, or rather for prohibition." Now, it is certain that if you beliovo this of mo or of any other member of our Board who is a prohibitionist, it is your plain duty to further denounce us, and to leave no stone unturned to get us deposed from our positions as, if what you supposo be correct, wo are not fit to remain members either of the Hospital Board or of any other public body for a single day longer. Sow, in speaking to my resolution, I stated that if, after inquiry, it wore shown that a corresponding benefit resulted to the patients from this largo increase, that I should raise no objection to the quantity used uied'.dually, even if it wero twice as much more, but that wo had a right to know the reason of using this much larger quantity, and the results. But yet " Morcntio" charges mo with being prepared to sacrifice the lives of the patients if only wo could prohibit tho uso of alcoholic stimulants in tho hospital! Could anybody bavo a much graver clmrgo made against him? But I feel that I have behind mo the support of the independent and most intelligent section of the public in this matter. Tho whole question of the advantage or otherwise of tho general uso of alcoholic liquors in our hospital is one well worthy of discussion in your columns by our medical faculty, and with tho testimony of such eminent British doctors as Sir William Gull, Dr. Andrew Clark, Dr. Richardson, and others, against the general use of alcohol, backed up by statistics of the lower deathrate of tho London Temperance Hospital as compared with others, prohibitionists havo nothing to fear, while liquor-sellers and their friends evidently fear that it would not result in any advantage to them. I simply desiro tho wisest and best decision to bo arrived at ; I the one that will givo the lowest death-rate and the highest percentage of cures at tho end of each year, whatever may bo the course of treatment adopted or the medicine.' I used.— am, etc., J. E. Taylor. I Water Lea, Mangoro, May 1, 1699.