The Washington herald., 1913-06-02

|SC|ENTISIS'RAP
DRINKING HABIT
Dr.. Harvey W. Wiley and d..
Carl Alsberg Add to Wet
Discussion.
PURE BOOZE IS NEEDED
One 1SIug" a Day Keeps q Man
Always Drunk, Says One
Authority.
Have you ever been drunkf


Have you ever been drunkf
Have you ever been sober7
Do not answer until you hear the con-
tention Of noted scientist that a person
who drinks a glass Of wine each day Is
never sober from one week to another.
It is not intended to discuss this view.
for there would be disagreement as to
what person. II any. had at any time
had control of his faculties.
The contention. however. brought into
the light the views of two Of Washing
toms scientists. who consented to break
golden silence for speech that usually is
paid for In gold.
DR.. Harvey W. Wiley and Or. Carl Ais
berg, former chief and chief. respec-
lively. Of the Bureau of Chemistry, told
their views OF the absorbing problem Of
absorbed liquors.
Dr. Wiley said that he had not tasted
any strong drink In public in three years.
and never intended to again. He de-
nounced the saloon as the curse Of the
country.
IF you must drink, says DR.. Wiley.
drink pure fermented and distilled bev-
erages. Much of the harm done by
drinking. In his opinion. is due to adul-
terated beverages.
1.-THE only sensible way of drinking in
toxicating liquors." said DR.. Wiley, ''is
by the rule Of total abstinence. We
should not forget that alcohol is a habit
forming drug. and the strongest men.
both in mentality and in will power. may
gradually become victims of a babit
deadly to their career. humiliating 10
their friends. and fatal to their useful
ness While have not In early years
been an advocate of prohibition, am
an advocate of total abstinence No one
needs a law to permit him to refrain
from drinking.
should like to see campaign In
augurated in this country not so much
for the purpose of getting prohibitory
legislation as in the way OF educating
the public respecting the virtues of total
abstinence. Theoretical temperance is
the logical remedy for all excesses
whether in tobacco. drinking or drugs.
II is not difficult to be temperate in mat
tiers which are not habit forming. and
II temperance could always be secured
without that danger. then 1 should have
nothing to say against the promiscuous
use Of such habit forming substances as
tea. coffee. tobacco. fermented and dis
titled beverages.
But unfortunately such Is not the case.
feel strongly In regard to this point.
sumption of beverages containing caf-
feline, cocaine, and the use Of tobacco
In all forms. cocaine and morphine and
the addiction even to drinking moderately
of fermented and distilled beverages.
The great intellects of Greece and
Rome were not inspired either by caf-
feline, tobacco. cocaine. morphine or
alcohol, and a better spectacle of intel
lectual and artistic development can
81 II ka
which were exhibited in the palmy
days OF those old empires.
saloons the Nations Curse.
'T have not taken anything to drink
in my club for three years. re-
solved when I was elected president
of the Cosmos Club that the occa-
sionaI glass that took should be ban
ished. I still drink very moderately
at dinners in my own home and among
friends. but never at any other time.
and then only In extreme moderation
Il think the saloons are the curse of
this country, both in their effect on
manhood and their dreadful effect on
politics and legislation. 1t was the
adulterated whisky interests which
kept back the passage of the food and
drugs act for many years"
DR.. Wiley said that, in his opinion,
there was little, II any, good value IN
the alcoholic distilled and fermented
beverage drunk in large quantities by
the American people and other peoples.
He was asked what would be a proper
DAYS rations of the beverages which
cheer and also inebriate- He repeated
that he believed in total abstinence. but
added:
IF we are to drink these beverages.
for heavens sake let's have them pure
and meilowed by age. i am of the opin-
ion that most Of the deleterious effects
which are now manifested by reason Of
drinking wine. beer. and distilled bev-
erages come from their deoasement and
adulteration."
DR.. Alsberg said that he drank at din
ners very moderately. and after saying
that he was of German descent denied
that he liked the taste of beer. Dc
Alsberc thought that drinking decreased