Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-04-07
TEMPERANCE.


The Scientific Ame,rean says: Replying to
a deputation Of the Blackburn Temperance
Mission at the residence of Major General
Fielden, recently, he said that he had always
employed the opportunities afforded him to
impress the necessity of Temperance on those
under his command. In the Red River expe-
dition, against the advice even Of the medical
men who accompanied the troops, he decided
the force; and yet no men ever did harder
work or behaved better than those on that ex-
pedtion. In South Africa his personal body
guard consisted almost exclusively of temper
ance men; and there, too, the doctors, who had
predicted all manner of ills from the absence
of grog, had absolutely nothing to do. In
Egypt, again, the doctors told him that il was
very necessary the men should have grog, and
he was obliged, owing to the great pressure
put on him, to allow 1t occasionally; but it
was given in very small quantities and rarely,
and yet the troops in Egypt were admirable in
their behavior. He had long held that drink
was the great source Of crime, disobedi-
ence and other evils in the army. Apropos
Of which the Gospel 7tmteranee Adpofafe re.
marks: AS might have been expected, the
satirical papers nave been making merry over
the idea that Lord Wolseley should be prais.
ing teetotalism in the army, and at the same
time allow himself to be announced as the pa
tron Of the Vine Club, the object Of which is
to enable its members to procure wine at lower
prices. II appears, also, that each member
OF the club is pledged to purchase wine to a
definite amount every year, and the Generals
critics tail to see the consistency of his posi-.
tion. The lesson ought not to be thrown away
upon temperance workers."
BRANDY AS A MEDICINE.
Temperance friends, especially new converts,
are frequently puzzled by the question, "What
should you do in the case Of sudden illness or
accident1 Would you not take brandy, thenl"
To such question as this, DIR. Alfred Carpen-
ter has given an important answer, as follows
"Thc use OF brandy in such cases would be
more beneficial in the breach than in the obser-
vance, In nine cases out Of ten in which II is
given it acts (if il acts at ALL by dcadening the
system to the danger Of the position without in
any way diminishing that danger. The patient
may suffer less for the moment, but it is at the
expense Of the system; for the brandy, by para.
lying sensibility, too often wihdraws the watch.
ful sentinels upon whose watchfulness the por-
tails Of life are kept open and energetic measures
established for the restoration Of health. The
mischief which is done by the injudicious and
routine use Of alchohic drinks in such cases is
but too well known to the physician who has
considered the physiological effect Of alcohol.
would recommend in the cases referred to that
nothing should be given but pure water. Il is
the liquid which Is wanted, II anything Is i'm.
mediately wanted, and not the brandy. The
cases to which brandy is now given by the un-
thinking public and the routine medical prac.
ttioner are precisely those which fifty years ago
were supposed to reqniapbleeding, and were
bled whenever doctor could be found to do
1t. II a man bled such cases now, he would
be accused Of having killed the patient, sup
posing that the case was fatal. An extended
experience Of many years has told me in most
conclusive terms that those cases which are
piled with brandy in a supposed emergency
have more tedious recovery than those in
which water alone has been given, and that il
has often been the cause Of death by postpon.
ing that faininess which. in cases OF hcmor.
rhage, is the verymeans whichn nature establishes
for the arrest of the bleeding. II one person
should, perchances suffer because brandy OF
other siimllant has not been given by an un.
skilled person, nineteen will be saved from
other mischief; whilst, II perchanoe pick.
me-up' is wanted, teaspoonful OF sal volatile
OF cup OF good tea would be far more cifica-
cious.
FREE LIQUOR IN SWITZERLAND.
Since 1874. when new Constitution took
from the Swiss eantons the power OF restrict
ing the liquor traffic, there has been fearful
increase in the sale Of strong drinks. The
public houses. which numbered y. So7 in 1870.
increased TO 7I,77S in 1880. This Is gain of
~ per cent, while the population during that
time gained only per cent There is now an
average Of one beer OF liquor shop TO every I3o
inhabitants in switzerland, or one To every 20
adult men The amount Of GIN sold in some
communes Is al the rate Of quarts a month
per head, Out ot u cases of assault on the
p<Ison in Basic, in 1851, s. originated in
taSerns. And all this In wine .growing coun-
ny. while we have been told again and again
the patent falsehood that the ps< of b<c1 o
light wine, will check the use of sisoag liquor.
The truth Is, such drinks. With low p<scsni
ogs q alcohol. fesd and stimulate an sppstiie
tos slsoagss iniozicsass.