Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-07-22
Summer Drinks.
From Harper's Bazaar.)

Summer Drinks.
From Harper's Bazaar.]
There is nothing but water capable of salts
tyipg thirst. All other drinks, therefore,
taken for this purpose, answer it only In pro-
portion to the quantity Of this fluid they may
contain. >-a -
Water, if pure, may be drunk at all times
and in almost any quauity with impunlty. The
manner of drinking it, however, is matter OF
M little Importance. If gulped down in large
quantities it may, by suddenly filling the
stomach, so distend it as to produce pressure
not onlv painful, but subversive Of the tunc-
tions Of that and Of other internal organs 1t,
moreover, the water thus swallowed, be ex-
ccssiyelv cold and the body unduly heated, a
fatal shock may result from the instantaneous
change of temperature. Thus cases are re-
corded of death from this cause. These, how
ever. do not occur as often as was once
supposed and most of those fatal results
before attributed to drinking cold water 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 it's coolest degree OF
temperature, 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 grati6ed, but all danger is avoided
Iced water, when properly drank, IS un-
ouestionably the best summer drinks; but there
are others which, if INDUCED 10 moderately
may be allowed. The ordinary soda water-or
water impregnated with carbonic acid gass-is
not unwhoesome beverage, although it is often
made so by the sirups, spirits, and other con-
coctions mixed with it. The various fruit
sirups, if genuine, may, when we'll diluted with
water, be safely taken. The sugar, however,
they contain so abundantly, and which accord
ing to the chemist, is a great heat producer,
makes them unit for constant summer drlnk-
ing. Science condemns the use, particularly
in lot weather, of all spirltuous drinks, such
as brandy, gin and whiskey. These, according to
some chemical philosophers, may be of advan-
tage 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 pe'sons. Both,
then, are agreed In copdemuing them as .um
mer drinks, Liebig and his followers give his
as the reason. Alcohol, the chlet constituent
Of all spirituous drinks, is mainly composed OF
carbon, whc is tEa fuel It qulred by the body
to keep up It's animal heat. lu summer, OF
course, but little Of this fuel Is reQulred-much
less than in winter. IT., however, large
quantity is supplied there will be an excess,
which is left unconsumed, and remaining 10 the
body without use does harm in various ways.
Drinking alcohol, therefore, which contains a
great deal OF carbon, In summer, IS supplying
the body with more Of this; fuel than it re-
quires, and is, in consequence, harmful prac-
tice. - $500 81 ~ ..4
The French wines, if stimulants are at all
required, arc the best, because they are the
purest and the weakest. The American prac-
tce OF putting Jumps of ice into them, which
so surprises all European conoisseurs, IS not
bad one, for most OF the ign wines import
ed into this country are branded to suit the sup
posed strength of head of our countrymen, and
will largely bear diution. : ..az a1- ti.:aua
A CRUEL Hoax. One of the most extern
sive and cruel practical hoaxes of the age was
perpetratedin Boston on Thurday morning. 1t
seems that some dozen or more persons COM
bined together and simultaneously about ten
o'clock, circulated the story in different sec
tions of the city that the roof of the Provi-
dence Railroad depot had fallen 10, and that
two passenger trains, together with all the
passengers on board, and forty or fifty others
in the building at tho time, were buried be-
meath the debris. The report spread rapidly,
and there was at once the widest excitement
in the city, and thousands upon thousands
crowed the different streets leading to the d.
rection Of the depot. Some of those engaged
in the hoax went to the different police stations
and though their representations squads OF
officers with ltters were sent to the scene OF
lheterrible disaster. Others visited surgeons
and summoned them at once, and others went
into the newspaper Offices and news rooms and
lett the startling report that sixty dead bodies
had already been taken out and that the num-
Der was being momentarily increased. The ex-
element was so intense that many places OF
business were closed for nearly an hour or un
til it was assertained that the whole story was
pure fabrication. i. #.."
The indignation of the crowd when they
found that the depot was all right was only
equalled by the joy at the fact Of the absence
OF such a amentable catastrophe as had been
reported. The city and railroad authorities
will probably offer reward for the apprehen-
SION of the parties engaged in circulating the
false reports. ~
NAV 1000 ...6