The daily gazette., 1883-04-04
TEMPERANCE.
Mrs. Hunt on the Scientific Study of the
Subject.


Subject.
The girls department of the High School
was comfortably filed, yesterday afternoon,
with the teachers of the city schools and a
number of children Of the grammar depart
ment to hear the lecture of Mrs. Mary II.
Hunt, of Boston, on the "Selentific Study of
the Temperance Question"
The lecturer was introduced by the Super
intendent of the High School In q neat ad
dress. Mrs. Hunt began by speak
ing of the men who came and
settled in this country 300 years ago be-
cause they did not like to be ruled by
kings. But at the present day she sail
there is an evil which far surpasses all other
evils and that ia the use of alcohol. This is
not a trouble like that which existed be-
tween the people north and south of Mason
and Dixon's line. The government does
not call on the schools to compel all those
able to carry muskets, but only asks that
you turn from your schools sober and in
dustrious citizens.
1t is absolutely essential that we should
know what to eat and drink. The notions
of our forefathers was that alcoholic drink
in moderation was beneficial and that it was
not the use but the abuse of alcohol which
was 80 detrimental to the good government
of the people. We are to day the leading
power on earth, not simply in carrying
arms but our statesmen are in every re-
spect the equal of every nation. 1t depends
on the character OF our people.
The speaker then illustrated the difference
in the appearance OF the blood of man
who had never drank at all and a man who
had always INDUCED In q moderate way,
both men of good health. The blood taken
from the veins of the total abstainer showed,
| by powerful microscope, beautifully formed
| globules perfect in every particular, while
those from the incorporate man were broker
and ragged, thereby clearly demonstrating
the fact that wine contains alcohol in sufh
cient quantities to make the blood decidedly
impure and detrimental to a mans pro
| geny.
In no drink is there that attractivenesi
contained In alcohol. The speaker had
drunk milk all her life yet she had not that
| desire to drink it continually; but with the
/ wine drinkers that peculiar accumulative
attractiveness lead to inevitable down fall.
| When a man once commences to drink there
| is no hope. Now this is not the weakness
of the drinker but the popularity of the
drink.
We address ourselves to the schools sc
that we may teach those who have never
tasted wine the effects of alcohol. The doc
tors are unanimous in the declaration that
alcohol is powerful drug and that If ad
ministered incidentally it should be done
so with great caution.
At a meeting of the National Medical So
ciety, held last June In Columbus, Ohio, q
resolution was passed embodying these
facts It was also further resolved that
alcohol as beverage is the producer of ,
large amount of physical and mental dis
eases Alcohol is the worst enemy thi
world ever had when it once gains holt
upon a victim he is lost. He may be abl,
to stop for a time but that deadly enemy
will gain the mastery in the end, and then
not content with that, will show itself IN
the children.
We have addressed ourselves to the school
boards and they, in many cases, were slow
to take hold of the movement for fear they
would offend the members of the hoard who
were In the habit of drinking themselves
But is there father WHO wishes his son tx
make the same mistakes that he did Doe
the liquor-seller wish his boy to drink acros
his BARI Men do not engage in the bushes
because they like 1t but because it is pay
ing business; it is the eight cents profit on
ten cent drink that lures them on.
The speaker then described the effect
alchohol had on animal life and finished he
address by calling upon the teachers presen
to use their utmost endeavours to suppress
this growing evil by teaching the youni
children the terrible effects which the dru
had upon health, happiness and the moral
! of community.
Mrs. Hunt has a pleasant delivery an
was listened to with marked attention b
the audience. She addressed the school 1
J behalf of the W. G. T. u, of which organ
zation there were number present, beside
President Baird of the Board of Educatio
and ex-member William j. Morrow.