The Opelousas courier., 1885-10-31
The Physiology Of Alcohol.
BY REV. W. c. BLACK.

BIZ n . w !. u. AAS
Tho claim used to be made for alco-
hol in its various forms that it was in
many ways beneficial to the human
system. 1t was claimed that alcohol
was q preventive of disease, that it
nreuared the system for enduring ex-
tremes of heat and cold, that it in.
creased a mans capacity for both ply
sicai and mental labor, and that it was
conducive to longevity. All such
claims are now abandoned except by
those who are uniformed as to the
latest results of scientific investiga-
ton. The effects of alcohol upon the
human system must, of course, like all
physiological problems, be determined
NOT by any process of q psiOYt argu-
mentation-but by careful long-con-
tinued observations of facts. Now,
this strictly scientific method has been
nursued in the case befnre us. and the
results have been announced by the
HIGHEST authorities in the medical
world.
The first witness whom | will intro-
duce is VIM. B. Carpenter ii man who
has a right to append to his name the
titles. nj. D., F. r. s.. and F. g. S.,
and that too in old England where
sneh titles mean something mi,
who is examiner in physiology in the
University of London, aud also pro
fessor of medical jurisprudence iii Uni
versity College. AS long ago rs 1850
Or. Carpenter published a work in
which he maintained the following
theses:
That alcohul does not augment
INIT actually diminishes the capacity
~ the human system for both bodily
J and mental labor.
3. That it does not increase but
vastly lessons the power of resistance
10 extremes of temperature.
1. That instead of preventing dis
eaae il is productive of a marked iia-
hility TO disease, and that, too, When
used temperately,
In 1882. Dir. Carpenter reafirmed all
these propositions, and declared that
his experience during the thirty two
years since his book WAS published
lad Increased his faith in their truth.
Dir, Carpenter Furthermore declares
that be has the recorded testimony of
more than W thousand physicians
whoae conclusions are identical with
his own.
Similar testimony is given by DIR.
Andrew Clark, a man whose large TX
perience, prodigious learning and high
~oosition as a physician TO the Queen
rive weight to his Htterances, and also
j 81 Dir. B. w. Prichardsou. M. D.. L.
L. d.. f. r. S.. and Fellow of the
Roual fsolleue of PHYSICIANS.
Many American physicians Of wide
celebrity have published statements
corroborative of the above
On d question of this sort the opin-
ions of physicians Of recognized ahlil
BY and large experience have great
weight with all intelligent persons.
Perhaps, however, it would he moft
satisfactory to some minds tn Know
the nature of The obsrr vatiOi,s upon
which these conclusions IRE basett
will therefore present 4 few simply N
samples.
First. how can we know whether q
not alcohol is d helper of work Cai
ANYTHING be fairer and more absolutely
conclusive than the test made by DIR
Parkes, which is thus described By
the celebrated Or. Clark, above Fefsrr'
cd to-:
nDr. Parkes got a Dumber of soldiers
Of the same age, of the same type o.
constitution, living under the sans
circumstances, eating he same loot
and breathing the same atmosphere
be- divided the soldiers into two gang
Lar alcohol and non-aic0loi gang
and he engaged these two gangs II
certain work for which they were g
be- paid extra. He watched these tws
pabgs, and took the result of theil
work, and it turned ont that the at
eohoi gang went far ahead at first
They had buckets of beer by their side
and as they got d little tired they tool
beer; and The bon alcohol gang were u
an hour or two left nowhere I; but 81
waited and watched. and IA the exper
iment went Oh, the energirs OF tli'
beer drinkers begal, speedily to nag
sand, do what they would, before tn
end OF the day the non alcohol gint
had left them far behind. When thi
haa rome Oh for some days, tie atco
holio gang begged that they might ge
into the non-alcoholic gang that tne.
might earn a little more money bn
DR.. Parkes, in order to make the ex
pertinent clinchiHg and conclusive
~fransposed the gangs. He made th'
alcoholic gang the non-alcoholic gam
and vice, versa-the men being YER
willing to lend themselves to the Ok
periment-and the result was exactl.
the same ; the alcoholic gang beat tn
nonsaleoholic gang et the starting. an
failed utterly toward tAe close Of th
day 4
Many similar experiments have bee
made and always with the same result
That result il thus stated By III
Clarke: 'sAlcohol is not only not
helper but i certain iinderer of work.
This truth is now very general
Recognized by that class Of men who's
business requires great plyslca
strength, endurance or agility, such, Y
pugilists, pedestrians, oafsnsei, &c
When the famous pedestrian, Wes
ton, first visited England, his colnpet
tors used alcohol freely. Haviu
learned that he wal Il total abstainee
and chat he attributed his success
largely TO that fact his competitors iu
itated his example with much bsnef
To themselves. Hanslan, the oarsmai
gives ID as bis opinion, founded upon
long experience, that s'the best phys
eal performances can be secnred onl