The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-12-21
The Moderate Use Of Alcohol.

number or the contemporary Review is
a most timely incident These articles
are contributed by three distinguished
English medical men, Sir James Paget,
the eminent surgeon; DIR. T. Lander
Brunton, who succeeded the late DIR.
Anstie as editor OF the Practitioner, and
DR.. Albert j. Bernays The authors
agree IN recommending moderation in
the use of alcohol rather than total alb
stinence.
There is no doubt whatever that total
abstinence from alcoholic drink is I'M
peratively necessary in some cases. AS
DR.. Brunton says, there are certain per-
sons on whom the smallest quantity of
alcohol seems to act like the taste Of
blood on a tiger. Such men must ab-
stain absolutely. To them alcohol is
simply a poison. Moreover, it is also
wise for those to abstain whose imme-
diate ancestors have been given to over
indulgence in strong drink The abuse
of alcohol is universally condemned by
all intelligent persons, and any course
which will inevitably or probably lead to
it ought to be avoided. In such cases as
We have mentioned, where, if man
drinks at all, he is likely if not sure to
become drunkard, all use of alcohol
should be forbidden But the total alb
stinence agitators so much further, and
insist that grave injury, physical and
moral, necessarily follows any use of al
cohol whatever.
This is not the opinion of these med
ical practitioners. They advocate tenn
perance, but not total abstinence .'My
study" says Sir James Paget, makes
me as sure as | would ever venture to be
on any such question, that there is not
yet any evidence nearly sufficient to
make it probable that a moderate habit
ual use of alcoholic drinks is generally
or even to many persons injurious" but
he comedies the difficulty Of defining
what moderation is. 1t seems to us,
however, that this difficulty is often ex-
aggerated. Every man is conscious of a
certain control of his faculties and clear
ness of his perception when in perfect
health. 1t should be his object at all
times to preserve this control and clear
ness. Any use of alcohol which lessons
his ability to do this is manifestly an
abuse of it in his case, and one which
he can usually detect himslf."
The conclusions of DIR. Bernays do
not 90 quite so far as Sir James Paget,
though they are in the same direction, as
is indicated by the title of this paper.
''The Moderate use of Alcohol True
Temperance. His contribution is es-
pecially valuable as showing what forms
of alcoholic drink are most approved by
those members of the medical profession
in England large majority, who are
opposed to total abstinence. Beer comes
first; but, if possible, it should be made
with malt and hops alone Beer which
produces thirst should be avoided Next
to malt liquor comes wine; but as wines
vary SO much in the quantity of alcohol
they contain, the author advies an ad-
mixture * !, Of water with sp9E wines as
The views expressed in DR. Brunton's s
paper on the action of alcohal are of a
similar character He regards alcohol
as truly a food. To some persons, how
ever, it is utterly poisonous. To others,
who take it as a luxury, it may bring
pleasurable sensations, and an increased
ability to please the people they meet.
And to others still, it may become a
stimulant to work which would be inn
possible without it. But it can be toll
Grated as luxury or stimulant only in
great moderation, and there is undoubt-
edly some danger Of eventual excess to
those who use it in either of these WAYS.
sIf alcohol were taken only with meals,
and it's use as an ordinary article Of diet
restricted to persons suffering from de
biity or above middle age" says DIR.
Brunton, cit would be strictly in It's
proper place, and we should hear little
about its abuse. If the taste for it is
not acquired before middle age, there is
little risk of acquiring it afterward; and
as long as a man is healthy, eating well
and sleeping well, he does not need alco-
hol, and as rule is better without it. "
No doubt there would be far less intox-
ication than there is, if alcoholic drinks
We're never taken except with food; and
we desire to emphasize the writer's con-
emnation Of what he calls the practice Of
taking nips now and again. This prac-
tice Is utterly without reason, and is
really dangerous N. Y. Sun.
A LEvEL-HEADED LOVER New
Englander (ef German BIRTH who has
1,r,ri tor, e, 1tnr41n :