The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-08-10
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
A HINDRANCE TO WORK.


The Verdict of Science Upon the Use of
Strong Drink.
Sir Andrew Clarke, physician in ordi-
nary to the queen, says:
For twenty-five years at least have
been physician to one of the largest
hospitals in this country. 1t has been
part of the daily business of my life
to ascertain the influence which alco-
holic drinks exert upon health; and
have taken a personal interest in this
part of my duty, and not only through
this personal channel have mentioned
to you but often through personal ex-
pertinent, l have endeavored most earn
estly to get at the truth on this subject,
and certainly think am justified in
saying to you that after these twenty
five years l know something about
it. l have inquired into the
habits and relation of habits
to health of about ten thousand
people year, and that doesn't go for
nothing after all these years. In the
next place l wish to speak, and l am
determined to speak nothing but the
truth.
Il dare say people would like to
know what health is, and should like
exceedingly to be able to tell you; but.
though l have been twenty-five years a
doctor, do not know to this day what
health is, but | will try and indicate it
to YOU. | can not define it, because il
is undefinable. Health is that state of
the body in which all the functions of
it go on without notice or observation,
in which existence is felt to be a pleas
ure; IN which it is kind of joy to see,
to hear, to touch, to live-that is health.
Now, that is state which can not be
benefited by alcohol in any degree.
Nay, it is state which in nine times
out of ten is injured by alcohol.
at is state which often bears alco-
hol without sensible injury: but l re-
peat to you, as the result of long-con-
tinued and car eful though, it is not one
which can in any sense be benefited by
alcohol. 1t can bear it sometimes with
out obvious injury, but be benefited by
it-never / repeat, first, that perfectly
good health will in my opinion always
be injured even by small doses of alco-
ton and loneliness. | call perfect
health the lovelest thing in this world.
Now alcohol, even in small doses, will
take the bloom off, and injure the per-
lection of loneliness of health, both
mental and moral.
Now. ! venture to say, as working
man myself take it that | work as
much as most, for | work eighteen
hours day at my work, working in a
hurry, and with very anxious subjects
to work upon, and if that is not hard
work, when it goes over Saturday and
Sunday as well, know not what is
that | have my personal experience to
speak of and | have the experience of
the enormous number of people who
pass before me every year. That does
not go for nothing after ten years. If
! do not know something about the
matter now, | must be a bigger fool
than | imagine myself to be.
IF there is any honest man who
wants to get at the truth, and will not
be set from his purpose by people con-
doing him about his appearance and
the result of his experiment, and will
try the effect of alcohol upon work, |
would tell him fearlessly, and l would
risk all that possess upon the back of
the statement, that as certainly as he
does try the experiment for month or
six weeks, so certainly will he come to
the conclusion that, however pleasant
alcohol is for the moment it is not a
helper of work.
SIT is not only not a helper of work,
but it is certain hinderer of work;
and every man who comes to the front
of profession in London is marked by
this one charateristic-tha the more
busy he takes; and his excuse is 4 am
very sorry, but ! can not take it and
do my work. '"-Boston Traveller.