A PRETTY dodge that is of the doctors and sawbones which have signed
that there declaration respectin' Halcohol has as bin publish'd in the
Papers. Wot I refers to moor partickler is their sayin that "Alcohol, in
whatever form, should be prescribed with as much care as any powerful
drug." Take this here along with their likewise sayin as they thinks the
sale of liquors ought to be restricted by "wise legislation." Yah!
What's the legislation as them medical gentlemen would call wise? I
won't say, I should like to know, cos why I do know, and which therefore
please alow me for to state, for to put a inliten'd Brittish Public on
their gard agin a Doo. A liquor law for to shut up all the publichouses,
and confine the sale of liquors--Halcohol in wotsomedever form, mind
yer--to the 'pothecaries, chemists, and druggists, to be sold hunder
conditions, like assnic or strikenine, or only wen horder'd by a
fisitian's perscription. That's their objeck. That's wot they're arter.
Anybody may see with arf an i they're all leged together to get the ole
of the licker trade away from the legitimit Licens'd Wittlers into their
own ands.
Now, Sir, just fancy under that sistim, if so be ever it passes, witch
Evin forbid, what a halteration we should see direckly in doctors'
shops. In coarse they'd ave to be a good deal inlarged to make room for
the Bar and Beer-engine. Then, my i, what a variety of rum labels there
would be on the big bottles, and the reseavers, and resevoys witch praps
would do dooty amongst the fizzic for caskes and barrels. A young doctor
chap, as uses my ouse, and promises to be a horniment to his perfession,
rote me down a few names of liquors; he says, in Doctors' lattin, along
with Pil: Colocynth Comp:, and Mist: Camph:, and sitch as we shall then
see--Cerevis: Fort: XXX Burton:; Barel: Perk: etSoc: Integr:; Aq: Vitae
Gallic:; Sp: Junip: Batavorum:; Vin: Rubr:; Vin Alb: Hispan:; Sp:
Sacchari Jamaicens: Opt:; Vetus Thomas:; Ros Montan:; &c.; all witch you
and your honour'd readers, bein scollards, will hunderstand. Yes; and
you'll have medickle men perscribin wine, beer, and sperrits in
quantities of Oj., and [ounce symbol]j. or [ounce symbol]ij., and
[dram symbol]ifs., and [minims symbol]iij.; and patients will be
payin extry fees to ave the same perscribed for 'em--dram drinkin in
drams order'd medisinally.
Wich, afore that state of things is brought to pass, with defence not
defiance for our motter, wot I say is, let's nale our cullers to the
mast, No Surrender, and take to supplyin our customers with the werry
best rubub, senna, and prerogative drugs, and likewise pilicotia, bark,
prussic hacid and pizon of hevery description, as well as Halcohol in
watever form, wich they pertends is so pernishus.
The Doctors' liquor shops, I dare say, will shut up on Sundays--but then
no doubt but wot a short Notis outside will hinform you that "Medicine
may be obtained by ringing the bell," the medsin including anything on
draught you may choose to name, not exceptin punch, which cures the
gout, the collect, and the tizzic--And it is allowed to be the werry
best of fizzic. So no more at present from your obegent umbel Servant,