The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-12-13
A BUnNING QUESTION.
Effects Of Alcohol Discussed at Acade-
my of Medicine.

| my Of Medicine.
The Meeting of the Maine Academy of
| Medicine and Sciencesyvas Made Par
ficuIarly Interesting Last Evening
| by the Presence of Prof. r. HI. Chit
| tenden of Yale College and the De-
| livery by Him ola Discourse Con-
cerning the Effect of Alcohol Upon
Digestion.
| Professor Chittenden fills the chair of
physiological chemistry in the renowned
New haven college and is recognized as
eminent authority in his department.. He
| is member of the famous committee of
| fifty formed to consider the "alcoholtc
question: in Its physiological, patholo.
gical, legal, economic and moral aspects.
| To him has fallen purely the physiologi-
cal side of the many sided problem and
last night he considered but one sub sec.
| ton of that, the effect of the Inhibition of
alcohol upon the process OF digestion
carefully abstaining from treating its
effect upon the brain, or upon the ner-
the assimilation of food.
The audience was put in good hulnor
| BY banquet that needed no alcoholic
stimulant, no wines rare or common,
to provoke appetite or hasten digestion; ;
the only beverages that flowed freely be-
ing sparkling Poland water and coffee
that might tempt man from Mocha.
n NJ n We'd rroxrnod r,ror;5 ad q r tho foo ar:
as we'll as the formal meeting. and called
upon the invited guests for remarks as
soon as chairs were drawn back from the
table, first upon Bishop Neatly. The bishop
spoke briefly, referring particularly to
the topic about to be discussed by Prof.
Chittenden. He came to the meeting,
he said, to learn the truth concerning
the relation OF alcohol to food as ascer
tanned by scientific men. While no wise
man will use things harmful, it Is an
open question whether alcohol under
all conditions To harmful and whether
some theories advanced and some laws
enacted which are contrary to the GUS
tom of ages be justified or not by our
incre sing more accurate knowledge.
1t alcohol under all conditions be harm
full then let us studiously avoid it; but
let us remember that no argument and no
cause gains by exaggeration, and that
this topic is very i'm portant and serious.
The Rev. DR.. Jenkins of State Street
church was the next speaker. He began
by saying that the best after dinner
speeches were made after man went
to bed and lying awake thought of The
bright things he might have said: but
proceeded to disproye this remark by say
ing bright things while on his feet and
under the flare of light. He represented
himself as hugely delighted at the charm
ing and uniform consistence of doc ors of
medicine who prescribed rigid diet for
their patients but unhesitatingly toasted
on rich viands themselves, and throye and
grew healthy thereon.
The Rev. Mr.. Malvern when called
upon expressed his regret that more
clergymen were not present. He remind
ed his auditors that Paul took the good
physician Luke with him on his apos-
tolic mission and dictated to Luke the
often quoted advice to Timothy. But it
was little wine, said Mr. Malvern, and
we are prone to take it too much and too
often.
AdJutant General Richards spoke of the
recent experience. of our volunteer army
with doctors and medicine. He did not
touch upon the canteen system, but did
upon the necessity of instructing army
officers, particularly those in the line, in
sanitary science.
This closed the after dinner speeches.
While waiting for the formal meeting DR..
g. II. Bailey exhibited the brain of a
horse, one of q herd of eight recently
Asked as to the most inerciful method of
killing a disabled beast DR.. Bailey pro-
nounced emphatically in favor of the bull.
let, deem1ng it far easier and speedier
than the chic rform
At the business session reports were
read showing that IS fellows we're elected
to the academy during the year. three
corresponding fellows and 10 honorary
fellows Many valuable books and
pamphlets have been added to tie libra
~. The treasursr's report shows bal
ance in the treasury of $1,000. 81. AS audit
ing committee were chosen Col. II. S.
Osgood, aud MIR. e. B. Everett.
The following named were chosen fell
lows Of the academy:
Fellows-G. H. Harvey, Cumberland
NJ Ills; DIR. John Lord, Biddeford; Will
liam K. Sanderson, Portland; w A. Rob-
inson, Auburn; A. B.. Neatly, Lewiston;
DR.. q. N Randall, Augusta; h. q. Eos
ter and John d. Nelson, Waterville.
Corresponding Fellows-Gen John 4.
Richards, Augusta; Capt. George d.
Bisbee, Rumford Falls
DIR. Fillsbrown exhibited an interest
ing case of cleft palate, the patient, a
Swedish girl ed IL. being present.. The
case, a delicate one, called out much ap.
proving comment.
q fter the conclusion of the routine bus
mess Prof. Chittenden took the platform
and delivered in a q NET, almost CONVEX
sational manner discourse concerning
the action Of alcohol on digestion. 1t
,ir,o tor pj1 od tf,1