THE MEXICAN SITUATION FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT
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243 Annotations. THE MEXICAN SITUATION FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT. "Ne quid nimis." FOR some time certain political parties in the United States have been calling loudly for a war with Mexico on theplea of " vindicating the national honour." With the rights or wrongs of the dispute ,between these nations we ane not at present con- cerned, but .our attention has been drawn to the medical aspects of the position by an article published recently in the American Journal of Tropical Diseases and Preventive Medicine entitled ’" The Mexican Situation," by Dr. Howard D. King, of New Orleans. In this article the attitude of these bellicose parties ,in the United States is sharply criticised, it being evident that while calling for war they do not realise the grave consequences .that :must inevitably follow. In Dr. King’s opinion all thinking men must view with horror and dread the prospect of such a war, with .the certainty of ’war’s grim ally, pesti- lence, also taking the field. Behind the looming presence of war stalk the shadows of epidemic disease. The medical profession in the United States is aware, for example, that two of the most serious epidemic maladies, plague and yellow fever, are at present exhibiting -signs of activity which forebode mischief, more particularly to the Southern States of the Union. It is common know- ledge that the prospect of one or both of these dangerous diseases extending beyond their present limits is just now causing some anxiety in official circles; and it is generally recognised that if the United States are plunged into a war with Mexico the spread of the infection would be greatly facilitated. The present plague situation in America was dealt with in THE LANCET of July llth, and the position as regards yellow fever is also somewhat gloomy, judging from current reports. If it became necessary to land large bodies of non- immune troops on the shores of Mexico, in parts of which yellow fever is endemic, it would be very .difficult to prevent the development of a serious epidemic of the disease, with probable conveyance of the infection to the Southern ports.of the United States. The way in which small-,pox and enteric fever haras-s armies in the field i-s now well recognised, and although vaccination on the one hand and antityphoid inoculation on the other might diminish the dangers, yet it is more than probable that :these beneficial procedures would not be generally carried out during the bustle and excite- ment of dispatching an expeditionary force to the seat of war. Small-pox is already prevalent on the Northern frontiers of Mexico among the refugees from those parts of the interior where military operations are being carried out. At the port of Vera Cruz, now -occupied by a United States force of soldiers and sailors numbering nearly .30,000, small-pox is also prevalent; and diarrhoea and dysentery, it is reported, have increased of late. Apart from the ravages of epidemic and other diseases there would have to be reckoned, in the event of a war, the deaths and dis- ablements upon the field of battle. The medical mind can best appreciate the horrors of war and the advantages of dealing with disputes by diplomacy rather than by the edge of the sword. The soldier takes a more sanguine and professional view of the case, and naturally prefers a settlement by force of arms. In this connexion Dr. King remarks : " War means devastation and blood, depopulated fields and smoking villages; the acclamation which the conqueror wins from one portion of his species is answered by the curses and execrations of another; the laurels of the warrior are always bedewed with the tears of widows and orphans ; the delusive splendour, the proud and imposing array with which he contrives to gild the honours of his profession, are but the pomp and retinue of the Prince of Terrors; Disease, the warrior’s faithful ally, is the King of Terrors." It is greatly to be hoped that, in spite of the cavils of political mal- contents, President Wilson will persevere as far as practicable in his peaceful policy, which will ulti- mately assure in all probability the deliverance of the United States from what Dr. King designates as " a most frightful visitation of epidemic disease." The recent retirement of ex-President Huerta from Mexico should remove many of the obstacles to peace and thus prepare the way for a satisfactory settlement of the protracted dispute between these two determined nations; at the least it should post- pone for a time the threatened war and its direful consequences. ____ CLARET AS A BEVERAGE. ’ WHEN, for varying reasons, a wine is to be selected because it contains the least amount of sugar, of alcohol, and of acid, the choice should obviously fall upon claret, for analysis shows that the per- centage of these substances is lower in Bordeaux than in any other wines. It is quite a common impression, however, that the white wines of the hock and moselle type are more innocent than other wines in these three respects. That is not the case, although we are finding no fault with these wines. To not a few people claret appears to be a sour- tasting wine simply because it contains no sugar to speak of, which in other wines masks the acidity present. Claret is practically a finished wine-that is to say, the original sugar of the grape is for all intents and purposes completely changed by fermentation, and as the original strength of the Medoc grape juice as regards sugar is relatively weak, the amount of alcohol produced is correspondingly small. The production of claret is perhaps the simplest example of wine making. It is purely fermented grape juice with nothing added and nothing deducted. When therefore a wine becomes the subject of a prescrip- tion it would appear that we are on safe grounds dietetically when we recommend claret if qualities like freedom from sugar and from an excess of alcohol and acidity are characteristics to be sought for. When a stimulant is ordered it has been customary for some time past to recommend weak whisky and water as a safe beverage. The danger here, however, is that of overstepping the alcoholic ! allowance. The simplicity of genuine claret is accountable for its well-known sensitiveness, which , perhaps has brought it into disfavour in some quarters. Its flavour is peculiarly evanescent Iand delicate and is easily spoiled by careless management. But the fact that claret will not B keep sound more than a few hours after open- ing precludes the suggestion of preservatives, L including extraneous alcohol, being added. As a rule the best clarets are the most liable to become unsound. The coarse -fortified clarets f keep longer for obvious reasons. Connoisseurs
Transcript of THE MEXICAN SITUATION FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT
243
Annotations.
THE MEXICAN SITUATION FROM A MEDICALSTANDPOINT.
"Ne quid nimis."
FOR some time certain political parties in theUnited States have been calling loudly for a warwith Mexico on theplea of
"
vindicating the nationalhonour." With the rights or wrongs of the dispute,between these nations we ane not at present con-cerned, but .our attention has been drawn to themedical aspects of the position by an articlepublished recently in the American Journal ofTropical Diseases and Preventive Medicine entitled’" The Mexican Situation," by Dr. Howard D. King,of New Orleans. In this article the attitude ofthese bellicose parties ,in the United Statesis sharply criticised, it being evident that whilecalling for war they do not realise the graveconsequences .that :must inevitably follow. InDr. King’s opinion all thinking men must viewwith horror and dread the prospect of such a
war, with .the certainty of ’war’s grim ally, pesti-lence, also taking the field. Behind the loomingpresence of war stalk the shadows of epidemicdisease. The medical profession in the UnitedStates is aware, for example, that two of the mostserious epidemic maladies, plague and yellow fever,are at present exhibiting -signs of activity whichforebode mischief, more particularly to theSouthern States of the Union. It is common know-ledge that the prospect of one or both of thesedangerous diseases extending beyond their presentlimits is just now causing some anxiety in officialcircles; and it is generally recognised that if theUnited States are plunged into a war with Mexicothe spread of the infection would be greatlyfacilitated. The present plague situation inAmerica was dealt with in THE LANCET of July llth,and the position as regards yellow fever is alsosomewhat gloomy, judging from current reports.If it became necessary to land large bodies of non-immune troops on the shores of Mexico, in parts ofwhich yellow fever is endemic, it would be very.difficult to prevent the development of a serious
epidemic of the disease, with probable conveyanceof the infection to the Southern ports.of the UnitedStates. The way in which small-,pox and entericfever haras-s armies in the field i-s now wellrecognised, and although vaccination on the onehand and antityphoid inoculation on the other
might diminish the dangers, yet it is more than
probable that :these beneficial procedures would notbe generally carried out during the bustle and excite-ment of dispatching an expeditionary force to theseat of war. Small-pox is already prevalent on theNorthern frontiers of Mexico among the refugeesfrom those parts of the interior where militaryoperations are being carried out. At the port ofVera Cruz, now -occupied by a United Statesforce of soldiers and sailors numbering nearly.30,000, small-pox is also prevalent; and diarrhoeaand dysentery, it is reported, have increasedof late. Apart from the ravages of epidemicand other diseases there would have to bereckoned, in the event of a war, the deaths and dis-ablements upon the field of battle. The medicalmind can best appreciate the horrors of war and theadvantages of dealing with disputes by diplomacyrather than by the edge of the sword. The soldier
takes a more sanguine and professional view of thecase, and naturally prefers a settlement by force ofarms. In this connexion Dr. King remarks : " Warmeans devastation and blood, depopulated fields andsmoking villages; the acclamation which theconqueror wins from one portion of his speciesis answered by the curses and execrations ofanother; the laurels of the warrior are alwaysbedewed with the tears of widows and orphans ; thedelusive splendour, the proud and imposing arraywith which he contrives to gild the honoursof his profession, are but the pomp and retinue ofthe Prince of Terrors; Disease, the warrior’s faithfulally, is the King of Terrors." It is greatly to behoped that, in spite of the cavils of political mal-contents, President Wilson will persevere as far aspracticable in his peaceful policy, which will ulti-mately assure in all probability the deliverance ofthe United States from what Dr. King designates as" a most frightful visitation of epidemic disease."The recent retirement of ex-President Huerta fromMexico should remove many of the obstacles to
peace and thus prepare the way for a satisfactorysettlement of the protracted dispute between thesetwo determined nations; at the least it should post-pone for a time the threatened war and its direfulconsequences. ____
CLARET AS A BEVERAGE.’ WHEN, for varying reasons, a wine is to be selectedbecause it contains the least amount of sugar, ofalcohol, and of acid, the choice should obviouslyfall upon claret, for analysis shows that the per-centage of these substances is lower in Bordeauxthan in any other wines. It is quite a commonimpression, however, that the white wines of thehock and moselle type are more innocent than otherwines in these three respects. That is not the case,although we are finding no fault with these wines.To not a few people claret appears to be a sour-tasting wine simply because it contains no sugarto speak of, which in other wines masks the aciditypresent. Claret is practically a finished wine-thatis to say, the original sugar of the grape is forall intents and purposes completely changed byfermentation, and as the original strength ofthe Medoc grape juice as regards sugar isrelatively weak, the amount of alcohol producedis correspondingly small. The production ofclaret is perhaps the simplest example of winemaking. It is purely fermented grape juicewith nothing added and nothing deducted. Whentherefore a wine becomes the subject of a prescrip-tion it would appear that we are on safe groundsdietetically when we recommend claret if qualitieslike freedom from sugar and from an excess ofalcohol and acidity are characteristics to be soughtfor. When a stimulant is ordered it has beencustomary for some time past to recommend weakwhisky and water as a safe beverage. The danger
.
here, however, is that of overstepping the alcoholic!
allowance. The simplicity of genuine claret isaccountable for its well-known sensitiveness, which
, perhaps has brought it into disfavour in somequarters. Its flavour is peculiarly evanescentIand delicate and is easily spoiled by careless
management. But the fact that claret will notB keep sound more than a few hours after open-- ing precludes the suggestion of preservatives,L including extraneous alcohol, being added. As
a rule the best clarets are the most liable tobecome unsound. The coarse -fortified clarets
f keep longer for obvious reasons. Connoisseurs
