The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-02-03


DRINK AND HEREDITY.
G, o. Bmythe, A. NJ, NJ. D., President of
the Indiana State Medical Society, in his an
nual address at the late meeting of the So
ciety, discussed "The influence of Heredity
in Producing Disease and Degeneracy, and
its Remedy" We quote, concerning alcohol,
the following:
THAT the abuse Of alcohol has grown to
be one of the most gigantic evils of the age
no longer can be denied. the damaging in
fluence on future generations is more far
reaching and deeterious than we have here
tofore been willing to concede. 70 arrest
this evil, or to reduce il to a minimum, even,
will require most heroic effort-the COM
bined labor, in fact, of all goou people.
'We cannot escape individual responsible
ity when the public health, the general well
fare, and the future happiness of our racs
are at stake. We cannot fold our own
clean hands about us and say that as for
me and mine we have no responsibility. The
individual who can do this and shirk the re-
sponsibilities Of life, who is not willing TO
lend helping hand to sinking humanity,
and labor for 1t so that the world may be
better for his having lived in it, is misan-
thrope, and had better never have been
born. But there is probably no man so far
debased that he does not love his own flesh
and blood; if he have no interest in humanity
in general. his single aim in life being to
them happy. But he cannot accomplish this
with certainty, for his neighbor may be an
inebriate whose descendants may marry his
children, and his grandchildren may I've ep-
ileptic or insane, his great-grandohildre
criminals OF pauperS and die upon the scaf-
fold, be inmates of the penitentiary or aims
house, and finally be buried in the potter's
field. Truly, he that does not provide for
his own household is worse than an infidel.
"The time has come when this question
must meet its solution. With the knowledge
which the medical profession possesses upon
the subject under discussion, we cannot
occupy neutral position. Wecannot do so
and discharge our duty to ourselves, our
immediate descendants, or humanity i'll
general. Our voices must be heard in the
land, giving forth no uncertain sound. We
know that the improper use or abuse of
alcohol is frequent and fruitful source of
insanity. We know that inebriety, epilepsy,
crime and pauperism, and host of other
diseases too numerous to mention in
dividually, can be traced directly or in
directly to its door. We know that all
these conditions, when once acquired, are
transmitted by heredity to future genera
tions We know that when man is simply
drunk he is temporarily insane and that It
may be dangerous to the community for
him to be at large. We know that wden
the State furnishes the means which makes
this individual crazy, or, what is practically
the same thing, makes it legally practicable
for him to obtain it, she makes herself
particeps criminis aud is an accessory be-
fore the fact in any crime which may be
committed, and when she Furnishes the
criminal, she is publishing part of herself
for her own crime, and is occupying a posi-
tion so absurd that it cannot be explained
by any process of logic known TO the present
generation.
"The prime obstacle to be overcome in this
great movement of reform is to be met at
the very threshold. Like the evils of the
Pension Department and foreign immigra.
tion, this thing has attracted the attention
of the politician, In the game now being
played the humanitarian ami the patriot
have been lost in the shutile and nothing il
being dealt from the pack but the pot-house
politician and the ward hummer. He who
can do the most dirty work ami control the
most votes, or is an expert in ballot-box
stutting, alone approaches the surface, and
be it said to the everlasting shame and dis
grace of both the dominant political parties
of the country that they would by these
means sell out the present interests of the
| people and mortgage the future prospects of
| all humanity for party spoils. But, notwith.
| standing us deplorable condition OF affairs
| it will be the conclusion of all thinking men
after mature deliberation, that the saloor
1 and whisky drugstore will have 10 go. Thi,
is the first remedy which we, as scientific
men, must recommend; remove the cause
and cure the disease afterward."