Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-02-27
The Alcohol Question.

Inc EDSllSn contemporary REVIEW
recently began the publication of Sc
ries or articles on the AlohOl Question
by number of eminent medical prac-
titioners, which have been published
in the supplements of the Popular Sci
ence Monthly, the last number Of
which contains nine of these articles.
Sir William w. Gull prizes alcohol
and " inc as medicines, and thinks
they could hardly be dispensed with.
AS regards the daily use of alcoholic
liquors, he thinks there are conditions
of the system, under fatigue and ex-
haustion, where it might be useful.
Good food will, however, supply all the
wants of the system up to middle age.
His experience is that the prevalent
drinking customs are harmful, and
"alcohoi is the most destructive agent
we are aware of in this country"
Charles Murchison says: "a man who
is in good health does not require 1t,
and Is probably better without 1t. Its
occasional use will do him no harm;
its habitual use, even in moderation,
may, and often does, in'iuce disease
gradually" There are large number
of persans to whom alcohol is an absO-
lutte POISON; sin all conditions Of the
system characterized by weakness of
the circulation the daily use of a small
quantity of alcohol is likely to be benz
eficial, at all events for time" Wal
ter Moxon thinks, with Sir PSget, that
little alcohol does most persons no
harm, and that, as rule, moderate use
is better than total abstinence. He
condemns the principle of prOhibitory
legislation, and thinks the sot should
be put under legal control, since "the
notwithstanding sot is the most per-
nicious criminal in the land" Sam
ue WiIks thinks the popular craving
for alcohol in some form is on account
of its sedative influence, and he be-
lieves sit soothes a worried nervous
system, and by preventing wear and
tear actually supports the Frame" He
thinks, however, it is not direct CIV
er OF strength, and need in nowise be
taken by the strong and healthy.
James RisdOn Bennett believes in al
cohol, 'as well as opium, to be among
the gifts of God, accorded to man for
therapeutic IA we'll as other beneficial
purposes, to make glad his heart and
strengthen his nerves, though, alas!
too often perverted to his physical and
moral ruin" G. B. Radcliffe con-
demns ''intemperate abstinence" and
says: "Alcohol properly used is of
great service, partly in keeping up the
animal heat by supplying easily kin
died fuel to the respiratory fire, partly
in producing nerve-pOwer by furnish
ing assimilable food to neve-tissue, and
partly in lessening the necessity for
ordinary food by diminishing the waste
of the system" Joseph Kidd de-
scribes with great vigor the diseased
bodily conditions produced by alcohol
ic excess, but thinks the temperate
and discriminating use of liquor bene-
fetal. He himself remained total
abstainer until his thirtieth year, and
then began the moderate use OF wine,
with the result Of increasing his
strenth and fitness for work. With
persons of sound constitutions and or.
dinarily good health abstinence
should be the rule. r Brudenell Car
ter gives instances from his practice
where in some cases moderate use and
in others abstinence was injurious. He
thinks the moderate and discrimina-
ting use of liquor better than total alb
stinence. A B. Garrod thinks that
"the majority of adults can take
moderate quantity of alcohol In some
form or other, not only with impunity,
but often with advantage" All these
experts agree as to the terrible iDjuri-
business of excess, and to the needless
ness of alcoholic beverages for persons
in ordinarily good health. 1t should
be borne in mind that they were writ
ing for public strongly welded to
drinking habits.-Balt. American.