The Portland daily press., 1883-08-01

which has been forced upon me by much OBJ
servation and experience" The pedestrian
achievements of Weston are well known to the
public. Whether no he at all times ah-
stained from the use of alcohol we have no
means OF knowing. The British Medical
journal in writing of the amount and kind of
nourishment prescribed during his prolonged
exertioDs adds, Alcoholic drinks are strictly
prohibited" Prof. Carpenter mentions that
on visit to Messrs. Boulton & Waits celebrate
ed factory at Soho, Birmingham, he saw a.
hercultal workman at the heaviest and hottest
OF the work, WELDING ponderous hammer for
the Welding of two metals, and asked him
what liquor he drank. He replied by pointing
to an immense vessel in a corner filled with
water mixed with oatmeal, to which the men
went and drank ad Hbitam. Bruce who ex-
plored Abyssinia one hundred years ago, Liv-
ingston writing in 1852, Waterton. a natural
ist who trayersed vast regions in South Amer
lea and who died at the age of SO, all give as
the result of their experiences, that those who
could endure the most severe labors and pri-
vations were like themselves total abstainers
from alcoholic beverages. The evidence is
equally emphatic as to what alcohol can do
for us under great heat. DIR. Parker after re-
ferring to Dr. Carpenter, as having assembled
the most conclusive testimony from India, Bra
I'll, Banoe, Africa and Demarara goes
on tropical diseases ise '''' speak '"'i'''s 81
strongly. Robert jackson, Ranold Martin,
Henry Marshall and many others 1t seems
quite certain that by the use of alcohol not
only is heat less well borne but that sunstroke
is predisposed "sSr w. r. Williams, the re-
nowned defender of Kars, wrote:-"I am in
debted TO gracious Providence for preserva-
ton In very unhealthy climates; but am sat-
isfed that resolution early formed and steadi-
ly persevered in, never to take spirituous IL
quors, has been means of my escaping dis
eases, by which multitndes have fallen around
me. Had not the Turkish army OF Kars been
literally "A cold water army, l am persuaded
they would never have performed the achieve.
ments which covered them with glory" Did
space permit we could give much detailed tes-
timony that alcohol is not preventive against
disease or source OF strength in warm clm-
ates. How singular is the fact that common
as is this opinion, equally accepted is the theo-
ry that alcohol keeps off the cold and should
always be resorted TO in extreme weather The
momentary warmth that alcohol gives to tho
stomach, the bunting OF the nerve SENSIBLE
ties for the time, which makes the sense
of warmth seem like real heat, would easily
explain the origin of this theory. The
great sailors in the Polar seas, Ross, Parry,
Frsnklin, Richardson, Kennedy, Kane,
and Hall have all proved the injurious charac-
ter OF such drinks in high ATTITUDES. DIR.
Hooker, one of Sir John Ross's medical officers
says: ~ know from experience that the use Of
spirits 10 cold climates is generally prejudeial.
1t never did me an atom OF good, the first
sense of heat is agreeable, but the extremities
are not warned by it and in aquarter or
half hour after taking 1t you are colder, more
fatigued and less able to bear exposure than
before" The Hudson Bay Company have for
many years entirely excluded spirits from the
fur countries in the North to the great inn
provement of the health and morals of the
Canadians, and OF the Indian Tribes" "The
guides at Chamouni and the Oberland when
out in the winter have invariably found spirits
hurtful. The bathing men at Dieppe, who
are much exposed 10 cold from long standing
in the sea, also find that spirits are hurtful.'
These are but a few of the many authenticated
statements, against the commonly accepted
opinion that alcohol is necessary beverage for
persons exposed to extremely cold weather.