Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-05-24
BEER and DIGESTION
What DIR. Hare, Of the University OF
Pennsylvania, Says About 1t.

DR.. II. A. Hare, demonstration OF experimental
therapeutics and instructor In physical diagnosis
In the University Of Pennsylvania, says the physi.
clan Is frequently puzzled when prescribing for
convalescent rs to which alcoholic beverage OF
mild and pleasant character he can recommend
with the least fear OF "upsetting" the stomach
The writer has therefore, attempted 10 decide
this question.
Before passing 10 n direct consideration OF the
methods employed and the results obtained II Is
necessary that few physiological and therapeutl.
cal points be brought forward. Every one knows
that alcohol retarls digestion In the test tube, but
aids It In the stomach and while these facts seem
somewhat paradoxical. they are. In reality, per
fectly logical, for the following reasons
In the test.tube we have o given quantity OF
digestive luid on which the alcohol may act, and
we caunot have any increase In the quantity OF
that fluid because 1t Is surrounded by glass walls.
In the stomach the alcohol acts quite as much on
the digestive ferment IL does on the teSt.tube,
but It also by the presence of that vlScus excltes
the gastric glands to such extent that an excess
Of gasrlc Juice Is secreed sufficient TO counterbal
ance any antl-digestive influences. In other
words the action of the spirit on the living tissue
Is greater than Its action the digestive ferments
Theoretically, alcohol should never be used in
Indigestion or In conditions Of gastric weakness;
practically, every physician OF experience or edu-
cation gives alcohol under Just these cIrcum.
stances and very properly, too gives the stronger
alcoholic preparations instead OF the weaker. In
typhoid fever give brandy or whisky In the
first stages almost solely for the purpose OF in
creaslng digestion.
It IL also known. by those interested n such
matters In the profession that beer aids digestion
but little or ut all by means of Its alcohol since
that constituent Is present in so diluted form and
in such small quantity that 1t can neither aid d.
gcstIon 10 any extent by acting on the coats of the
stomach nor re;ard Il by influencing the digestive
fluid. II should not be forgotten that while all al
coholc fluids theoretically retard triCdigeStlon.
that beer does so much less than brandy or whisky
owing TO Its small amount OF alcohol and while as
has already been shown, this fact rather Obtains
against Its practical use, that this Is overcome by
the carbonlc acid and hitter principles ofthe beer
which stimulate. excite and act as bitter toncs on
the gastric glands.
Beers, to be wholesome. should, therefore, con.
tain carbonc acid and bitter principles to a fair
degree. the alcohol taking subservient and al.
most useless role so far digestion Is concerned.
To sum up the results of these experiments, wo
inl that the beers examined varied In their action
as much as fity-nine minutes, and that while most
beers do not Icard digestion In all probability In
the stomach, that others. such rs those mentioned
In the first part ofthc table. aid digestion very ma.
teraly
Thus, In the case OF the RERGNER 4 ENGEI.
BREWING COMPANY'S Tannhacuscr 1t will be
noted that even In the tcsttube the average delay
In gastric digestion equalCd but