Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-01-16
THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF PROHIBITION



The question presented is: Shall Alco-
hollis Liquors rs common beverages be com
mercially outlawed?" nud We are resuir, d to
determine what there is about them in rela
zion 10 the human constitution which de.
mands that their sals shall he prohibited.
propose To show that there is n part of mans
physical organization upon which his men
tai nature depends, and which is therefore
the real foundation Of all society and gov.
ernment; that Alcoholic liquors, when drank.
seek out this portion Of the bodily system in
preference TO all others, and 50 disorganZe
II as to disturb the mind, pervert the con-
duet aud invade the responsibility that their
properties IN these respects are so peculiar
and remarkable AS to separate them widely
from all other substances in nature and art
and confer upon government Il right Of con
troll over thon which is necessary, funda-
mental ami absolute.
Atcohoi, and how The term is employed
Or Alcohol itself, little need be said Its
scientific history has hOen thoroughly can
Vassed, and no question is better settled than
that uf its origin and nature. 1t comes into
existence through the chemical destruction
OF food. and is that common and active prin.
ciple Of all fcrmcnted aud distilled LIQUORS
-rhinh gives thep the power Of producing
intuxicatipn. IL is hence both customary
and proper to employ the term 1lc0hol when
its various mixtures are referred TO.
Before considering the wayanan is affected
by this agent it will be necessary that we
direct attention to certain fundamental facts
concerning the nature Of his constitution -
Before we can understand how Il machine is
acted upon by any foreign influence, we must
first have Il some what distinct idea If the me-
chauism itself In this case it is Of extreme
Importance, and | may, therefore be par
doned for FIRST calling attention to certain
facts and laws Of the human structure.
Offices and Rank ct diBeyem payts of h
Human Structure.
If we ideally take the human system Il
pieces, We shall at once discern the uses o
its leading parts. The bony frame work i
designed 10 support 1t IN tirnncss ar'
strength, and the elastic muscles To throw
into movement. As the production of fore
involves waste Of matter, or decomposition 4
the parts in actun--a gradual periehiug e.
the living atums-theFe is indeed circulate
~ system e. distribute new matter to
parts, aud to take up and carry away tn
products uf change which are constant
formed. THIS requires digestive syste,
for the preparation of nutriment A hear
=
rent, and lungs to supply mir to the body, it
oxygen being the motive rcwer Of amin;
life. In addition to these organs, there
still another part of the fabric, the speeif
purpose Of which is not NJ first 50 obvious.
Structure and Offices Of tie Brain.
The upper portion of the head is occupie
by mass Of matter which differs in aspsc
and qualjties from all ether parts of the sy
l.. g. u
bones, nor firm aud contrnctie like the mu
clcs, nor hollow aud receptive like the stor
aeh, nor spuugy and porous like the lung
1t is clearly different in tature aud uses fro
all other parts, and yet it is evidently of Il
frs, Importance. Situated at the summit
Of tho body, il uvsrlooks all the other Al
subordinate portions superior in positio
we suspect IL is also superior in consider
ton surrounded and guarded hy n stro
bony case, its protection is apparently I'M
ter uf the first necessity; connected with
parts ol tie body 10y q complex and curio
system oG minute threads ur lines, it is
some way intimately associated with the x
eraI action of the mechanism.
refer to the brain, which is enclos
within the skull. 1t consists OF a large sh
Of nervous matter which is packed will
the bony cavity 80 ~ to crumple it, and cal
folds aud CunvOlutlouS and consequently b
lows and furrows. Anatomists say I'll
when taken out and soaked, it may be
folded or dlated out, SO that the coGyoluti
disappear and then that il has u surface
more than ak hundred square inches.
weight Of the brain in the adult male ran
usually from forty to sixty ounces, the ~
age being abuut fifty ounces. The heav
healthy brain is sixty four ounces, and
lighte,t about thirty ounces, although in id
il sometimes falls as low as twenty ounces
The brain, like all other parts OF the syst
contains innumerahle circuatory vess
and is filled with blood but it differs f
them in this. that il receives very m
larger share Of blood than any other &c
portion Of the organism. Although its II
age weight is to that Of the body but az
to thirty six, it receives, according TO di
ent authorities, from onef tn to one-tent
all the blood which is sent from the hear
An arterial torrent rushrs into it, aud '
Gus stream flows out Of it continually. Il
dccompositious or changes in the bI
therefore, which give rise to force, go forv
in this organ with rapidity, so that, whr
or may be its uses, il is evidently an ell
of power.
h, a.ta,bacs Da0a3.8 90 Had.
The brain is we'll known to he the cs