The Express.
London, England, 1868-07-29 00:00:00

A DEFENCE OF ALCOHOL.

lii the appendix to the tenth report of Dr.
SIMON, medical officer of the Privy Council, pub-
lished yesterday, is an elaborate treatise in which
Dr. Twrexant gives an account of some researches
which have been recently made to promote an
improved chemical identification of diseases. One
of the subjects discussed in this treatise is
" Alcohol in Relation to the Chemistry of the
" Human Body." Dr. Twunictrx explains the
modes operandi of the tests applied, and gives the
results of several experiments made upon healthy
subjects, upon drunkards, and upon patients suf-
fering from typhus fever. With regard to the
last-named class of cases, and judging from his
own experience, he has not the slightest doubt
that to give to typhus patients considerable quan-
tities of wines and alcoholic drinks, " not con-
" centrated but refreshing, stimulating, good, well-
" tasting drink., is one of the most beneficial
" things that can be done."
With regard to the general use of alcohol, Dr.
'Permerrst says there is no doubt that, by the
English practice of drinking it in large quanti-
ties, particularly what are called raw spirits,
many diseases are engendered ; and, in London
more especially, a vast amount of the disease
which shows itself in the hospitals is caused by
the enormous consumption of porter on the part
of the labouring classes. " The habit of drinking
" large quantities of spirits and beer is,"
says Dr. TUUDICI7II, "to be deprecated
"as highly dangerous and objectionable.
" But when from this the conclusion is
" drawn that alcohol ought altogether to be aban-
" doned, and that we all ought to do without any
" alcohol, I must say that that is one of the
" most overstrained propositions that could be
" made. Alcohol, when we have worked and are
" fatigued, is a great restorative, and stimulant,
" and food, and one of the greatest necessities of
" human life. Perhaps there has been no time and
" no nation in which some kind of alcohol has not
" been need, and mostly in the largest number of
" cases beneficially."
This statement will, at any rate, act as a stimu-
lant to the alcoholic controversy.

A Daum contemporary has suddenly reduced its
size, or rather has restored its original limits, and
the letters on " Marriage or Celibacy" tip lees
than a column in its issue of this morning. That
the public interest should ebb and flow
with such methodic regularity as to enable
our contemporary to change its proportions
at pleasure is not the least singular feature in
the discuseion with which we have been favoured.
That with twelve pages of print, the number of
letters to the Telegraph editor upon holy matri-
mony, single blessedness, and emigration, all too
valuable to be suppressed, should extend over
from eight to twelve columns ; and that with
eight pages of print but three letters on
the same subject are sufficiently well written to
appear, is puzzling. It has not yet been settled how
much we may marry on, or whether we should marry
at all. Erratic bachelors and girls of the period
are still unreclaimed ; clergymen with a leaning
to emigration are left in the midst of their bucolic
dreams ; married couples of many years standing
have valuable experience untold. In the interest
of all those, as well as of the general
public, will not our contemporary be merciful
us it is strong ? We cannot but think that the
standard of literary excellence in its corrospon-