The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-14
ALCOHOL AS A BODY FUEL.
PROF. ATWA TIERS INTERROGATION OF
THE DRINK PROBLEM.
He Finds That. While Alcohol Cannot
Build Up or Repair Wasted Tissues, 1t
Can supply Strength, and in Certain
Ouantities IL Not Harmful to the System.

NO B1nun Inht, "n1le AICOnOI NhnnOJ
Build Up or Repair Wasted Tissues, 1t
Can Supply Strength, and in Certain
Quantities IL Not Harmful to the System.
MIDDLETowN. Conn. Juno 13.-At the meet
ing OF the Middletown Scientific Association
this evening Prof. W. o. Atwater Of Wesleyan
University reported on the results OF the cXperi-
ments upon the effects Of alcohol lately carried
out under his direction with n man In the
respiration calormeter. Although these ex-
periments have been frequently referred to in
the newspapers this is the first authentic ac-
count given to tho public They are conducted
under the auspices OF the Committee OF Fifty
for the Investigation OF the Drink Problem.
The apparatus with which they are made. a
small chamber with metal walls. is the same as
is being used for experiments upon the food
and nutrition OF man at Wesleyan University
in cooperation with the Storrs Experiment
Station and the United States Department OF
Agriculture by profs Atwater and Rosa. DR..
Benedict and others.
The chamber in which the man lives is about
seven feet long. four feet wide and six and one
half feet high. 1t is furnished with a folding
bed. chair and table. In the experiments
where muscular work Is done. a stationary
bicycle Is also provided. There are arrange
ments for ventilating. lighting and regulating
the temperature OF the chamber and for pass
tle lOpu anu uIllh, ~ lHut lilN man ifcb
with entire comfort. day and night. during the
entire experiment. which lasts from four to
twelve days The food. drink and other prod
ucts. and even the air which the man breathes.
are measured and analysed with the greatest
accuracy. What Is still more interesting. the
potential energy or latent force OF the food
which the body receives and the energy given
or from the body in the forms OF muscular
work and heat are likewise measured
1t has been shown In these experiments that
the human body like any other machine "A steam
engine or an electrical dynamo. for instance.
obeys the law OF the conservation of energy.
BY giving the men under experiment different
kinds and amounts OF food and varying their
activity from actual rest to light or severe
muscular or mental work. it is possible tolearn
Just how the body uses its food. what ma
terials are needed for its support and how diff
ferent food materials compare in nutrtiye
value.
The special object OF the recent experiments
was to study the nutritive effect Of alcohol
Pure alcohol was administered with water. or
coffee, In others, to he reported, uGon, later.
alcohol was given IN the form of whisky or
brandy stu Others are planned II which
taken with an ordinary diet OF meat. bread.
butter, milk. sugar and the like The amount
ounces of absolute alcohol. abou, as much as
would be contained in five or six ounces
OF o Rhnc Vine or w m 1S
doses, three with meals and three between
meals.
Three important results were observed
First, the alcohol was oXidl2ed-that is. burned
as completely as bread meat, or any other food
Second. in the oxidation all of the potential
energy OF the alcohol was transformed into
heat and muscular power In other words; the
alcohol as that OF sugar. starch and other
ordinary food materials. Third, the alcohol
protected the material OF the body from con-
ing amounts Of sugar and starch. That is TO
say, whether the body was at rest or at work.
II held its own Just us well with the ono as with
In explaining the experiments Prot Atwater
called attention to the fact that food has two
keep it in repair. the other is TO supply il with
energy, for warmth and work. Alcohol is SINH
lar to the fats. starch and sugar in that it can
cannot "e used to build the 6oiy machine Machine or
but team and does serve for fuel, 49,"
!, Prof. Atwater explained that the object OF
secnc nc w same sR n h ss az
as facts are often misrcpresente! both bv those
who use alcoholic beverages and those who
earnestly desire to promote temperance re-
form The fact that alcohol in small quanti-
ties may serve as food does not make it de-
srable food for common use. Unquestionahly
II is used BY many people in small quantities
without harm. and often with positive benefit;
but taken in larger quantities its action upon
its food value. Too often moderate use leads
TO excess. and that excess results in physical.
mental and moral ruin.
Reference was also made to the errors which
are too often found in the teaching nf so-calIol
temperance physiology in tho public school.
the Sunday school and the pulpit. as well as on
the temperance platform Many earnest pro
motcrs Of temperance reform feel II necessary
to insist that alcohol is not a food but a poison:
that In any quantity. large or small. it is neces-
sarily harmful and not useful These theories
are based in part upon the results OF export
ments made years ago by imperfect methods.
and since shown to be Incorrect They arc
directly opposed to the results of the latest
and most reliable research and 10 the consen-
sus OF the leading authorities the world over.