The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-07-31
Natioaal Aepublitau.
summer Drinks.

There Is nothing but water capable OF
satisfying the thirst. All other drinks,
therefore, taken for this purpose, answer
it only in proportion to the quantity OF
this fluid they may contain. /
Water, II pure, may be drunk at oil
times and in almost any quantity with
impunity The manner Of drinking II,
however, is a matter Of no little import
ancc. Ifgulped down in large quantities
ii may by suddenly filing the
stomach, 30 distend II as to produce a
pressure not only painful, but subversive
of the functions Of that and of other
internal organs. II. moreover, the water
thus swallowed be excessive cold, and
the body unduly heated, a fatal shock
may result from the instantaneous
change Of temperature. Thus cases arc
recorded OF death from this cause.
These, however, do not occur as often
as was once supposed, and most OF those
fatal results before attributed to drinking
cold weter, are now supposed to be owing
to the joint effect Of heat and fatigue. or
TO what is ordinarily termed sunstroke.
Water may be drunk in its coolest
degree oftemperature, and in the largest
quantity the thirst may demand, by any
person, whatever may be his state as TO
health or illness, heat or cold, provided it
is swallowed gradually. By slipping not
only is the desire for drink more
thoroughly gratified but all danger
avoided
Iced water, when properly drank, is IN.
questionably the best Of all summer
drinks; but there are others which, il
INDUCED in moderately, may be allowed.
The ordinary soda water-or water
impregnated with carbonic acid gas-is
not an unwholesome beverage, although
it is often made SO by the syrups, spirits
and other connections mixed with it.
The various fruit syrups, If genuine, may,
when diluted with water, be safely taken.
The sugar, however, they contain SO
abundantly, and which, according to the
chemists, is n great heatproducer, makes
them unfit for constant summer drinking.
Science condemns the use, particularly in
hot weather, Of all the spirituous drinks,
such as brandy, gin and whisky. These,
according TO some chemical philosophers
may be Of advantage to those exposed
to the severe cold of winter. Others
deny that they can ever be useful, and
assert that they always act upon the
brain and nerves as direct poison. Both,
then, are agreed in condemning them as
summer drinks. Liebig and his followers
gave this as the reason: Alcohol, the
chief constituent Of all spirituous drinks,
is mainly composed Of carbon, which is
the fuel requiredby the body to keep up
its animal heat. In summer, OF course,
but little Of this fuel is required-much
less than in winter. II, however, a large
quantity issupplied there will be an excess
which is left unconsumed, and remaining
in the body without use does harm in
various ways. Drinking alcohol, there
FORE which contains great deal Of car
bon, in summer, is supplying the body
with more Of this fuel than it requires,
and IS, in consequence, harmful prac-
tice.
The French wines, if stimulants are at
all required, are the best, because they
are the purest and the weakest. The
American practice of putting Jumps Of
ice into them, which so surprises all
European connoisseurs, is not bad one,
for most of the foreign wines imported
into this country are branded to suit the
supposed strength ofhead Of our country
men, and will largely bare dilution.-
Hdrper'S Bazaar.