The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-10-25
EVILS OF BEER DRINKING.
Are Only Too Apparent to the One
Who Studies the Effects on
Human system.

The early advocates OF tOtal aoStt-
hence, with no eye to science, arrived
at the conclusion that the only panaces
for drunkenness and prevention of tho
danger of falling into drinking GUS
toms was total abstinence from all
Intoxicating beverages. How fully
time and science have verified these
wise conclusions.
But from time to time some wise
acre or would-be philanthropist, and
indeed an occasional oracle of some
repute starts up with a flourish OF
trumpets to persuade the world that
the long line of noted scientists who
have contributed so much for the
amelioration of the rum slaves are ali
off in their deductions.
But the arguments and experiments
of these new luminaries have failed to
convince the thinking inquirers of the
avowed correctness of their theories
The moderate drinker of to-day con-
soles himself that the wise thing to do
is to largely shun the stronger alco-
holics and confne his potations to that
harmless beverage, beer, on the oft
lauded theory that it is nourishing and
healthful
What are some of its healthful bless
ings manifested upon the human sys-
tenn? One of the first is to increase the
size of his stomach to a capacity for a
goodly round of drinks all day. OF
course it is correspondingly weakened
for its ordinary functional duties, but
no matter for that if its reservoir ca
pacity is sufficient for the daily storage,
so we find every habitual beer-drink-
er's stomach abnormally enlarged, as
anyone can well judge from the amount
of Stops often quaffed.
A witness in a case of violation of
the excise law for selling lager beer
without license, was asked if he were
an habitual beer drinker and he an
swered affirmatively. He was then
asked how many glasses per day any
one could drink without feeling any
Intoxicating effects. WELL said he.
Il cannot tell that, for | never drank
over so or 60 glasses in a day, but I
suppose if a man were to go on and
make hog of himself he might get
too much.'
The next damaging effects are upon
the kidneys and liver, so often followed
by Bright's disease, or enlargement
and softening of the kidneys or an
equally alarming change in the liver,
by enlargement, fatty deposit or dot
ted with little hardened points like
nailheads, which is called the hob
nailed or drunkard's liver, and in adj
dition to these long line of other dis
eased viscera are developed from beer
drinking.
Physicians and surgeons all agree
that beer drinker is hard subject
for favorable prognosis under med
zeal or surgical treatment for any in
jury or malady. Tell any physician
that his patient is an habitual beer
drinker and he will shrug his Shout
ders and draw deep sigh, wishing the
patient had not fallen into his hands
for treatment.
1t is difficult to find any vital organ
in a beer drinker doing its work as
nature designed it should. That is the
reason beer drinkers are so often
snapped off suddenly.
1t is not to be supposed that there
are no damaging results because we
cannot always trace them. One writer
says: "The idea that because you stop
before you stagger, the system takes
no note of the damaging material you
put into it, is a ruinous delusion."
One thing is physiologically certain,
that healthy person does not need
artificial assistance to sustain him,
even if he could find sustenance in beer.
Beer or any other form of alcohol con-
tains little or no sustaining element,
but on the other hand it is depress-
ant, lowering the condition of the sys-
tenn below the standard of health Just
in proportion as it primarily stimulates
or excites above that point.
Such abnormal changes cannot long
be endured by the human system but
, damaging results are sure to follow.
such as impaired nutrition, weakening
of nervous system, debility of the vas
cular organism deranging the hearts
action and the circulation of the vital
fluid, etc, etc.
Thus the beer drinker does not stand
an equal chance with his abstemious
neighbor for recovery from any disease
or inJury.-D. H. Mann. NJ. D., in Inter
national Good Templar.