Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-02
THE TOPICAL TALKER,
The Meeting of the Total Abstinence Union
Father Zurcher's New Book--salieur
Eent,re. IF Huulc,A. 70. Aln.L.t..

The Meeting of tho Total Abstinence Union-
Father Zurcher's New Bookseller nj
Features of Handcuffs for Alcoholism.
TIE meeting Of the Total Abstinence Union
in the city next week will direct public at
tentfon to the valuable work which the Roman
Catholic Church is doing for temperance in
this country. 1t will be the twentieth gener al
convention Of the union. In connection with
the convention the Rev. George Zurcher's
book, Handouts for Alcoholism" for copy
of which THE DIsPAT CH is indebted to the
Rev. NJ. M. Shesdy. of this city, will be read
with much interest. The book is dedicated to
Archbishop Ireland, of st. Paul. who is expected
to preside at the convention. Although 1t 10
not specifically SO stated in the book, Hand.
cuffs for Alcoholism" probably expresses the
position of the Rom an Catholic Church In this
country toward the temperance question better
than any recent publication. The Church Is
proceeding in this grand work upon the lines
of education and moral suasion, and Hand
cuffs for Ale oholism" is a thesis devoted to
proving scientifically the poisonous qualities Of
alcohol, its bad Q fleets upon the human system,
and the special and peculiar need for temper
anoe in America.
WITH all that Father Zurcher says regarding
the In fuences Of climate upon the nerv-
GUS system It is not likely that all medical men
will agree. Nor will his ass ssertion that mes
merism is more fourishing and rheumatism
more prevalent here than in Europe be gener-
ally accepted. But the main drift of Hand
cuffs for Alcoholism is intelligent and in
structive, and it should serve the purpose for
which it is written in no small degree.
a sANGUINE view Of one phase of the ques-
tion is taken by Father Zurcher. He says:
"The fact that We are the most nervous people
on earth, need not alarm the learned DR.. Jew.
ell. who says: Civilization. as we find it at
present. carries with it the causes or conditions
of decay, or even OF its final destruction; it is
the nervous system which Is to be the chief the
ater Of the ruins with which the race is likely
to be overthrown.' The average American is
endowed with strong, though active, nervous
system, which may be easily maintained in its
normal healthfulness, by supplying it with the
proper amount of food, and by avoiding alco-
hol and all other substances which interfere
with digestion and nutrition. Excitability and
activity of the nerves do not necessarily mean
nervous debility An American is as apt as
anybody else to have q strong nervous system
as long as he possesses healthy digestive organs,
and does not impair the nutritive qualities of
the blood, by the habitual use of alcoholic bev-
erages."
a GAIN In the introduction to the book,
Father Zurcher says: "It is the duty Of
science to formulate the solution of the Diff
Guilty. The drinking habits of former genera
tions and of nations living in other climates,
are more or less injurious to the American
people. Alcohol exercises a stronger influence
upon our nerves than upon the nerves of other
nations. 1t is quite universally conceded that
we are more nervous than the Inhabitants of
other parts of the globe. We have to fight
against diseases the nomenclature of which
is quite American. Our climate Is radically
different from any other. We use about
80 per cent more solid food than the peo-
pie in Europe. The experience of past ages is
at our disposal it is true; but in many things
we are singular and lonely people. And for
that reason, we are often thrown upon our own
sagacity and resources. AS Washington aud
his cotemporaries founded a government
without precedent, so are we compelled to solve
the liquor question without finding, In the
history of mankind, single precedent to de-
eide for us as to what extent alcohol is bene-
fetal to health. However, calm and patient
scientific researches will force upon US the con-
clusion that the habitual use Of any kind of
alcoholic beverage is more injurious than bene-
fetal in America"