The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-06-04
KEEP ALCOHOL FROM THEM.
DIR. Max KassOwitz, Professor of Chill
dren's Disease in University of
Vienna, Gives His Views.

AiiC ia III uelI vi lllhtI II tAIDOStAs SbCh
as delirium tremens, fatty degenera-
ton of the heart, cirrhosis of the
liver and the kidneys are also pro-
duced by nothing else than the
poisonous action of alcohol.
1t is manifest that children are es-
pecially susceptible to this poison,
since it takes only a small quantity
to intoNicate them. Among grown
people, death rarely results directly
from severe intoxication, but such
cases are frequent enough among
children.
This peculiar susceptibility of chill
| dren is also evident from the fact
that even moderate quantities of
beer, wine. rum. or cOgnac regularly
used by children for a considerable
| period may occasion serious forms of
disease, such as delirium tremens, at
tacks of epilepsy, enormous increase
of the liver, and Inflammation of the
| kidneys with drOpsy.
All of these dreadful consequences
of the so-called moderate drinking by
children, have been observed repeat
eddy by myself and other physicians.
In the face of such facts, people
unwilling to expose their children to
any such danger must desist from
giving them alcoholic drinks of any
sort
Against any such warning one
commonly meets the objection that
! the effects of alcohol are not ex-
clusively injurious, that they are also
benefit and useful. that beer has
been recommended for its nutritive
action as ''liquid bread" that wine is
tonic, that cognac promotes diges-
ton, and that drinks containing alco-
hol stimulate the intellect.
To all this one can only reply that
even if all the above were true, no
conscientious father or loving moth
er would risk the possibility of their
children becoming dangerously dis
eased by means of drink for the sake
of any of these pretended advantages.
AS a matter of fact, these advantages
do not exist. and people who ascribe
these beneficial properties to alcohol
are lamentably mistaken.
Alcohol never affords nourishment,
but remains always and only a
poison. Food is a protection to the
body and prevents it from wasting
away, while poison is destructive to
the body and hastens its waste. Al
cohol certainly is a poison, because
any human being, any animal, any
plant can be killed by means of it.
Scientists have made numerous eX-
periments with it which have in
variably led to the same result, name
ly, that alcohol cannot be substituted
for any part of ones food, while
even very little alcohol quickens
the waste of the actually living bod
lily substance This fact is proved by
the observation that children VINO
have been supplied from their ear
Hest youth with this supposed food
are frequently backward in growth
and development, which of course
would never result from the use of a
real food.
The same truth holds with regard
to the supposed promotion of diges
ton. With reference to this ques
ton also. experiments on human be
ings and animals have demonstrated
that in every instance digestion was
retarded and enfeebled, a fact sub
Stimulated by observation among
children. Children frequently suffer
from a loss of appetite merely be
cause they are being supplied will
beer, wine or cognac, and as soon as
the alcohol interfering with theil
digestion is withheld, they regair
their former pleasure in eating.
The imaginary strengthening ac
ton of alcohol is another fiction
People can only acquire strength by
means of real. foods, such as meat
fat, -four or sugar, but never b,
means of poison. The utmost which
5 poison can do is to benumb for
time the sense of fatigue. Following
this deadening of the sensibility
| however, the WEAKNESS and debilit,
, always return, increased in degree
That is why any severe physical eff
f fort can be accomplished more adj
, vantageously without alcohol, VIII.
those who wrestle or ride or contes
for prizes at regatta, let alcoho
severely alone. They are aware tina
by means of any such strengthenin!
they are sure of defeat.
AS it is in respect to strengthenin!
i, the body, so it is concerning the in
+ tellect. Regarding this, also, numer
;, Gus experiments have completed
demonstrated that either alcohC
;, does not increase the mental capa
;, bility, or that if momentarily Their
. is a slight increase. that increase
followed in every instance by a yer
> manifest lowering of power. Besides
this weakening of the intellectua
power is not temporary; it may las
) hours or even days. AS for children
= very small quantity, decilitre a.
I of a pint) is sufficient to obviousl
t diminish their power of attentio
S and capability of instruction. Az
a cordingly, it is not surprising tina
l. when this subject was investigate
n in a public school in Vienna. it wa
e found that those children who weT
e in the habit of drinking wine or bee
?, ranked mostly among the poores
scholars.
1t follows, therefore, that peopl