Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-27
TAKING A SIP.
The Growth of the Drinking
Habit in England.
London telegraph.

The Lancet has thought it worth
while gravely to ts3e into argumenta-
tive consideration a statement recently
published ION medical authority to
the effect that the British young mar
is INDUCING to an usual extent 10
the pernicious habit of imblbine
"nips' Of bran. y and glasses OF Irish"
at all times of the day. The practice
Of taking a glass at meeting a friend
or acquaintance il, it is added, but
too common; and in the city it often
means half a dozen or more visits TO
the shades before luncheon" The
Lancet expresses a hope that the case
has been oyerstated; and our contem
pOrary inclines to the belief that there
has latterly been exhibited in the city
a marked tendency among young men
10 take wholesome food, such as milk,
coffee, or sandwiches, in preference to
"nips," and further, that much more
care is used in this regard in the city
Of London than in large provincial
towns, such as Liverpool or Marches
ter, or Newcastle on Tyne, where
casual or commercial" drinking. as it
may be called, is carried on with far
less regard to consequences. Our con.
temporary proceeds to point out that
medical authorities are almost unani.
nous in opinion that "nips" of spirit
and glasses Of wine taken at odd times
without food are an unmixed evil
which should be discouraged By every
sensible person. There may be a
difference Of opinion as TO the amount
Of diluted alcohol at meals which is
consistent with health and longevity.
but alcohol on the empty stomach Of a
city man, with but little fresh air and
exercise to turn it of, is sheer harm
i1juring as it does the fine textures of
the stomach and heneighboring liver.
and demoralizing yeryfunction of the
body from that Of the brain to that Of
the kidney" mo mixture Of bit
ters, " it is solemnly added, will
make this truth seem sweeter nor the
habit less immoral"
With respect to the young men"
who are accused Of swallowing "nip9'
OF brandy or glasses OF Irish" be
tween morn and deTy eve, it is trans
pHently obvious that an immense
amount Of casual drinking goes on in
the city every working day in the
week. There must be some thousands
Of odd" glasses Of sherry, in particu
lar, drunk not necessarily By Young
men, but also by middle aged and
elderly gentlemen before luncheon aud
after it. A good number Of causes
may exist to explain, if not to justify,
this untimely kibulousness. The old
saw enumerates among reasons for
drinking, Good wine, or when a
friend is by, OIL lest there should be. BY
and by, or lest you should be dry, and
die; or any other reason why" Now,
a party 10 the city" may toss of
deleterious "stims' in the shape OF
sherry for the osteusible reason that
Barbarian bonds have gone up or
that Big Bonanza mining shares have
gone down; he may take a min" 10
console himself under the i~ntelligence
that his unclein Lisbon has Just Jailed
Tor untold thousands Of "mireis.p or
in order to give vent 10 bis feelings OF
exultation at hearing that a bank
rupts estate Of which he was a heavy
creditor Is about to pay a dividend Of
fifteen shillings iu the pound. Or he
may hob mob with a friend who is of
10 Australia; or take a glass with a rel.
alive who has just returned from
Japan. kilograms from the seat Of
war or the fluctuations Of the pork
and grain markets at Chicago. the
price Of jute at New York or Of tai.
low at st. Petersburg; good news. bad
news, or finally, ANY other reason
why. may incite him to a course 81
sherry equally deleterious TO the coat,
Of his stomach and unsanctioned. a,
the Lancet puts it, by science and
religion