Evening journal., 1899-08-03
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
PROFESSOR ATwATER's EXPERT
MENTS.


To the Editor OF the Evening Journal.
Sir: The recent experiments of Pro-
fessor Atwater are OF great interest to
physiologists and chemists since they
throw much light upon one of the
doubtful questions OF physiological
chemistry or pharmacology. that Of
the metabolism of alcohol In the body.
1t IS a mistake however to think, as
some people apparently do, that the re-
suit of these experiments should
change the teaching h the schools in
regard to the use OF alcohol from
hygienic point Of view. The schools
teach that the use of alcoholic liquors
as a beverage is not justiiiable under
the laws of hygiene. The results of
Professor Atwater's experiments do
not contradict this teaching.
These experiments merely show that
the body can derive some energy from
alcohol. This does not in itself entitle
alcohol to be placed among the food
substances in the hygienic sense OF the
term, which is the sense in which the
schools and people in general use the
term food. II IL did, such violent
poison as muscarine. the active princi-
pie OF the poisonous plants OF the
classed with the foods, since 1t also is
exidized in the body with liberation Of
its contained energy.
To class a substance among the foods
we must know that the sum total ef-
fects Of its use are beneficial to the
body Muscarine Is not a food because
its poisonous effects offset the benefit
of the energy which it liberates AicO-
hol has poisonous effects. as Professor
Awater himself admits. The question
as to whether il can be considered as
food depends entirely upon whether its
beneficial effects are greater than its
poisonous effects Professor Atwater's
experiments do not prove this Until
this is proved the burden OF the proof
Is against those who would include al
cohol in the list OF food substances
For scientific experiment so far. ex-
periments upon large bodies OF men in
the ordinary conditions and vicissi-
tudes of life, in the armies and in ex-
plOring expeditions where labor and
exposure have to be endured, indicate
that when the regular moderation"
quantity Of alcohol is taken, the harm
ful effects Offset the beneficial ones and
that the drinker Is made less fit rather
than more fit to work.
And stronger still is the reason
against speaking, as Professor Atwater
does, OF alcohol as food in the same
sense as sugar. For people generally
will interpret this to mean that It is a
food equally to be recommended with
sugar and ordinary hygienic foods
And this, as Professor Atwater will
agree, is an entirely false idea and one
calculated to do much harm. For
while we get energy from sugar with
out risk OF poisoning TO get energy
from alcohol we run great risk of poi
soning, and TO get any amount such as
would be necessary to support life in
ordinary conditions. we must talH
enough alcohol to poison ourselves
seriously. (By poisoning is meant some
harmful effect upon the functions OF
the body)
The above dangers In the use OF al
cohol, also the possibility Of the forma-
ton OF the alcohol habit, make its use
as beverage unjustiflable even If
there were no other arguments against
1t.
1t is unfortunate that the alcohol
question has been brought upon this
technical ground. The question OF the
hygienic status of the use OF alcohol
does not depend upon the technical
question Of the definitions OF food
aad OF poison. The controversy upon
this point has produced statements
upon both sides which have given rise
In the public mind to great misoon-
ception OF the truth.
Both sides in this technical contro-
versy will agree IN regard to the main
question, that children should be
taught to look upon alcoholic liquors
as dangerous substances. to be avoid.
ed IRON considerations Of health and
general welfare.
And in the present light OF our ex.
perienee and Of scientific investigation
the school books must continue to ex.
clude alcohol from the list of sub
stances desirable as foods, and to teacl
the avoidance OF this substance as !
good hygienic rule.
H. F. HEWES. NJ. ID.
Boston, Mass, July 5. 1899.