Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-06-22
HUMANITY.

SIS here cny condition Of the system IN health
or disease IN lohich the use Of ardent spirit is in
dspensabc, and for ,chtc5 there is not adequate
! subStu,e?"
Ofthc effects of alcohol as beverage in health
there ought to be but one opinion. The whole
history of spirit drinking whether simple, or
combined with the different ingredients existing
in fermenteI or brcwed liquors, affords abundant
proofof its btinguncongenial with the most natu-
raj and healthy action of the bodily organs. How
wide frora the truth is the notion that spirit aids
the stomach in the process of digestion.
Dr. Beddoes observed that q" animals to whom
he had given spirit along with their food, mad d.
gested nearly one half less than other like ami
mails to whom none had been given, Under the
habitual use of spirit, the daily dose may give
Temporary alienation to the irritated nerves of
the stomach already enfeebled but instead of
conf ring tone or vigor to that organ, it only
serves to perpetuate its disease or debility.
In the case of st. Martin, young man into
whose stomach through the side, a large opening
was left after the healing of 4 severe wound, DR..
Beaumont frequently observed diseased appear
anccs;-as, red or purple spots upon the lining
membrane of the stomach, from some of which
exuded small drops of grumous blood; -aphthous
or cakery patches upon the same membrane; she
gastric fluids mixed with large proportion of
ropy mucus, and muco-purulent matter slightly
tinged with blood, resembling the discharge from
the bowels in some cases Of dyscntcry.' 1t is
worthy of remark that these beginnings Of dis
ease were not always accompanied with eXter-
nal signs or symptoms of disorder When of
considerable standing, however, these appear
ances were occasionally observed to attended
with AN uneasy sensation and tenderness at the
pit of the stomach, and some dizziness and dim
ness and yeowncss Of vision on STOPPING down
and rising again. also, with a brown coat upon
the tongue, and slight salowness of the coun-
tenancc.
Improper indulgence in eating and drinking
SAYS DIR. Beaumont, has been the most common
precursor of the diseased conditions of the coats
of the stomach. The free use of ardent spirits,
wine, beer, or any intoxicating liquor,when taken
for some days, has invariably produced these
morbid changes.
In evidence of the directly poisonous nflu-
cncc of alcoholic drinks upon the constitution, is
the fact that men long accustomed to their daily
use may be taken off suddenly and entirely from
them, not anly without imparing the health, but
with q certainty of improving it. In the summer
of 1929, Mr.. Powers, agent and keeper OF the
Penitentiary at Auburn, N. Y, declared, that du-
ring several years residence i'll that institution,
he had never known an individual whose health
had not been benefited by the total abstractonot
spirit and every other stimuant drink and marco
tic from his diet This testimony is very impor-
tant, inasmuch as large proportion OF the whole
number of convicts when admitted to that estab-
lishmcnt are drinkers of alcoholic liquors, from
tipping to beastly drunkenness These drink
ers,' says Mr.. p. ARE generally very uneasy and
nervous, and sometimes greatly distressed for
ten or fifteen days after being put upon water as
their exclusive beverage; but after that period
aud
become healthy. A considerable number are an
nualIy received and discharged 4; the average
number remaining in the penitentiary, was sly
HUNDRED. / have never seen so large a congre-
cation of men SO healthy looking as these con-
victs, when they came into the chapel on Sab
bath morning to hear a sermon from their chap
lain. Some of these men were sixty years old
when admitted, and were confirmed drunkafds
The evidence furnished by all our state prisons
where similar discipline is pracdced, IS OF the
same character.
A wealthy farmer in Sullivan county, N H.,
had been in the habit of drinking spirit Tor
number of years, and during the hayng season
he often used it freely. With more than an or
binary activity of mind and vigorous bodily con-
stituion he attained the age Of SeUenyfIre years;
much broken down and decayed, however, I'M
der occasional attacks of govt, which he called
rheumatism. At this period he broke off suddenly
and wholly from the use ofspirit; and within two
wears that is, at the age of seventy-seyen he was
so much recruited as to look several years
Younger, and he assured me that in the last two
having seasons he had accomplished more per-
sonal labor than in any other two haying seasons
for the last ten or twelve years. He expressed
himself in the most decisive and energetic man
ner when renarking upon the effects, in his own
case, of total abstinence from splrituous drinks;
he had not only not been injured, but had been an
unsp akable gamer by the change. This case,
and others Ike i, show the futiity q tic opinion