The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-12-09
OUR TEMPERANCE COLUMN.
REPORTS OF PROGRESS OF THE
BATTLE AGAINST RUM.
Summary of the Effects Of the Use Of
Alcoholic Drinks by an Eminent
New York Physician - Position

summary OIL tile EileCtS VI thS use VI
Alcoholic Drinks by an Eminent
New York Physician - Position
of the Medical Profession.
The following summary of the eff
fects of the use Of alcoholic drinks by
an eminent physician, DR.. S. A. Mac
Nicoll, of New York City, Is so clear
and comprehensive that it is worthy
of widest publicity. 1t represents the
position to which the members Of the
medical profession all over the world
are coming with an ever increasing
majority:
From my investigations I reached
the following conclusions: first, where
money goes for drink, poverty with
It's attendant evils prevails, and the
burdens Of childhood are increased;
second, alcoholic environment Is un-
favorable to the production of the
best school work; third, alcohol, by
producing a train of psychic and Or
ganic degeneration in the offspring,
debases the morals and lowers the
sum total of human happiness;
fourth, alcohol, by laying the, foun-
dations of a diseased and criminal cit
izenship, threatens the stability OF
our government; fifth, to reduce the
burdens and, dangers of childhood
and improve the manufacture of fut-
ure citizens, we must continue in the
largest measure scientific instruction
on the effects of alcohol and in the
essentials of health, and increase the
number of our public gardens, play
grounds and improved tenements."
At the root of much Of the drink
habit lies the popular belief that beer
and whisky both relieve exhaustion
and increase strength. The man who
drinks moderately" does, for a time
feel stronger, and the weary laborer
who drinks moderately" does for a
time feel rested. But scientific inves-
legations have clearly and decisively
proved that these apparent helps are
only apparent, for in a short time the
drinker is worse off, both physically
and mentally.
This real depletion and destruction
of life even. by moderate drinking has
been well stated by a very eminent
English doctor, George Carpenter, of
London, who has had an exceptional
~ large u SApC1lCuSS. ". -.
After describing briefly the appa-
ratus for measuring what Is. known
as the time=reaction of the brain,
L. that is, the time actually expended
by the brain in performing mental
acts and setting the machinery of the
body in operation, Dr.. Carpenter
makes this important statement !.
Suppose, now, W give alcohol in
quite small quantities to the person
on whom we have been experiment.
ing, what happens? In the first place,
with the simple experiment, the time
is shortened-the brain appears to
operate more quickly than before,
but after a few minutes a slowing
takes place, becomes more marked,
and endures as long as the alcohol
remains in the system. But, If the
reaction be complex, If, there, be an
association of ideas, this fB never
quickened by, alcohol. The slowing
effect begins at once, and continues
throughout the experiment. And
clearly understand that this depress-
ing effect occurs with the use of die
tetic quantities of alcohol" ~