The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-24
The Fallacy of Prescribing Alcoholic
Beverages as Food or Medicine

versal use apd ancient origin. which
dates back from ten to twenty centu-
! RES. and yet, with all their hoary an
( tiquity and widespread dissemination
+ no child Of any age or race ever de-
veloped natural appetite or disttnc-
/ tive liking for these alcoholic bev-
erages. This nature discriminates
against them as she does against much
/ else that Is injurious to our we'll be
ing, showing plainly that they are not
i essential to our health or life as real
/ foods are. but, on the contrary, they
/ are harmful during the period q!
childhood Development. and il Is
doubtful IL in later life this taste
would be developed If great pains
were not taken 10 acquire the appes
title. and hence there would be fewer
i drunkards * the protests OF nature
were needed.
Statistics from alcoholic ins,i,u-
tons show nearly 80 per cent of those
who become drunkards began to drink
/ before they reached the age OF dis
erection, and over two-thtrds never
craved IL. but drank II because they
saw others imhibing. Hundreds of
laboratory researches show these bev-
erages give of trifiing amounts of en-
ergy in the body. A large proportion
ts excrsted UNCHANGED by the kidneys
lungs and sweat glands and Is never
ass!sn Hated, that II destroys proto-
piasm. nerve and liver cells being the
most vulnerable TO that attack. their
astrological units being destroyed and
replaced by fat aud connective tissue
! In the liver. These researches also
show that they delay the oxidation OF
food by preci plating the nepsin of the
gastric juice. modifying metaboiisfn.
! inareasin gadipose tissue by prevent
ing tho oxidation Of fat vesicies, the
alcohol in them being oxtdized first
that II produces arterial itention, in
| hihita the action of the vagi in regu-
lating the heart beats. the function of
this nerve rs you. remember being TO
slow the heart. hence its quickened
! action after imhibing these alcoholic
beverages and mistaken idea that it
Is a stimulan,.
Here / quote from DIR. David Mar
vim. of the University OF Vermont. who
recently Investigated alcohol; Alcohol
Is a. toxin produced by the yeast fun
gus and thrown off as a waste product
af excretion. Alcohol is formed In the
body from the carbohydrates during
their transformation into energy. The
amount circulating In the blood.
which would produce a departure
from the normal brain and nerve pro-
cssses fs about 10 per cent
1t is absorbed rapidly from mucous
membranes, suhcutaneous tissues,
bladder and even the skin. 1t In
creases the activity OF internal struc-
lures before absorption, a depression
of the nervous system and those struc-
lures dependent upon 1t. ii causes a
drop in the temperature of the body.
lassens the resisting power of red cor
pusoles, lowers the opsonic index ana
| lessens the body resistance. 1t liz ex-
GREETED largely by the kidneys. small
err amount by the lungs. 1t should
never be referted TO as stimulant,
but as an irritant before absorption
and d narcotic after absorption. The
foremost of the medical profession
and medical institutions are rapidly
eliminating it's use as medical agent
1t produces death by paralysis Of
the center of respiration.
But some win only say this is true
of imbibing tn excess. that taken in
moderation. diluted. 1t increases the
appetite and aids digestion. and early
experiments supported this view.
hence the statements of older text
books on this subject; but later inves-
legations showed that while in the
early stages of digestion 1t may be of
some benefit, yet later in the process
early stage, even in small amounts as
are found in claret and beer. Another
claim is that it warns the body and
protects 1t against cold. and others
claim that 1t protects 1t against heat;
how ridiculoust The clinical thermo-
meter shows the bodily perature
practically unchanged save for IL
slight reduction in temperature and
the idea arose from its deadening mar
rffr
us of our danger. No arctic explorer.
as Perry or Greedy. or tropical explo-
rer as Starily or Livingston, has per.
mitted its use among their compan-
ions, for in both instances tests show
ed that ii lowered bodily resistance
BY others 1t is claimed that in public
speakers it stimulates thought: poets
have sung and orators Grated the
praises OF wine, but this was found to
depend upon the state of the audi
ence; any little silly conceit is very
witty to an audience full OF cham
payne, but to the thoughtful 1t la
tommy-rot and hot air or case where
When wine is in, wit is out" so that
ii deadens mentally az well as physi.,
cally. and l wish / had the time to
discuss morally. And to Offset the
brilliant effervescence of semi-in-
toxicated mind are the palsy, the pa
rests. the amourosis and meiancholia
OF alcoholism
Then that great question how much
IL excess? This seems to differ In
individuals and In the organs of the
same Individual; in one person a
stated amount seems to do no appre-
ciabIe harm, while in another Its effect
Is baneful. In one organ of the same
individual no pathological process
seems to be going on. but the subtle
work is going on in another dAmag-
ing the cells 'of the liver and kidneys
with little discomfort to its host ui,til
fhn raiia r,sa fnuaex thar fl1n ana ana