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

BY S. A. CARTWRIGHT, NJ. D., N. ORLEANS.
Whether water or alcohol be the health
preserving agent, is question to be deter
the effects of each of number of the Escu-
lapii themselves is herewith respectfully
presented to that profession whose Office it
is to keep in tune the curious harp of mans
body, and to take cognizance of every thing
which preserves or disturbs its harmony.
Nothing tends more to preserve or disturb
its harmony than water or alcohol. Hence
the members of the medical profession, who
may take sides in the temperance contro-
versy, now agitating the people of every
State in the Union, are not to be regarded
as out of their province, but in the field
properly belonging to them, where, instead
of being viewed as intruders, or intermed-
dlers, they are, by virtue of their calling,
entitled to rank as chiefs.
The writer is one of three physicians,
who located in Matches thirty years ago
The new comers found only one practition-
er in the city belonging to the same tenn
perance school with themselves. The coun-
try and villages within fifteen miles around
afforded only three more. All the rest be-
lieved in the hygienic virtues of alcoholic
drinks, and taught the doctrine by precept
and example. Besides the practising ply
, sicians, there were ten others in the city
, and adjacent country who had retired from
I the profession. They were all temperate
q Thus, includingthe new comers, the total
number of temperance physicians, in and
near Matches, thirty years ago, consisted Of
= seventeen. OF these, five have died DIR
Henry Tooley, aged about IS years DIR
Andrew McCreary, aged 10; DR.. j. Kerr
:, 60; Dr. William Dunbar, 60; DR.. Jame
- A. McPhecters, 40. In 1923, the aver
age ages of the seventeen was about34 years
According to the Carlisle tables of mortal
ty, and those of the Equitable Insuranc
=, Company of London, seven instead of fv
!. would have been the ratio of mortality i
- England Those at present living are Drs
d. baltimore, w. Wren, Stephen Duncan
James Metcalf, w. N. Mercer, G. w. Gran
=, J. Sanderson, Benjamin F. Young, T. c
- Elliott, - Phoenix, Prof. A. P. Merrill
and the wriser.
-, On the other hand, every physician
- Natchez and its vicinity, thirty years ag
~ whether practising or retired, who was
IA the habit of tippling, as the practice
drinking alcoholic beverages is called, h;
- long since been numbered with the dea
oJ Only two of them, who were comparative
no Incorporate, lived to be grey. Their ave
. age term of life did not exceed thirty-f
70. years, and the average term of life of tho
who were in the habit of taking alcohol
. drinks frequently between meals, on an EN-
,nt ty stomach, did not reach thirty years.
70 less than ten years after they commenc
practice, the most of them died, and t
whole of them have subsequently falle
II leaving not one behind in the city, countr
itb or village, within twenty miles round.
,m To fill the places of those who died or
ave tired from the profession, sixty-two medic
men settled in Natchez and its vicinity
nod tween the year 1924 and 1885, embrace
len. a period of ten years; not counting thu
ror of 1923, already mentioned. Of the six
wav two new comers. thirty-seven were temp
and ate, and twenty-five used alcoholic bev
ages between meals, though not often
Pea the extent of producing intoxication.
sha the thirty seven who trusted to the hy
.;ns enic virtues of natures beverage-pla
.co, unadulterated water-nine have died,