The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-06-23
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STRAIGHT TALK ON ALCOHOL.
Great Majority or Men Must Learn
Gradually to Like 1t, Because
They See Others Drink.

Why do We drink? Because our
bodies are walking aquariums, and we
have to keep the protoplasm of our
cells swimming in water, or it won't
live. So long as we drink only water
there is little danger of our taking too
much-eXcept by drowning ourselves;
but when we begin to mix things with
it trouble begins. Certainly on gen
eral principles it would appear that
the simplest, cheapest, and most IA
tional thing would be to take our
necessarily daily three pints Of wa
ter straight" without mixture Of any
sort-clear, fresh. and sparkling from
the spring; but for some strange rea-
son, man has never been satisfied to
do this, but must add something to
the water before he viii call il a
drink, writes Woods Hutchinson,
A. NJ NJ. D., in Sunday School Trib-
une. And ne doesn't appear 20 have
been particularly lucky in his addi-
tons
The first and commonest addition
which he has made to his drinking
water has been an unintentional one,
sewage, which, though it may give the
special flavor that we so much ad-
mire to the water of our own partic-
ular well, is neither appetizing nor
wholesome, especially when it con
tains typhoid bacill Up to 50 years
ago, 80 per cent. of civilized humanity
drank, more or less diluted, sewage,
and it was only recently that we dis
covered the damage that this limo
cent-looking mixture does, and began
breaking ourselves of the habit
Mans earle. and commonest inten-
tional addition to the water he drinks
was also the product OF a germ-the
toxin OF the yeast bacterium alcohol
He could hardly be considered ideally
fortunate in this addition either: for,
although it gave him a goOd deal more
eXhilaration and enjoyment, it was
always at price, both before and
after taking. Just how heavy a price,
and by how many paid, we are only
beginning to discover and suspect.
Sewage probably kills many more
than alcohol, but there are other and
cTueler penalties than death.
\ large part OF our drinking water
has always been taken in the form OF
mixtures with some other substances.
These beverages are always much
more expensive than the plain water.
often quite troublesome to secure and
prepare, have little or no food value.
are OF doubtful effect in moderation.
and usually injurious in excess. Why
they should ever have come into such
universal use, in all races and in all
ages OF the world. is one Of the stand
ing puzzles Of human nature.
There is, moreover. one most stri-
king and, from biological point OF
view, most significant fact, that eager
~ as these beverages have been con
sumed. and constantly as they have
been in use by the race for from 10
10 20 centuries, we have never de-
veloped an instinct or natural appe-
tile Tor them. No child ever yet was
born with an appetite or instructive
liking for beer or whisky. and very
few with a real liking for the taste OF
tea or coffee, although they soon
learn to drink them Tor the sake OF
the sugar and cream in them. Thus
nature has clearly marked them of
from all the real foods on our tables.
showing Enthusiastically that they are
not essential either to life or health;
and, what is even more important
from our point OF view, that they are
absolutely unnecessary and probably
positively harmful. In childhood. and
during the period of growth
II is much to be doubted whether
an appetite for alcohol would even de-
velop naturally later in life, if we
were left entirely to our own devices
Certain it is that the great majority
OF men have to learn gradually if not
positively to teach themselves. to like
ii, because they see everybody else
taking 1t, and think it would be child
ish or unmanly not to be able to
swallow, and at least pretend to enjoy
it themselves. If no child ever drank
alcohol until he really craved it, as
he instinctively Graves milk, sugar.
meat, and bread and butter, there
would be extraordinarily few drunk
ards in the world. Our other food in
stincts have shown themselves worthy
to be trusted-why not trust this one,
and let alcohol absolutely alone, at
least until you have reached full ma
turity of mind and body and acouired
the precious privilege of making 2