The herald., 1894-09-23
PRACTICAL TEMPERANCE
THE RELATION OF FOOD TO THE
DRINK HABIT.
Good Cookery and Steady Occupation
Substantial Barrier Against
Temptation to Alcoholic
Indulgence.

day afternoon to the W. G. T. U. at the
Congregational church, on Secondary
Causes OF Alcoholism. to large and
thoughtful audience. The address was
quite ont of the line of ordinary temper
ance speeches. ''All true temperance
work, =" said the speaker. must be along
the line of the upbuilding OF physical,
mental and spiritual resistance to over
lndulgen ce IL must be ROOT, not leaf
work, or it will be- iruitlsss. Alcoholism
is phys ical ailment, and like all dis
eases, save possibly contagion, has its
secondary cause either in heredity or in
sins against natures laws of mind or
body.
'Poor cookery and ignorance OF the
comparative nutritive value of foods are
causes which demand much more seri-
GUS attention than has ever been given
them. The demand Of the improperly
nourished body is for stimulsnt to lash
the tagging powers to their task.
Standing on the street at an early
hour we'see men walking with all pos
aible speed to the scenes of their days
work. The haste manifested tells OF O
hurriedly prepared breakfast, eaten in
anxiety aud with the greatest possible
| ppoO0s LII tno nAh0 vi chCu 40 bu0 la
evitable tin pail containing the noon
day meal. Gould you examine it you
would find it unsppetizing, insufficient
and innutritious. The days toll must
be supported by the hasty breakfast and
the poor dinner. The workman's abused
body rebels and cries out for proper
nourishment. He does not understand
its demand, bat knowing that stimulant
will quiet the craving, he resorts to
stimulant. The stimulant too frequently
resorted to produces its own irresstable
craving, and the man is enrolled on the
liet of alcoholic victims.
"But not alone in squalid homes 10 to
be found an ignorance of the compare
tive values OF foods and their proper
preparation for the table. A meal as
contributive to alcoholism may be eaten
with solid silver fork off delicate china,
as with iron knife off coarse crockery;
and it is more dangerous, for the means
for the qualification of the desire are more
often at hand. The rebound from the
old idea that women should know moth
ing but the household has been to the
other extreme-women need know moth
ing of the household. Ignorance of all
.matters pertaining to cookery is often a
boast, and the fashionable young woman
who knows more of the important art
than ia required for baking fancy cake
or the making of chocolate creams is
quite q marvel"
Mrs. Galpin urged women to a study
OF the comparative rutritive value OF
foods and their healthful PREPARATION
"ths world needs sweet, nutritious
bread more than it needs orations''-
and commended the work of the cook
inn OnhOnio in nj w dninn rod;ool
temperance work. There is but one
physical safeguard against the craving
for stimulant, and that is o body prop
erly nournished by plentiful, hygienio,
thoroughly and palatablv cooked food.
Even when supported by proper food,
excessive toll ia conducive to alcoholism
rich as well as poor become its victims
under burdens OF heavy toll. For the
rich there are, however, more opportu-
mites of relief than with the poor.
With the latter the whole of life must
be epent in drudgery for an insufficient
supply of merely animal wants. 1t is
melancholy to contemplate how many
are cut off by this toll from all opportu-
nities for social, moral or intellectual
culture. The exhaustive toll units
them to grapple with thought or to
Withstand inclinations.
Mrs. Galpin next arraigned physicians
for their sins Of omission in hygienic
teaching. mot alone for Indifference.
laxity and therapeutic abuse should
they be arraigned by the soclologiat,"
she said, but for their woful neglect of
opportunity in surrounding patients
with better hygenic conditions; foul
air, uncleanlinees, vile food 60 unre-
buked and uncorrected; dissipation,
overwork, suicidal dress, idleness, glut-
tony. veceive no word OF comment. Why
should generation after generation re-
main in ignorance of the essential laws
of health, when every neighborhood is
daily visited by thoae whose highest
mission should be to prevent and not to
cure disease? Much less courage is
necessary to give q patient temporary
relief than to brave his displeasure and
the loss of patronage by pointing out the
cause of his condition by applying the
real cure"
Mrs. Galpin next urged the necessity
for the proper direction of the amuse-
ments of the young. The greatest safe
guard young life can have ia the power
of self.entertsinment and self>employ-
ment. She urged that parents mistake
greatly when they tolerate shillyshally
or half completed work.
1t is fact that q great secondary
cause of alcoholism lies in the unrest,
self-distrust and self-contempt that
crowd themselves into the hearts OF
those whose lives are confsssedly fail
ures. In our country it ia perhaps q
more vitGl cause than in those where
class distinctions are greater.
Ambition eoars to such heights in the
hearts of the young of our land as to
make disappointment well nigh inevit-
able, accompanied as it is by faith in
chance rather than in persistent endeav-
or. II the power to drudge be gained,
not only will the danger of disappoint-
ment be lessened, but recklessness, idle
ness and profigacy as resultsnts will be
almost impossible when opposed by
the strength which, self-respecting and
respected, comes from intelligent and
persistent effort.