Litchfield enquirer., 1838-06-28
From the Farmers' Cabinet.

WHAT SHALL WE DRINK THIS HARVEST!
 As the season of crops is approaching, it is probable the question at the head of this arti- cle will be in the mouths of not few of our farmers-and trust there are large pro- portion of them who will be prepared to re- spond to it "we will not have any intoxica- ting liquor in our harvest fields nor on our farms"
 Since the attention of intelligent and re- spectable persons has been generally awa- kened to the subject, and their observation turned to the consequences arising from the use of such liquors, a change no less wonder full than happy in its results. has been wrought in many neighborhoods. In places where it was thought few years ago, that the har- vest could not be gathered, nor indeed the or- dinary labors ofthe farm performed, without the aid ot ardent spirits, and where, as was to be experienced by such a course, most of the promising young men fell victims to the bottle, experience has now convinced the far mer that so far from being an auxiliary to labor, it is direct obstacle, and that aside entirely from the dreadful moral evils which are avoided by its disuse, they can perform more labor, and with less fatigue, when they totally abstain from it. The most experi- enced and judicious physicians who have closely studied the effects ofardent spirits on the human body, find that while it affords, for short period, an artificial and unnatur- al stimulus to the system, this state of excite ment is quickly succeeded by lassitude. ex- haustion and thirst, which renders the drink CT almost unfit for labor, and impels him to drink again. And although each repeated draught may excite him for a few minutes, and seem to allay his appetite for liquor, it is only to prostrate him still more and to tor- ment him with a burning and unsuitable thirst.
 Ardent spirits always create feverish ac- ton in the system. which is increased by the heat ofthe weather-they debilitate the sto- mach, impede the progress of healthy diges- ton, create Instructions in the liver, and other viscera, and give rise to dyspepsia, head ache. apoplexy, &c. Persons who are much exposed to the sun in summer, should never drink ardent spirits, as the practice ex- poses them to imminent danger of sudden death from apoplexy or stroke of the sun.
 Any one who has noticed regular dram- drinker, must have observed how little he eats when working hard, compared with a man who has never disordered his stomach with the poisonous article. Ihave often been struck with this, when those who drink drans and those who do not are sitting at the same table. Nothing is more certain,tha to enable a man to perform his share of labor, he must eat an adequate portion of wholesome food and digest it we'll. The healthy perform ance of these functions is like the supply of water to -mill-take the water away from the wheel, and the mill must stop or diminish the quantity materially, and the grinding will go on slowly. So if mans strength is not constantly kept up by the in- vigorating effect of a proper quantity of wholesome, well digested food, he cannot la- bor efiiciently-he will soon feel tired, lan- guid and exhausted; and either give over work entirely, or go on very slowly. But the stomach of dram-dFinkcr cannot keep up this regular supply-its functions are de- ranged-it is either disinclined for food, and the man has no appetite. or if he eats, his di. geslive powers are 60 weakened that the food Is not properly dissolved in the stomach, and distributed throughout the system. Hence t Is that such men, though they may exhibit