The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-06-17
ALCOHOL AS F0CD.
Results Of Experiments as 90 its M
tritivc Effects on Man.

MIDDLETOWN. CONN. June liz
Prof. w. O. Atwater, Of the WESLEYAN
University. has reported 20 the dllc-
town Scientific Association the result 0t
experiments regarding the etc'ts of ale
cohol. which were lately carried 90, b Do
der his direction uoon . man in q respi-
ration calorimeter.
The calOrimeter IS an air-t.gh- ch0m-
Der IN which the man s. kept for seVCral
DAYS while accurate account is kept of
tho ingredients of the food ne eats ana
the air he breathes.
The special object Of the recent exper-
ments was to study the nutruve enecr
OF alcohol. In these experiments pure
alcohol was administered with water COZ
coffee. In others. which Will be report
ed later. Il was given In the form OF whis-
ks or brandy Stln others arc planned
In which beer and wine Will be Used. The
alcohol is taken with an ordinary diet
of meat. bread, butter. sugar and the
Ike The amount per day has been equal
90 about two and oue-haif ounces OF ABB
solute alcohol.
This is divided into six doses three
with meals and three between meals. che
object being TO avoid an especial infu-
ence of the alcohol upon the nerves.
and thus test its action as food under
normal bodily conditions. For each com.
paratlve test two experiments were made.
one was with ordinary food. just sum
cient 10 meet the wants OF the body. In
the other. part Of the sugar starch and
fat OF the food. the ingredients which
supply the body with fuel for warmth
and work were taken out, enough 20 bo
chemically equivalent 10 the two and
half ounces OF alcohol as the latter was
used in their place.
In explaining the experiments Proles-
sor Atwater called attention 20 the fact
that food has two chief uses One is %
build up the body and keep &c in repair.
the other is Co supply 10 With energy FOR
warmth and work. Certain ingredients
of food. Ike lean meat casein of milk.
white Of an ege and gluten OF wheat
serve the body for the building and ra-
pairing tissue. Others. lke fat sugar
and starch. cannot form tissue. their
functions being 90 serve af fuel.
Alcohol he s.id is similar t0 the fats.
starch. and sugar in tlis respect. 10 cane
NOT form tissue but DO does yield energy.
DO cannot bee used % build the bodily mae
chine or 20 repair it as &c is worked out
by constant use but DO can and does
serve as fuel This fact has been known
in a general way for years, but thero
has been more or less question regarding
the extent to which alcohol serves this
purpose
Reference was made IN the report 20
the alleged errors in the teachings Of so
called temperance physiology In the pub
Die school. the Sundayschool and tho
pulpit. as well as on the temperance plate
form. Many who are earnestly inter-
ested I'm temperance reform feel 10 neces-
sary to insist that alcohol is not q food.
but a poison: that 90 any quantity large
or small. is necessarily harmful and not
useful
These theories, 50 was shown. are
based i'm part upon the results Of exper-
ments made years ago by Imperfect
methods. and since shown 20 be Incorrect
They arc directly opposed 20 the re-
suits of the latest and most reliable re-
search and 90 the opinions 81 the Lead
ing authorities the world over.