The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-12-14
SCIENCE AND ALCOHOLISM.
Physical Ills Arising from Indulgence In
Strong Drink.


Physical Ills Arising from Indulgence In
Strong Drink.
The name, alcoholism" is the SCI
entiiic term of a comparatively new
series of phenomena which is attract
ing attention from scientific experts
and medical specialists every year.
The bureau of education has just is
sned government publication. enti-
tled Abnormal Man." written by DR.
Arthur Mcdonald, a specialist in al
coholism. He gives in this volume
his own views, which are conservative,
and then adds digests of the published
literature of other countries on the
same subject. The statements, being
the results of official and professional
investigation, are of great value to all
students of the liquor question.
DIR. Mcdonald gives great Importance
to the relation of alcoholism. crime
pauperism and iniquity. He declares
that all the varying forms of insanity,
from mclancholia to imbecility, are
found in alcoholism. 1t produces moral
aud intellectual weakness and laxity
as to honor and decorum. With these
general declarations he proceeds to give
expert testimony First is the resume
of the views of Dr. Baer, of the impe-
rial board of health, and chief prison
physician at Berlin.
DIR. Baer says with the universalizinp
of the use of whisky alcoholism APP
peared. Alcoholism is not an Unborn,
instructive need but an acquired one.
l.. -
Injuries the whole constitution.
Statistics for twenty years in the
United Kingdom showed that the
mortality was thirty-tive per cent.
greater among drinkers than among
abstainers. He takes European coun-
tries and proves that alcoholism was in
direct proportion to the cheapness and
use of whisky. In Norway and Swe-
den, as the use of whisky decreased
and the consumption of beer increased,
there was far less alcoholism. In
France drunkenness has increased, be-
canse the people drink less wine and
more whisky. III both Italy and Aus
tria alcoholism is increasing, and
whisky is responsible for it.
DIR. Bunge, of Leipsic, says that alco-
hol lessons the heat of the body, and it
strengthens no one, but simply be-
numbs the feeling of fatigue. DR..
Sommer says nothing has become so
universal as alcohol, and that there
can be no doubt that it affects the
brain injuriously. DR.. Colajanni, the
Italian expert, asserts that "alcohol-
ism as a direct motive of crime is very
limited" and he declares that "alco-
holic intoXication makes the senti-
ments of a man neither worse nor bet
ter but it let's them loose; 1T accents
them" Dr. Vetault, of Paris, says the
tendency to excess has increased dur
ing the past thirty years. He can find
no fixed rule to determine the respon-
sibility of alcoholics, but he says tn e
use of alcohol pushes man to suicide,
theft, homicide-crimes which increase
in direct proportion to the consumption
of alcohol.
DIR Monin says alcoholism varies in
versely as the consumption of wine"-
'the hess wine the more whisky, and
and the reverse. DR.. Peters,
WI brussels, VINO investigated
the effect of alcoholism for the royal
academy of medicine of Belgium, says
its influence is like the influence of
age, To these more interesting dec
larations of the distinguished spe-
cialisis can be added briefly the declara-
tions signed by thirteen professors of
the faculties of medicine at Leyden,
Amsterdam Groningen and Utrecht: |.
Even the moderate use of spirituous
liquors is injurious; alcohol does not
favor digestion. .. They are not
stimulants necessary to cold or heat.
3, In all diseases, those who ha bitually
use liquor offer less chances of resist
ance 4. Alcoholic dri are destruc-
tive of the prosperity and the moral
and natural development of the Masses
The real foe of temperance reform
is the ignorance of the great masses
of the people on these subjects. There
can be no greater nor better work done
for temperance reform than to diffuse
an exact knowledge of the progress of
scientific Investigations into the liquor
question throughout the country, es-
pecially among the laboring classes,
who are the lagest users of rum in all
its forms. With accurate knowledge,
it is hard TO believe that any intelli-
gent man will use alcoholic beverages.
Thws public temperance sentiment
will be built up, which will add
mighty force to the effort to pulverize
1he rum power.-Toledo Blade.