The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-05
BEER And DIGESTION
What DR.. 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 phys.
clan is frequently puzzled when prescribing for q
,onvalescent as to which alcoholic beverage of a
milo and pleasant character he eau recommend
With the least fear of "upsetting" the stomach.
The writer has, therefore, attempted to decide
this question. -
Before passing TO a direct consideration OF the
methods employed and the results obtained II is
Necessary that few physiological and therapeuti.
cal points be brought forward Every one knows
that alcohol retards digestion in the test tube but
aids It in the stomach and while these facts seem
somewhat paradox ical they are, in reality, per
festly logical for the following reasons =:
In the test-tube have given quantity Of
digestive fluid on which the alcohol may act. and
we cannot have any increase In the quantity o
that fluid because 1t is surrounded by glass walls
IN the stomach the alcohol acts quite as much OF
the digestive ferment it does on the test tube
but 1t also by the presence of that viscus excite,
the gastric glands to such extent that an excess
Of gastric juice is secreted sufficient to counterba
ance any anti-digestive influences. In other
words the action of the spirit the living tissus
Is greater than its action the digestive fermens
Theoretically, alcohol should never be used in
Indigestion in conditions of gastric weak ness;
practically, every physician of experience or edu-
ation gives alcohol under just these circum
stances and very properly, too gives the stronger
alcoholic preparations instead of the weaker. Ir
typhoid fever we give brandy or whisky in the
arst stages, almost solely for the purpose of In
,reasing digestion.
1t is also known, by those interested in such
matters in the profession, that beer aids digestion
gut little or at all by of its alcohol since
hat constituent is present in diluted form and
IN such small quantity that it can neither aid di
gestlon to any extent by acting the coats of the
stomach nor retard 1t by influencing the digestive
luid 1t should not be forgotten that while all al
soholic fluids theoretically reard gastric digestion
hat beer does so much less than brandy or whisky
swing to its small amount of alcohol and WHILE as
tas already been shown, this fact rather obtains
against It's practical use, that this is overcome by
he carbonic acid and bitter principles ofthe beer
which stimulate, excite and act as bitter tonlcs on
he gastric glands.
Beers, to be wholesome, should, therefore, con
lain carbonic acid and bitter prnci pies to a fair
iegree. the alcohol taking a subservient and al
most useless role so far digestion is concerned.
To sum up the results of these experiments, we
ind that the beers examined varied in their actor
Is much as ffty-nine minutes, and that while mos
seers do not retard digestion in all probability ir
The stomach, that others, such as those mentioned
in the first part of the table. aid digestion very ma
;erlally.
Thus, In the case OF the BERGNER & ENGEI
BREWING COMPANY'S Tannhaeuser it Will be
loted that even in the test-tube the average delay
n gastric digestion equaled but