Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-11-23

WV UhlCO duA llcy nave ItIuOFCu u us
tant parts of the country. Peace be to
their ashes Though most noble fellows,
misled by the deceitful syren, singing the
praises of alcoholic drinks, to live too fast,
and to be cut off in the midst of useful man.
hood, ittis to be hoped they have not lived
IN vain as by their sacrifice science has
gained additional proof of the fallacy of the
theory which attributes health preserving
properties in a southern cline, to alcoholic
beverages i'll any shape or form.
While referred to in the mass, to correct
a popular delusion, it would be unnecessary
and improper to drag their names before
the public. Not so, however, with those
who owe life, fortune and reputation to a
voiding the shoals on which their brethren
were wrecked. The public have right to
know who they are, and the cause of tenn
pcrance is justly entitled to all the influence
attached to their names
According to the Carlisle tables, and
those of the Equitable Insurance Company,
OF London, thirty-seven individuals, at the
average age Of twenty-five years, (Which was
about the average of the new comers who
settled in Matches would, in a quarter of
century, lose nine of their number {;
whereas, of the thirty-seven temperance
doctors, nine only have died in twenty
eight years. OF these, Drs VIM P Fos-
ter, Correl, and Ferguson, fell by the yell
low fellow of 1925; DIR. John Bell came
to the South with phthisis pulmonalis, from
New Hampshire, and was the son of the
Governor; DR.. II. Perrine was killed by
the Indians in the Florida war Dr. E..
johnson returned to Kentucky and died !;
DIR. Ogden fell victim to some chronic
aiIment; DR.. j. w. Monetee, always dys-
peptic, died after he had finished his History
Of the Valley Of the Mississippi, and had
made handsome fortune by his practice :;
and Dr. Thomas Davis was cut off bv the
yellow fever of 1S39-making nine in all
The remaining twenty-eight are still living
or were when last heard from. Dr. Camp
bell removed to London, where he WAS prac-
ticing medicine at last adyices DIR. J. This
tie year ago removed to Davenport, Iowa;
Dr.. WIN. NJ. Gwin is at present a United
States Senator from California. Drs Slew.
art, Walker, Pollard French, Hubbard, Page,
Sidney Smith and E. G. Hyde, removed to
Louisiana, and are all engaged in the plan
ting business, except the three last Drs
Freiott and Weston returned to New York
DR.. Holt to Kentucky. DR.. James Young
removed to Memphis, and DR.. Woodwork,
to Illinois, The remainder are still in Match
ez and its neighborhood. They are Drs. F
Asa Metcaf, J. Foster, 4tcfh1gg6, Iae47q6e6tdS q66dS
Chamberlain, Ward, Calhoun, and Aber'
crombre.
If the property of all the Temperance
doctors of Natchez and its vicinity, dead an(
living, including those who have moved away
and those who have retired from the profes
sion, embracing those of 1923, and all whc
camein up TO 1835-ffty four in number
were equally divided, each would have up
wards of a hundred thousand dollars for hi
share. Temperance in that portion of tn
South at least, is not only hygienic, but al
riferous. They all began life poor, wit
nothing but their profession for likelihood
Some Of them are in the possession Of mi
ions, and have long since retired from tt
duties of their profession, They nevertht
less belong to the medical public, and ha,
no right to object to their names bein
brought before that public for the scentif
purpose of proving to the physicians at II
North, the hygienic virtues of temperance
the South. Many northern temperance me
are so weak in the faith, as to be led
believe, on their coming South, that rain al
river water, (the only kind to be had
Natchez, New Orleans, and some other pal
of the South) actually requires the additi,
J; ofsome stimulating liquid to make it healt
full. This weakness or dstrust Of teinp'
ance principles, is owing to the want Of W
authenticated facts from the South, beariI
;. on the question. Facts are better than Il
: ory to enable, not only physicians, but t
, people generally, to form rules of conduct
IS subject of such Importance. To have tn
: proper weight, they should be authenticat
B. and the important truth made known Il
l. of the whole number oftemperance doctc
e of 1928 (thirty years ago. in Natchez a
e its vicinity, more than two-lhirds are still
n ing in the year 1858, at ages varying fr
s. ffty-hve to eighty-ive years; that of
a. whole number Of the Incorporate, Of
H. same period, not one remains in town
T. country that of thirty-seven temperate,
h' twenty-five Incorporate physicians who ca
. in afterwards, between the years 1924 ;
Oh 1885, all of the former are living exc
o, nine, and all Of the latter are dead excep
IN Hence it was necessary to mention the nal
ol Of the temperance physicians, many Of VT
as are known abroad As we'll as at home, as
a. ING proofs of the important truth that t
ly perate, upright life is the surest. safest,
er- best road to health, wealth, longevity
We responsibility.
,se Many young medical men, as we'll as
hc ers coming South, mistake the noise Of
lp- rooms and grog-shops for the public Sc
In ment of the country. Hence they are
ed apt to plunge into dissipation under the
he lusion, that water is unwholesome III
en-, mixed with stimulants; and that it is N
ry, over essential to popularity and good
PRODUCTION to business, 'aOhen an Rome
re- as Rome does The error lies in mista
cal the purlieus for the true Rome ofthe Sc
be- and in the erroneous theory which attrit
ing to alcoholic beverages the hygienic prope
ose that pure unadulterated water alone po
ty- ses. 1t was not by dram drinking that
'er- above named medical men preserved
'er- health Their names being known, they
to be interrogated and answer for themse
vi 1t was not by grog-shops or the infinen
ygl- agency Of the inmates of such places,
ain, they succeeded in business and came int
and inheritance of the Fat of the land.