The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-09-26
Is ALCOHOL POISON :?
Temperance Text Books Attacked by
Pennsylvania Medical Society
THOSE OF W. c. T. U. ARE WORST

Doctors Committee Says If Women
Wish to Teach Prohibition They
Should Give Books Truthful Titles
and Net Use Contemplate Methods.
York. Pa. Sept 23-The annual
meeting Of the Pennsylvania state
Medical Society began here and VIII be-
I'm session until and including tomof-
row. 4 feature OF the first days scs-
sion was the report Of the committee
on school text books. which discussed
frankly the controversy with the W. G..
T. L. on the subject OF alcoholic liquors
and tobacco. The committee reported
that il had in four years published r'-
views of 81 text books and that dozen
more remain TO be reviewed. The r'-
views are published from time TO iime
in the Pennsylvania Medical Journal
and the committee requested that IL bc
continued for ono year that it might
finish It's work
For some years the w c. T. L. has
advocated be use i'm an public schools
Of text books on physiology that should
set forti very strongly the Injurious.
almost deadly effect of alcohol on ihr
human system using therein the word
poison" as a synonym for all spifilu-
ous drinks. In many schools such
books as have been prepared under The
supervision OF the ". g. f. L. are al-
ready In use and other books have been
prepared by The total abstinence pco-
pie for the purpose of teaching tha
Young that alcohol and tobacco in auy
form or quantity are deadly poi-ons.
In general the committee says OF the
school text books on physiology and
hygiene that they contain many errors
and much misleading information and
very serious omissions. The books as
a whole cannot Doe recommended. &c
though some few are good. We ara
sorry to be compelled TO say that lh'
books supervised by the Womon'5
Christian Temperance Union commit
tee are the most reprehensihle."
llf NfliNIAAANN'f NNNINfN NALAN 900 hN 80
Gle by Mary H. Hunt 10 show that the
". c. r. L.. believes that Temperance
should be the chief topic in thof'
books" whereas the committee of Ae
medical society believes that the books
should treat OF physiology ami
hygiene. giving fun and truthful inior-
nation as 90 She nature and effects ~
alcohol and tobacco. but making these
subseryient to The general subjects II
the object of the wOmen's committee is
the teaching of prohibition then let
them openly and honorabIy designate
their books By truthful titles and no.
resort to the contemplate method OF
using a scientific term to cloak an
ethical principle"
Replying 10 "A pamphlet issued by
the W. c. T. r.. the committee notes
that 30 OF IFS suggestions are 90 De-
adopted and criticiaes the lnd.seiimi-
nate use Of the word poison as ap-
piled to all forms OF alcoholics. say
ing. 1T IS evident to any fair-mindel
observer that while grain or siTycA-
MIA is a poison the one-hundredth part
thereof Is no.. II is absurd tO teach
that cider. beer. wine. etc. in any dose
is a poison whereas we an know that
a tumbler of pure alcohol is This is
but the morbid expression OF fanatics
who are guided by zeal rather than wis
dom"
In conclusion the committee rec0m-
mends that a committee be appointed
TO consider the advisability OF state SUI
pervision Of the school text books per-
tanning 10 anatomy. physiology. by
giene and allied subjects