Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-06-20
Tine MisehieYous ice Pitcher, ;,

DIR. William A. Hammond, surgeon
general of the United States Army, retir-
ed, has come out uneq uivocally as tenn
perance manor rather, a total abstainer
It is not, however, against the drinking
of whisky, brandy, gin, rum, cordials
wine, ale or beer, that he inveighs, but
the Indulgence in ice water-a bever-
age which may be found upon the speak
er's desk at every temperance meeting
held In the country. The DOCTORS views
are expressed in paper entitled "The
Mischievious Ice Pitcher" published in
the June number of the North American
Review, and are very pointed. Among
other things he tells of a distiller who,
when lying upon his deathbed, repented
of the evil he had done and added codi-
Gil to his will, providing funds for fur
nishing ice water without cost to all per-
sons who should come to the tail of cart
which should be perpetually driven
through the streets of the town in which
ne had lived. DR.. Hammond says that,
while it is unlikely that the ice water
claimed as many victims as did the dis
tiller's whisky, he has no doubt that the
milder beverage did its share in reducing
the population.
The ice water vice, the writer says, was
originally American, but has now extend
ed and is becoming very general in Great
Britain and Irele nd, where "ice water
brigades" are everywhere forming, pre-
sumably as adjuncts of the temperance
work. He is not prepared to accept the
theory that the prevalence of the habit
In America is due to the ease and cheap
nese with whioh ice can be procured, for
the reason that in Sweden, Norway,
Switzerland and the mountain regions of
India and South America, where the same
conditions exist it is unknown.
The taste of ice water is acquired and
its use is purely habit as is that of al
chohol or tobacco. Give little child ice
water and it will make a wry face and
probably cry; induce an Indian IN ftera
natural to drink glass and he will sput-
ter for five minutes. To the unacustomed
drinker it gives actual pain and brings
to all undoUbted injury.
In speaking of its effect upon the sys-
TEN. Dr.. Hammond calls attention to a
very important part of the nereops sys-
tenn, the solar plexus, lying directly be-
hind the stomach. A severe blow Just
over the nerve center, will produce death
as lnstantaneously as would a stab in the
heart. It is the shock to this ganglion
That kills many women who are kicked in
the abdominal region by brutal nus
band and it is similar shock that causes
death or faintness when one kicks his
stomach by the inordinate use Of ice water.
The intensely cold drink acting upon the
plexus reduces or arrests the action of
the heart and in proportion to the SER
ioUsness of this effect is the result.
DR.. Hammond says that the use of ice
water at meals III pairs the sense of taste
by reducing the temperature of the mouth
that the blood vessels, naturally enlarged
during the process of digestion, are by
its use contracted. and the secretion of
the gastric juice is reduced, causing indi-
gestion and dyspepsia; that very obstin-
ate diarrhea is direct result Of the shock
to the intestinal system, and that there
is reason to believe that the same indul-
gence causes cancer of the stomach and
perhaps Bright's disease.
The worst offenders, the writer SAYS, are
the druggists and others who sell mineral
waters from fountains. These waters are
usually more or less saline and are sold at
degree OF temperature below the freez-
ing point of ordinary water. He says
that water never should be drank at de-
gree of cold lower than SO degrees
Fahrenheit, which is easily reached by
allowing the water to run from any house
faucet or pumping for few moments
from well.
The Cubaus manage this matter better
than we do. They have dainty jug of
a plain, porous kind of pottery which
keeps the water, even in their tropical
climate, at a uniform temperature, a Jug
of water is kept in every room and no ice
is used. The water is always cool, and
until this taste is vitiated by the use of
ice water, the draught is more refreshing
that that which deadens the taste and
harms the stomach.