The Somerset reporter., 1885-12-09
Medical Authority.

he following extract from the Pacific
beffieoi journal is indor.ed by the officers
u the Home Life Insurance COMPANY. Of
New York, and is used by them in the
form Of a circular
The fashion Of the present dav. In the
nited states sets strongly toward the
substitution Of beer for stimulating H.
qu9rs. An idea appears 10 be gaining
ground that it Is not only nutritious. but
conducive to health and still further. that
there does not attach to il that danger of
creating Incorporate habits which attends
the use Of other drinks The subject k
one Of great magnitude. and deserves the
attention Of medical men a. well as moral
lists.
Many years ago, long before the moral
sense Of society was awakened to the en-
orInou> evils Of intemperance Sir Ashley
Cooper an undisputed authority in his
day, denounced habitual beer drinking as
obnoxious to health. Referrineto his ex-
perience in Guys hospital. he declared
that tine beer drinkers from the London
breweries, though presenting the appear
ance OF most rugged health. were the
most incapable of all classes to resist d.
sease; that triiing injuries among them
were hable 10 lead To the most serious
consequences, and so prone were they to
succumb to disease. that they would die
of gangrene in wounds as trifinp as the
scratch of pin.
we apprehend that no very great
change either in men or beer has taken
place since the days Of that great surgeon.
1t may also be said Of beer drinking
that there is less limitation to it than the
habitual use Of other drinks II does not
produce speedy intoxication When the
drlnker becomes accustomed to it. it will
scarcely produce active intoxication in
any quantity. 1t makes him heavy. sleepy.
ana stupid Even in moderate quantities
IL tends to dizziness and sluggishness Of
body ana mind. Beer drinkers are con-
slant drinkers. Their capacity becomes
unlimited. The swilling Of the drink be-
comes regular business. II has no ar
rest or suspension like whiskey drinking
to admit of recuperation. The old deani-
ton of beer drinker was true =
Every morning an empty barrel
every night a barrel OF beer
,,of all Intoxicating drinks it i the most
animalizng. 1t dull> the intellectual and
moral. and feeds the sensual and beastly
nature. Beyond all other drinks it qualities
Tor deliberate and unprovoked crime In
tins respect it i much worse than distilled
liquors.
"A Whl>key drnker viii commit muir
der only under the direct influence Of
hquor-a beer drinker i capable of doing
1t III cold blood Long observation has
assured Us that large propoI ton of muir
ders' deliberately Planned and executed
without passion or malice with no other
motive than the acquisition of property
or money, often of triAing value, are per
petrated by beer drinkers.
w { believe. further. that the heredi-
tary evils of beer drinking exceed those
proceeding from ardent spirits: first. be-
cause the habit is constant and without
the paroSy>mal Interruptions which admit
OF some recnperation; second, because
beer drinking is practiced by both sexes
more generally than spirit drinking: and
thirdly. because the animaliZing tendency
OF the habit i more uniformly developed
thus authorizing the presumption that the
vicious results are more generally trans
mitted
ii will be inferred from these remarks
that we take 10 comfort from the substi-
tuition of malt drinks for Spirituous IL
quor>. ON the contrary. it is cause of
apprehension and alarm that just as pub
lie opinion professional and unprofe>s-
ional. i uniting over all the world in CON
dennation of the COMMON use of ardent
spirits. the portals of danger and death
are opening wide in another direction