The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-11-13
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
A VITAL QUESTION.
The Use Of Alcoholic Drinks - Matte" o
Great Public Concern.

A VITAL QUESTION
The Use of Alcoholic Drinks y Matte a
49, Great Public Concern.
1t is an encouraging fact that q
large and influential portion Of this
Nation has cone 10 realize that the use
of alcoholic drinks 10 more than a pri-
vate and personal concern. 1t In
wolves the man as a citizen, and hence
is public concern. It strikes at the
integrity Of the family relation, and
Is such must attract the attention, OF
the State. 1t has to do with the order
of society, and so demands special and
police regulation. 1t affects our
financial prosperity, and so must have
material consideration. In every as
pect it comes within the domain OF
political economy; but In none more
than that which relates to the health
of the individual and its effect upon
present and prospective popu-
lations After all, the mate
rial resources OF a country are
not chiefly in soils, or forests. or
mines, or cattle. The character and
ability Of the population is the sover-
eign idea Whatever attacks or un-
dermines the public health is most
serious consideration. All the more
if it not only affects individuals but
their offspring. If there is heredity
of disability there is a propagation and
continuation of peril to the State We
see and hear enough of the ruin which
alcohol brings upon the physical
health of individuals. As relating to
the organs of the human body Dickin-
son has well termed it the very
''genius of degenerations. AS re-
lating to function, we know how often
it disturbs digestion, deranges secre-
tions, and irritates vital parts. Harley
and others have shown this to be true,
not only of those who are regarded as
INDUCING to excess, but of most who
rank as moderate drinkers.
But we have not had 80 fully pre-
scented the entailments of alcohol.
There is not a realization OF how the
effects distribute themselves through
succeeding generations in divers varie-
ties. The more heredity is studied the
more apparent it is how the individ-
ual tends to reproduce himself. The
diseased lung or liver, or heart, either
repeats itself in some of the descent,
or its consequences appear in some
general impairment of function or
force. Even where there is no organ
ic change, not less distinctly dc
we find dyspepsia, rheumatism, gou,
and neuralgias. Close analysis and
the accumulation of facts are more
and more demonstrating how organic
changes or evil physical habits mingle
in the overlooking current of posterity.
Since alcohol more than any other
one food or drink makes it,
record on organs and functions
it would be strange if it formed
any exception to the law. The fac
that some escape, that some take mos
after the sound parent and not afte
the unsound one, that there is con
slant dilution of the heredity by sue
cessive marriages, and that there is ,
recuperation and conservation il
nature, which often in the end over
comes this heredity, does not initiate
against the serious risks and impair
ments which occur. Nor are we tt
assume that no impairment has oc
CURED unless we see some marked re
suit such as inherited taste for alco
hol, mental disturbances or 8
tendency to crime. There are protear
forms OF result. DR.. Elan, who ha.
studied heredity more as a philosophit
end skilled physician than as re
former, says: at is not necessary thai
children should always inherit the
actual alcoholic tendencies of theil
parents in order to present type
of progressive degradation. The
offspring inherit either the origina
vice or some of its countless protear
transformations. We think that Dr.
L. ID. Mason is right when he submit!
and substantiates the following prop
osition: alcoholism in progenitor!
will produce physical and mental de
generation in their descendants and al
the neuroses that arise from defective
nerve OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, chorea
paralysis-and all grades Of menta
degeneration from slight enfeeblemen
of intellect to insanity and complete
idiocy. The laws which regulate these
degenerative changes are similar ii
their mode Of development and &C
ton to those that govern congenita
degenerative changes from other in
! herited causes" 1t would be strang,
If this were not the case. Sta
tistics fully confirm the expec
: tation of these entailments. A
very great excess in proportion |.
found both in asylums and in penal in
situations Of those who have had this
Inheritance. Recently moro care ha.
been taken to separate other exciting
causes such as arise from lust. avarice
ETC., but the very large percentage
still remains Worse even than the
, humber of drunkards that can point Il
an inebriate ancestry is the fact tina
J SO many have inherited weakness o
will and diminished power Of resist
ance in the presence Of temptation
There is an undermining Of the iounda
, tions--an impairment of will.powel