Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-03-09

at may be so" | answered, "but it
so happens that l am not aware of its
name or existence.
Moderate drinking" said the doc.
tor, with an emphasis of tone and man
ner that showed him to be very much
in earnest.
DR.. Grantley was somewhat of an
enthusiast on the subject of temper
ance, yet a clear, strong thinker. |
did not expect from him any special
pleading or begging of the question.
81 would Hho to hoar you make
good the assertion" | replied.
Nothing is easier. The fact is so
plain to me, that | am surprised that
it is not seen by every one"
II am all attention, make it plain
to me-" said |.
"YOu do not trust a drunkard in
any responsible position" he replied.
"YOu would not, if he were lawyer,
give an important cause into his hands,
nor II he were a surgeon, risk him
with delicate operation. Known
drunkards are not put in command
Of ships, nor III charge of steam en-
gineS, nor assigned to places where
life, property, or important interests
are at stake. Once class a man with
drunkards, and you narrow his infu-
ence, both for good or evil, to a small
circle. You rule him out of the great
world of action, and render him com
paratively harmless. He is his own
worst enemy disgusting to all ar
ound him; but Of this much use, that
he is a living expounder of the evils
Of intemperance, teaching by example
their saddest and most humiliating
lesson
But your respectable, yirtuous high
minded, moderate drinkers" the doc
tor continued, "noid to society a vcl
different relation. They command
your ships and armies; they are your
lawyers, your surgeons, your engin-
eers, your merchants and your manu-
tacturers, with whom YOU risk your
goods and money. You trust them
with your highest ana best worldly
interests. And it never seems to oc-
cur to you that they who drink, some
times tarry too long at the wine; and
may, in some fatal moment when a
clear head or steady hand is the only
guaranty of success or safety, hurt
you, through slight and temporary
incapacity, beyond repair"
l drew a long breath, as the magni-
tude of danger | had not thought Of
Ioomed up before me with an almost
appalling distinctness.
"While we count the drnnkardS
who are not trusted by tens, - said the
doctor, "we may count this other class
who hold our lives and property in
their hands, by thousands -
| observed that DR.. Grantley :
voice had in it a low thrill, and that
he was unusually disturbed. You
feel strongly on this subject" SAID |,
There is a cause" he answered
dropping his tones, and bending hi,
head forward, as though a weight hao
fallen on it suddenly. He was siIeul
for an unusually long time.
Il will give you,' he said at length
IAN illustration of what | mean. Ar,
YOU at leisure for half an hour ?"
entirely at your service.
Il drink nothing stronger than tea
or coffee, as you are aware. Once
took my glass OF wine at dinner an(
lin social circles. 1t was gcnteel haC
in it a smack of good breeding, anC
familiarity with society. | cultivated
the little vanities of connOiSeurShip
and talked in the usual self-satisfet
way of brands, vintages, favOr8 ant
the like, as Auently as any one.
had. so to speak, all the wine lingo a
2 my finger ends, and was not httl
proud of the accomplishment.
"My special work, as you know,
surgery; a work that, of all Others
requires the clear head and stead
hand. There are occasions when, l
the knife passes by hundredth par
of an inch from the right direction,
$ fatal result is inevitable. We Gu
: down into the quivering flesh, an
grope about darkly amid sensitiv
nerves, and lifc-hooded arteries, wit
death waiting eagerly for some tata
= breach in the delicate organism.
We hear frequent aIlusiCns mad
to steadying the nerves with wine o
brandy. | was sufficiently well al
quainted with the action Of this elias
of stimuIants on myself, to ignor
them at least twenty-fOur hours pric
a to the performance Of the lightest su
gical operation. | would have r.
2 garded as criminal the taking of
glass of wine just before using tt
scalpel, because its effect would hay
been to disturb the free and rapid d
s rections of my will to the cuttir
hand, hindering, confusing, and
might be rendering death certa
where l was trying to save life.
| know that it is the custom WI
some surgeons to steady their nerv
S. with wine or brandy before going
IS the operating table; but | think
Is will be found in nearly all Of the
- cases that the habitual use OF the
articles has substituted an artlhcl
III for a normal steadiness of nerve, al
y that the stimulant has become a I
cessity through abuse. 1t is said
professional gamblers that many
: them rigidly abstain from drink in {
s eu der to secure clear heads and stea'
- hands for their infamous work. L
surgeon, of all other men, should pr
- it by their example,
Did it not occur to you,' | sa
. "that in your own social use of win
you were gradually substituting Il
- general artificial steadiness of mel
for the natural and healthy, and tn