Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-06-27
MODERATE DRINKING.
The Opinions of the Doctors on
the Use of Stimulants.

London Times, June g.
II we pass on to consider the use Of
alChOhOl as an article of diet, the Opin-
ions Of the medical profession are un-
mistakable. They have been expressed
within the last few months in 4 series Of
articles in the Contemporary Rsrier, writ
ten by some of the most eminent ply
Sicians and surgeons in London, and
among which those Of Sir James Paget
and of DIR. MOXen were especially note
worthy. Ii must be remembered that
the writer's have no claim to any occult
knowledge on the subject, but that they
are trained observers oil the conditions
which promote or modify health, and
that they are stimulated to observe cor
rectly 10y the degree in which their rep
utations might be impaired by the main
tenanCe of views which could be shown
% be erroneous. The general effect of
what they have written may be fairly
stated somewhat in the following man
uer: They hold that the regular mod
crate use Of alchOholic drinks as articles
Of diet is certainly harmless, and prob
ably as beneficial as it is agreeable to
the great majority of the human race in
temperate climates and in civilized
countries; that such use is a matter OF
necessity 10 some, especially to BRAIN
workers Of small appetite and weak
digestion; and that total abstinence is q
mode Of life which is conducive to the
weliarebithei few rathCrthan ofthe many.
As conditions of the safe and proper use
Of alchohol they hold that il should only
DE taken with food, and scarcely except
with the principal meal Of the day; that
the repetition of drains should
therefore be strictly avoided, and that
the only safe rules rs regards quantity
are those which every man may frame
Cor himself, If ne will fairly and honestly
observe the immediate and remote ef-
fects of what he takes. Sir James Paget
points ont, with the force which is so
often inherent i'm extreme simplicity,
that i'm this country total abstainers and
drunkards have formed two small mi
norities, which may be set against each
other and disregarded; and that the
great bulk OF the people OF England are
the descendants Of many generations OF
moderate drinkers. II moderate drink
inc were the evil which it is sometimes
said TO be, our place among the nations
would contrast less favOrably than II
does with the places of the communities
which are much smaller consumers OF
alchohOl than ourselves. In all this the
writer's DO but affirm the correctness OF
those deductions from practical eXperl-
ence which people in general have al
ready drawn for their own guidance,
and what is called science has much TO
accomplish before it can be IN posi-
ton to traverse these deductions with
any reasonable prospects OF success.
There is vet another point OF the ques-
ton which deserves a passing notice,
and Il is that the universal craving of
mankind for some neTvlne stlmulant
would impel them, il alchOhol were rem
lcred inaccessible, TO find substitutes,
possibly still more hurtiul, in drugs;
and 10 Is notorious that among the poor
cr classes the use Of preparations OF
opium has for some time past been stead
ilv increasing. Among the more
wealthy these preparations are also
LARGELY consumed, especially in the form
of various anOdyne quaCk medicines,
which are accountable for much disease
and domestic misery. OF the abuse of
alcohol we have no occasion to speak, for
IL has no defenders: hut il may not the
less be pointed out that, uotwithstand-
ing the dicta of Judges and magistrates,
drunkenness Is very often no more than
the effect OF the very evils Of which it is
said 10 be- cause. 1t is more often an
early symptom than cause Otlnsanlty;
more often a result OF weakness OF a
vicious organism than cause of vice.
ON this part OF the subject great con-
fusion Of thought commonly prevails;
and ii mainly arises from the haste TO
be- didactic OF worthy persons VINO have
never learned 10 be accurate.