The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-08-16
TUE VERDICT OF scIENcE.

Sir Andrew Clark. physician in ordinary to
Queen Victoria, says
For twenty-five years at least | have been
physician to one Of the largest hospitals in
this country. II has been part OF the daily
business of my life TO ascertain the influence
which alcoholic drinks exert upon health
and have taken personal interest in this
part OF my duty, and not only through this
professional channel 1 have mentioned to
you, but often through personal experiment,
have endeavored most earnestly to get at
the truth on this subject, and certainly 7
think am justified IN saying TO you that
after these twenty-five years l know some
thing about IL. | have TO inquire into the
habits and relation S.hahts TO health OF about
ten thousand people year. and that doesn't
go for nothing after all these years. In the
next place wish TO speak, and l am deter
mined TO speak nothing but the truth.
81 dare say people would like TO know
what health is. and should like exceedingly
TO be able to tell you; but though / have
been twenty-five years "a doctor. l do not
know to this day what health is; but ] will
try and indicate il to you. / cannot dO1ne il,
because IL is indeflnable. Health is that state
OF the body in which all the functions of ii go
on without notice or observation. in which
existence is felt 20 be pleasure in which it
is kind OF joy 10 see, to hear, TO touch, to
Hve-that is health. Now that is a state
which cannot be benefited by alcohol in any
degree. Nay, IT is a state which is nine times
out Of ten injured by alcohol. II is a state
which often bears alcohol without sensible
injury but repent to you, as the result OF
long-continued and careful thought it is not
one which can in any sense be benefited by
alcohol. II can bear il sometimes without
obvious injury. but be benefited by it-neyer
repeat, first, that perfectly good health will,
in my opinion. always bo injured even by
small doses OF hlcohol-injured In the sense
OF its perfection and loycliness I call per-
feet health the lOyeliest thing I'm this world.
Now alcohol, oven In small doses Will take
the bloom on and injure the perfection Of
lOvelincss Of health, both mental and moral.
Vow, venture TO say, Hs q wOr6ingman
myself take II that / work as much as most
Tor ! work eighteen hours a day at my work,
working In hurry, and with very anxious
subjects to work upon, aud II that is not hard
work, when II goes over Saturday and sun
day ~ well, | know not what is-that have
my personal experience TO speak Of, and 1
have the experience of the enormous number
OF people who pass before me every year.
That does not go for nothing after ten years.
III do not know something about the matter
now, must be bigger fool than l imagine
myself TO be-. II there Is an honest man who
wants TO set at the truth, and will not be set
from his purpose by people condoling him
about his appearance and the result Of his
experiment. and will try the effect Of alcohol
upon work, / would tell him fearlessly, and
would risk all that possess upon the back
OF the statement, that as certainly as he does
try the experiment for a month or six weeks,
so certainly will he come 10 the conclusion
that, however pleasant alcohol is for the mo-
ment, II is not a helper OF work. Il is not
only not "a helper of work. but II is a certain
hinderer Of work and every man who comes
TO the front Of profession In London is
marked by this one characteristic-that tho
moro busy he gets the less In the shape OF al
cohol he takes and his excuse is Il am
very sorry, but cannot take it and do my
work.