The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-08-23
Temperance Reading.
Alcohol Destroys Digestion.

Omitting all reference to the mental
and moral ravages of intemperance, it
would require lifetime to recount the
pains and aches, the malignant diseases
induced by the demon intemperance.
We have already seen that all alcoholic
liquors impair, retard and complicate
digestion, always and everywhere, both
in the case of the sick and the well,
thus preventing the normal and full
nourishment Of the system. Some of
the robust may endure this for tinle,.
but the sick may safely avoid all COM
binations of it, in the matter of diges--
ton, as they need all of the strength
possible, that they may resist the in
roads of disease. 1t always and every
where wastes pOwer-never generating
any-pFevents the renovation of the
blood, the whole body, increases the
laborS of the heart by which it must
weaken that organ, deranges the brain
and nerves, vitiates the blood and all of
the digestive juices, none of which eff
fects are favorable to even the robust,
while none of the sick can tolerate any
such antagonistic agencies.
The action of ALCOHOLICS a drink,
medicine or bath--is always in the,
line of paralysis. Let this thought be-
emphasized; it always and everywhere
tends to benumb, derange and eventu--
ally impair and destroy the sensibilities.
In illustration, observe the ''rum-blos-
som" of the drunkard, the red and en-
larged nose The blood vessels are SO
paralyzed that they can not perform
their ordinary labors, from which fact,
in consequence of their relaxed state,
the blood is not. urged on, the vessel
becoming engorged at particular places
in the face. more especially-the ac-
emulation and engagement increas-
ing the size of the nose, red enough to:
serve as a warning--like a lighthouse
to guard the young from being wrecked
on the hidden rocks of drunkenness!
The intense red color of the drunkard's
brain is produced in precisely the same
way rs that of the nose, namely paral.
ysis of the nerves which control the cir.
culatiOn of this part of the body. When
the drunkard's face and nose are red.
dened, or blushing under the influence
of alcohol, the brain bushes. The same
may be said also of the lungs, the stom-
ach, the liver, the kidneys and other
structures of his body. His whole phys
ical being bushes with shame for the
outrage against nature. In consequence
of this intense congestion, and the fact
that it receives one-iifth Of all the blood
in the body, the brain participates more
than any other organ i'll the body ex-
cept the liver, in the injury wrought by
the ''demon drink" As before men.
toned. it sometimes becomes hardened
20 C,,oI, JArr,,oa I,,r.i,,rr lifo bnt
can be readily distinguished from
healthy brain by the sense of touch alone.
For this reason no function of the
system can be carried on in its normal
condition, doing its legitimate labor or
office. The brain, therefore, thus
robbed of its normal energies, by par
tial paralysis, is unable intelligently to
superintend the running of this wonder
full machine, ''fearfully and wonderful
ly made" while the semi-paraIyzed
nerves, losing part Of their vital force,
fail to keep up the telegraphic comma
nicaton between the brain and all parts
of the body, which harmony demands.
The heart-occupying the position Of
the prime motOr-enervated by a fear
full increase of tolls by the use of alco--
holic stlmulants, (goads) laboring under
serious disadvantages, must fail to per-
form its part of the system labor, just
to that extent failing to convey nourlsh-
ment to all parts of the body, as well
as failing in gathering up the waste and
poisonous parts, conveying them to the
lungs for renovation, publication. =
failure here is but another name for
universal failure! If the stomach is not.
nourished and stimulated by pure blood,
it must to that extent be uHsable to SO
transform the food into blood as to i'm
poverish the whole system. There
must be general absence of vital force,
the supplies being cut off, partially, and.
the renovating and purifying forces
suffering to the same extent. Alcohol
is ''two-edged sword" fearfully de-
stroying the vital forces. 1t attacks,
both directly and indirectly, first re-
ducing the power of all of the organs OF
the body, then indirectly aggravating-
the evils by reducing their nourishment-
by impairing digestion. This is an apt.
illustration of the Bible assertion that
elf one member suffers, all will suffer
with it."-GOlden Rule.