The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-25

BOSTON, Mass, Oct. 24-In the re-
Gently issued Physiological Aspects Of
the Liquor Problem" the latest of pub
lished reports of the various subcon~
mittees of the committee of fifty, Or
ganized in 1893 for thorough exam
ination of the different aspects of this
vital question, there is one chapter
in particular that will unquestionably
give rise to considerable popular dis
cussion. This chapter is the report OF
DIR. II. p. Bowditch, Of the Harvard
medical school in this city, and Prof.
G. F. Hodge, of Worcester on the pres
ent American public school instruction
on the physiological action of alcohol.
The report frankly takes the position
that much of the so-called scientific
temperance instruction" in the public
schools is both unscientific and I'M
desirable, and endeavors to support its
contention by an analysis of the text
books prepared on this subject in ac-
cOrdance with the laws of the various
states in the Union, and by an analysis
of the testimony of considerable
number both of teachers and physio1o-
gists.
Lie sources Oh ITOI1
which this conclusion has been reached
are four: the standard text books now
used in colleges, universities and med
ical schools; personal letters from
prominent psychologists both in Amer
lea and Europe, in which they state
their individual opinions; the text
books of physiology now in use in the
public schools; and, finally, the testi-
mony- of a large number Of public
school teachers, questioned as to the
value and fitness Of the books and the
results of the system. This system, it
is maintained in the report, is not a
true physiological study of alcohol, but
rather the total abstinence reform;
and it is primarily the total abstinence
movement, with all the inherent de-
termination of any reform to carry its
point. its originators, were led. so it is
stated into an unscientific as well as
an uneducational method of instruc-
ton. In other words, the claim Is put
forth that instead OF scientific truth
the public school student is being pro-
Vided with a kind of half-knowledge
that later experience is almost certain
to show him is both inaccurate and
biased, thus preparing the way for
reaction that will eventually often de-
feat the very ends aimed at by the
present system Of education.
The essential point made against the
text books now in general use through
out the United States to teach the
physiology of alcohol is illustrated by
a parallel between the teachings of
these text books, about twenty-five in
number, and the standard works used
in the colleges, universities and medical
schools. In these parallels the mac.
curacy of the approved" text book is
stated to be often glaringly apparent,
ranging indeed from a mere misstate-
ment-if any conscious misstatements
may be so qualified in scientific teach
ing-to what is obviously an invocation
of the boyle man in the shape of
horrible example" The report points
out that the names brought forward in
the past to support these same text
books and announced as foremost sci
enlist" or most skilled in his profess
SION or eminent scholar have not
been recognizable as authorities on this
particular subject of alcohol. Without
detracting from the high purposes of
the scientific temperance instruction"
movement the movement itself is char
acterized as purely autocratic, one per-
son having been practically responsible
for its origination, now nearly twenty
five years ago, for its policy and for
every development in its history.
Concerning the opinion Of American
and even European psychologists touch
ing this present system of education a
brief summary of the results of cir
cular letter sent to a large number of
leading men of science is said to re-
veal startling chorus Of disapproval,
not only on the grounds of Enthusiastically