The Republican journal., 1874-04-16
From his long and interesting paper ~
make the following extracts

Alcohol has thus tWo-fold action First il
is capable, i'll proper dose, Of being consume,
and utilized as a force producer; in which cast
there is no visible disturbance Of normal fmc
ton. Such action cannot be distinguished eithe,
by the drinker or the physolosst from that o.
quickly dgestibe fluid food, and is no nor,
an excitement" or "depreSsion," than is th,
action of bowl of hot soup or glass of milk
The second action is the poisonous influence OF
IN excess of alcohol circulating in the blood
which makes itself sensible to the drnker b,
peculiar sensations and disturbances, and is MOI
only followed by depression" but is itself +
form of depression-that is, 4 disturbance OF
balance; an unnatural perturbation of the nor
NAL working of the functions.
Every reader of these lines will at once ask
what then is the limit as to quantity within
which alcohol eXerts only a food action. AM,
beyond which it begins to poison by its excess
This question cannot be answered categorical
ly, for it so happens that the "poison line.'' as
il has been aptly called, is a shifting one. Even
in health il varies according to age. sex, ind
vidual popularity and habit. and even in the
same person according to his physical condition
for the time being. When tatigued by bodl,
or mental work, when suffering from emotiona
agitation, as anxiety or fear: when Worn hy
loss OF sleep. of blood, or by pain, amounts Of
alcohol which ordinarily would flush the face
and somewhat confuse the mind, will be borne
by the same person without producing the
slightest symptom Of mtoXication: the whole
effect of the drink being expended in relieving
the preeYStng malaSe. and restoring the sys.
TEN to its normal condition. And in more for.
NAL morbid states. as in many diseases the
poison line often shifts 10 an astonishing degree
so that what would in health produce even dan
geronS drunkenness will be borne without
causing the least intoXicatiOn; the Whole of the
alcohol being apparently utilized by the Sy stem
for obtaining the life saving energy which this
fluid. from its swift absorption and ready
chemical change in The blood. can 80 quickly
WELD.
The simple meaning Of all which il that
alcohol in moderate enjoyment inyigorales
and rrtreshes the system. as an easily al
gaStcd food. and that in its immoderatc
use il operates as a poison. Ii hardly need
ed the deductions Of science To prove thai
the Rey. DIR. Purchell's 9la-s OF two oi
beer would refresh the energies OF the
tired workingman.
This view of the matter is sustained hv
the most thoroughly educated and scieu-
titic men Of the country. This kind Of in
vestgation and testimony are hy no means
new SIN Years ago the best psychologists
and chemists OF Massachusetts gave similar
testimony. Among them was Oliver Wen
dell Holmes, DR. f II Clarke Dr Jack
son, Dir. llorStord, nr Bigelow and Dr.
James G. White, Professor Of Chemistry
at Harvard, son Of lion. James p White
of this city.
While wishing all prosperity to the cause
of temperance, and seeing, as everybody
must, the great need OF its advancement,
it can gain nothing by maintaining false
assumption, or denying the truths of
science Good wine i, 4 good familiar
creature, it ii be we'll used" Ii is not the
And abuse may make a curse Of any bless
ing which humanity enjoys