The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-07
Alcohol is Not q Food,

The committee appointed at the North
field (Mass.) Summer Conference OF Chris,
tian Workers, August II, 1899. to investi,
gate the statements Of Professor Atwater,.
OF Wesleyan University, on the nutritivei
value Of alcohol, has made an exhaustivet
report In q sixteen page pamphlet entitled
"An Appeal to Truth"
This committee acted in cooperation
with the Advisory Board OF tue NationarI
Temperance Societies, the Presbyterian
Woman's Temperance Association, the Perl
manent Committee on Temperance Of the!
General Conference OF the Methodist Epis-}
copal Church, the Permanent Oommttteet
on Temperance OF the Presbyterian Church,
the National Woman's Christian Temper
nence Society, the National Department ofl
Scientific Instruction and the Non-PartI-;
san National Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union. +
Under these auspices the data furnished
py Professor Atwater as the result OF hisI
experiments at Middletown were subjected
to Il searching analysis by leading experts
in physiological chemistry, and the follow
Ing deductions are made: /
Flrst-Professor .Atwater says his expert
ments proved that alcohol Is oxidized I'M
the body. This Is not denied, but 1t fs
denied that Professor Atwater's clainI
proved alcohol to be food. Many potsons
besides alcohol are oxidIzed in the body:
The Middletown experiments are said to.
prove that alcohol In being oxidized In the
body furnishes heat and energy. This
/ngain, is not denied. But the assertion Is!
made that the claim proves nothing In:
favor OF alcohol, because. Its injurious ac-
ton at the same time far outwelghs the;
vdue Of the heat and energy 1t llberates.
as is the case with other polsons oxidized.
IN the body. \
Second-Professor Atwater In his expert
ents proved that alcohol protects the
materials of the body from consumption!
Just as effectively as corresponding,
amounts OF sugar, starch and fat. Butt
eminent scientific authorities testify that
these staten ments are not supported by DIS
own lgures in the tables OF his first Official,
data, bulletins, published by the Depart
ment OF Agriculture in 1899. This is the;
testimony OF professors occupying thet
chairs OF pathological chemistry In the,
University and Bellevue Hospital Medical
Society, New York; Of physiology In thaI
Medical School OF ofEorthwestern University,
Chicago; OF hygiene IN the Medlco- Chlr-;;
urgical College, OF Philadelphia, and OF a.
former professor in the Philadelphia Poly,
clinic and College for Graduates.
Third-These scientists, after careful
study Of Professor Atwater's report. camel
10 TUG Sdulo COuCluSlOu, w., tuot hto sop.oS:
do not show that alcohol protected tho
body material, but show, on the contrary
4 distinct loss OF heterogeneous materfaf
when alcohol was administered. The en-
tire testimony in IN appeal to Truths
ioes show that, according to his own ia
bles, Professor Atwater's costly expert
ments have produced no evidence to sus-
tain his charge OF error against the present
temperance teaching that alcohol IL not q
food, but O poison.
Fourth-The report says OF Professor At,
waters unpublished experiments: "Ithey
show the same loss OF nitrogen In the man
who took alcohol as do bulletin No. So,
such unanimity would by 80 much refute
the statement that alcohol protects the
materials OF the body for the consumption:
n they should vary, that variation would
prove such data inadequate, for to be
worth anything for generalization there
should be uniformity In the results OF such
q limited number Of tests made under the
conditions 80 unusual to everyday expert.