The Washington times., 1909-03-22
Noted Specialist Paints a
Fearful Picture of Drink
Evil Among Women.
DEATHS RIVER,
RUM is CALLED
DR.. J. B. Quackenbos Speaks
Plainly to Church of the
Covenant Congregation.

In more than one washington home
today have there been heard echoes OF
the bitter aTraignment Of the drink evil
and it's influence upon women high In
society, delivered to the congregation
of the Church of the Covenant last
night by DR.. John D. Quaclsenbos, fell
low Of the New York Academy Of Medi-
cine.
For directness and plalnness Of speech
the address of DR.. Quackenbos, replete
with fearful pictures Of the results OF
dissipation, especially with reference to
American women and young girls,
probably has been unequaled in the
Capital In no uncertain terms he paid
his respects to 'the proud-pied woman
who dips freely in the punch bowl,
school misses, college girls, and dabu-
tantes, who unblushingly assert their
right to drink and smoke at luncheons
and levees."
The congregation addressed by DR..
Quackenbos was unusually large and
was for the most part composed of
women The speaker. a member OF a
rumber of scientific and medical socie-
ties, began by designating whisky as
deaths river" setting in resistless
current toward murCer, robbery. mis-
usage Of women, parssis and the asy-
lum.''
Many Women Patients.
His observations. said the doctor.
were based upon thousands Of cases
treated by him, women being the pa
tents in many instances.
Especially alarming is the growth OF
the drink practice among women" he
said. when the American woman
gives herself up to anything she pushes
her devotion to the utmost limit. She
makes a god OF her very religion, and
II she affects a habit, she Affects 1t IN
the superlative degree.
THE punch-bowl figures at all social
functions. and proud-pied women dip
freely therein, ten drinking today where
one drank a dozen years ago. Scnool
misses and college girls are conspicu-
Gus among the throng. Debutantes, not
necessarily OF the fast set, unDlushlng-
ly assert a right to drink wine and
smoke cigarettes at luncheons and
Ievees. TO say nothing Of private lndul-
eence and not a few Of this class, as
well as young married women, nave
been brought to my Office IN a state OF
"Such has become the vogue, and,
worse than this. girls in their teens see
no improperly in drinking publicly va q
men companions. Flushed with alconol
thew are likely to forget the restraints
of modesty. Gross indlScretionS are q
natural consequence"
The unobtrusive young woman II the
| former generation, said the speaker had
given place to a coarse and boisterous
| bonnie ViVante, unable to fulfill her place
/ either in society or home. Continuing
he said;
Must Be Straight.
/ Some one has pointed out thG. th'
moral interests Of the nation are in tn
| hands OF the women. but the only way
/ by which women can lead men straigh
/ is to be straight themselves.
''Our school children are becomins
beer. and even wine, drinkers, especial
| ~ those OF foreign parentage. and The
| increasing prevalence Of this habit Il
I leading to a mental sluggishness. If no
/ defect. among the pupils OF the pUbli'
| schools that is attracting the attentiJ'
/ of educators and philanthropists.
| And what is Il that the mass of ou
| people are drinking2 Anything are
/ everything but pure wine, pure WHISKY
pure beer. It Is a poison far deadlie
! and more rapid IN Its action than thu
! genuine articles. This fact is ignored b,
! the temperance reformer. and often bi
| the physician"
| There is a close relationship, Or
| Ouackenbos declared, between the drtnl
! and the smoke evil. THE alcoholic
thirst" he said ''is engendered and in