The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-11-07
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTENIPERANCE.
q Notable Address by Sir Victor
Horsclcy Oh the Effects of AIco-
hol on the Human System-Not
Helpful, But Injurious.

hol on the Human SyStem-SOt
Helpful, But Injurious.
Two weeks ago great medical
convention was held in Toronto, Can
ada. One Of the addresses delivered
before the convention was by Sir
Victor Horseley, on the effects OF al
cohol on the human system. He held
that alcohol is not only not helpful,
but that 1t is Injurious. When his
views were published the London Ex-
press took exception to them, and in
sisted that, on the contrary, ale, for
instance, in moderation is a good
tonic for the laborer, developing
strength and stamina.
This called out a reply from the
eminent physician, in which he reit-
Grated and emphasized his former
statement. Referring to the claim Of
the Express, he said:
"As a scientific statement this is
entirely false. 1t has been absolute
ly demonstrated that alcohol is detri.
mental to physical labor. All the in
vestigations which commenced with
the experiments of Doctor Parks on
soldiers have proved this. The Red
River expedition also confirms it.
The shifting of the gauge on the
Great Western Railway, which, was
one of the greatest physical feats
done in England, was done without
alcohol. Tons of oatmeal and water
were consumed by the men, and they
liked it better than any alcoholic
drink. This immense piece of work
was done in forty hours.
Doctor Parks in his experiment
set two gangs of soldiers working at
similar work, one gang drinking beer
and the other gang drinking water.
The gangs were paid for the amount
of work they did. After few days
it was found that the water-drinkins
men were doing more work than
those who were drinking the beer.
They were earning more money. At
last the beer gang asked to be al
lowed to drink water because they
were earning so much less money
than the other men.
This experiment was established
under absolutely scientific control,
and confirms once for all that just as
has been shown with intellectual
work, SO to physical work, alcohol,
whether as beer, wine or spirits, is
only most harmful and injurious"
After speaking of some incidental
matters, the doctor returned to the
main subject, and said in general:
There is no need to dogmatize on
the question of alcohol; facts are so
patent. When the facts are consid-
cred by an unprejudiced observer,
there is only one conclusion, and that
is, that in association with bad hous-
ing of the artisan class, the consump-
ton of alcohol is directly responsible
for national deterioration.
This was absolutely established
by committee of the House of Com
mons, England, which examined into
the causes of the physical deteriora-
tion of the people of the United King
dom.
The report of their finding pro-
duced such an intense impression
throughout the old country that most
of the important municipal bodies
have caused their cities to be pla-
carded with posters pointing out to
their constituents the danger OF re-
garding alcoholic drinks as harmless.
And they also advocate total absti-
nence from all alcoholic drinks as
the surest means, not merely of pre-
serving the health of the individually
but of furthering the quality Of the
work Of the nation upon which its
position in the industrial and civil
lied world depends
These views are not new, but they
are valuable. 1t is important that
they should be kept before the peo-
pie The advocates of strong drink
arc tireless, and their misrepresenta-
tions and false claims are constantly
being repeated. And moreover, hu-
man appetite is on their side, sup
ported by a widespread false impress
sion. 1t is necessary that the friends
of truth and of humanity should be
diligent in making known the Zeal
facts in the case. AS medicine alco-
hol may have it's place, but as bev-
erage it is always harmful. 1t CON-
tains no nutriment, is no aid to the
powers of human endurance, but, on
the contrary, impairs these powers.
On this point medical science and
human experience are agreed, and
this fact should be kept before the
public.-Pittsburg Christian Advo-
cate.