Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-08-29
BEER AND DIGESTION.
WHAT DR.. HARE, OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
PENNSYLVANIA, SAYS ABOUT 1T.
The FINEST LIGHT BEER EXTANT.
What Beers TO Be Wholesome, Should Contain
The Subject Treated from Health
Standpoint

DR.. II. A. Hare, demonstrstor OF experimental
therapeutics and instructor in physical diagnosis
in the University Of pennsylvania, says the ply
stefan IL frequently puzzled when prescribing Tor
a convalescent as 20 which alcoholic beverage
Of a mild end pleasant character he can recon-
mend with the leas: fear Of ''ur setting the
stomach. The writer has therefore attempted 10
Before passing II a direct consideration of the
methods employed and the results obtained II is
necs ssary that few physiological and thera-
peutical points be brought Iorward. Every
one knows that ale ohol retards digestion in the
test tube. but aids 1t in the stomach; and while
these facts teern somewh hat paradoxical, they
are, In reality, perfectly logical for the following
reasons:
In the test-'ube we have a given quantity Of
objective fluid on which the slcohol NAV act
and we cannot have any increase in the guam
tity OF that fluid, because IL is surrounded by
glass walls. In the stomach the alcohol acts quite
rs much On the digestive ferment as It does on
the tube but IL also by the presence Of that
viscus, excites the gastric glands 10 such an ex,
tent that an excess of gastric juice is sscreted
sufficient to counterbalapee any anti-digestiye
influences. In other words, the action OF the
spirit on the living tissue Is greater than It's &C
ton on the digestive ferments.
Theoretically, alcohol should never be used In
indigestion or In conditions of gastric weakness;
practically, every physician OF experience or ed
ucatiou gives alcohol under Just these circum :
stances, and, very properly, 100, gives the
stronger ale hoic preparations instead OF the
weaker In typhoid fever we give brandy or
whisky in the first stagss, almost solely for the
purpose Of increasing digestion.
II Is also known, by those interested In such
matters In the profession, that beer aids digesit
but little or at ALL by means Of it, alcohol, since
that constituent is present in 50 diluted form
and IN such small quantity that 1t can neither
aid digestion TO any extent by ACTING on the coats
OF the StOmsr h. nor reiard 1t by influencing the
digestive fluid. 1t should not be forgotten tn at
while all alcoholic fluids theoretically retard gas
digestion. thai lper much
brandy or whisky owing 10 It's small amount OF
slcohol and while, as has already been shown,
thisfact rather obtalhs against It's practical
that this is overcome by the carbontc &C ID and bit
ter principles of the beer, which stimulate, ex-
cite and act as bitter tonics on the gastric glands
Beers 70 be wholesome, sho0ld. therefore, con-
tain carbonie acid and bitter PRINCIPLES to fair
degree, the alcohol taking subservient and al
most useless role so far as digestion is concerned.
To sum up the reSu Is OF these experiments we
find that the beers examined varied in their SC
ton rs much as one hour and fifty Ave minutes,
and that while most beers do not retRrd diges-
ton in all probability in the stomach, that 9th
erS, such as those mentioned, aid digestion very
materially.
Thus in the case of the Bergper & Engel Brew.
ing COmpany's Ta1nhOeuser IL will be noted that
even in the test tube the average delay gastric
digestion equaled but one minute and thirty sec
onds.
The Medical Neirs OF June last says: Tam
haeuser Beer Is unquestionably the Finest Light
Beer extsnt, and is brewed by the BergneF &
Engel Brewing Company of Pniladelphis from
the finest Pale Canada West Barley Malt and
SaaZer Hops and highly recommended for its
tonic and nutritive qualities. 1t is elegantly
packed for family use in attractive flint glass bot
ties"
The high reputation enjoyed by the Bergner &
Enget Company of Philadelphia is due to the
fact that only the Finest and Best Materials are
used and that the greatest skill and care are ex-
erciSed during manufacture. -PhttGdeEDhtd TINES