Campaign Against Wood-Alcohol
By Editor
THE Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that there ought to be a vigorous campaign waged against the improper use of wood-alcohol. After speaking of the crusade by "The New York Committee for the Prevention of Blindness," against makers of bay rum and other toilet articles that sometimes contain wood-alcohol, the Journal states: "Bay rum containing wood-alcohol may cause blindness. Power-house whisky which contains wood-alcohol may cause blindness or death. Soft drinks containing wood-alcohol may cause a withering of the optic nerve and consequent blindness. Workers in large vats who are obliged to shellac the inside of them become blind from inhaling the fumes of the wood-alcohol contained in the shellac." It is probably news to most of us that "soft drinks" contain any alcohol of any kind, and it is certainly very highly important that we all should know that drinks served at the ordinary soda-fountain may contain wood-alcohol, and that this drug, by its action on the optic nerve, may cause blindness. It is also important that we should know that various toilet articles, such as bay rum, may contain wood-alcohol and be very injurious to our health.