Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-07-05
BEER AND DIGESTION
what Dr. Hare. OF tho Unworthy OF Penn
syIyanIs, Says About II.

DIR. II. A. Hare. demonstrntor OF experimen.
tai therapeutics and instructor In physical
diagnosis In the University Of Pennsylvania,
says the physician Is frequently puzzled when
prescribing tor a onvaiescent as To which al
coholic beverage OF n mild and pleasant char.
ncter he can recommend with the least fear of
"upsetting the stomach. Tho writer has,
therefore, attempted To decide this question.
Before passing to direct confederation OF
tained 1t IL necessary that n few ply siological
ana Iherapeutical points be brought forward.
tion in tho test tube but aids 1t In he stomach;
and while these facts seem somewhat paradox.
ical they are. in reality, perfectly logical, Tor
In the test-tubs we have given quantity OF
digestive huid on which tho alcohol may act,
and we cannot have any increase In the uuaa
tity OF that iuid. because H. Is surrounded by
glass walls In the stomach the alcohol ac L
does on the test tube, but II also, by the pres
enco OF that viscus, excites the gastric glandt
to snch an extent that an excess of gastric
juice IL secreted SUI Client to cCu aterbalanc ct
any anti -digestiyo IN ntiusnces. In other words
the action OF the spirit on tho living tissues Il
greater than Its action on the digestive fer
ments.
Theoretically. alcohol should never be used
In indigo stion or In conditions OF gastric weak
ness practically, every physician OF expert
ence or education gives alcohol under just
these circumstances, and, very properly. I 90
Stead OF the weaker In typhoid ieysr s we give se
brandy or whisky In the II ret stages, almost
solely for the purpose OF increasing diges
IL is also known. by those Interested In such
matters In the profession. that beer aid diget
tlon but little. or at ali, by means OF It's alco
hol, since that constituent Is present IN so al
luted form and In such small quantity that
II can mel her aid digestion To any OK tent by
hctinR on the coats OF tho stomach nor rstar,I
IL by Influencing the digestive huid 1t should
not be forgotten that W nile all alcoholic II uids
Theoretically retard gastric diges ZION. that
beer does so much less than brandy or whisk y
owing to Its small amount OF alcohol, and
while, rs has already been shown. this fact
rather obtains against its practical use, that
this Il overcome by the carbonic acid and bit
ter principles OF the beer, which stimulate
excite and act rs bitter tonics on the gastric
glands.
Beers, TO be wholesome, should. therefore
| contain carbonic actd ana bitter princip as tt
| fair degree. the alcohol taking "A subsery yienl
| ana almost useless role 30 far as oigG stion IL
concerned.
| To sum ur the results OF these experiments
wo hnd That tho beers examined varied ir
| their action as much as htty nine minutes
| ana that while most beers DO not rel ard diges
| tion IN all probability IN the stomach, iha
| others. such as those mentioned In tbe Il rs
| part OF the table, aid digestion very male
| rally.
| Thus, In the case Of the RERGsER n EN-
| GhL BREWING COMPANY'S annhaeu ser 4
| Will bs noted tnat even In the test.tuba tn,
average delay In gastric dig' ton eq quaied bu