The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-08-03
ALCOHOL AND THE PEOPLE.

The following paragraphs are from
an address delivered in Indianapolis
by DR.. Haven Emerson, the president
and commissioner of the department
of health of the city of New York.
Dr. Emerson probably voices the
opinion of the progressive medical
students of the day.
"Alcohol, a consistently depressing
ahabit-forming drug, causes character
sistic, easily recognized diseases of the
brain, nerves and special senses. Al
cohol causes definite damage to the
heart, kidneys, blood vessels and or
.gans of digestion, especially the
stomach and liver
when alcohol is used so moderate
ly as to cause none Of the special dis
eases due solely to it's effects, it is
known to damage the unborn babe,
the nursing child, the grown man
and woman in such ways as to render
them peculiarly susceptible to the in
fections and communicable diseases
to which all are exposed
Permanent damage to mentality
and various psychical disorders are
accepted results of the use Of alco-
hol in parents.
"Still- births are increased among
those who make even very moderate
use of alcohol.
alcohol can be used as food,
but at cost, both economical and
physiological, which causes bank
ruptcy of pocket and health.
'In a few diseased conditions it
has, been found useful but not in
despensable.
"Alcohol is a protoplasmic poison,
like ether and chloroform, with
slower but more enduring effect.
alcohol the. has physiological eff
feet of gradual anesthesia, acting
upon the powers of perception, judy
ment,s self-control, reasoning and in
telligence until the human being is
gradually stripped of all capacity for
conscious direction and becomes re-
fex animal, responding automatically
and without choice to gross external
physical stimuli.
1.-THE weary human, suffering from
the misfortunes of his own creation
or harassed by the injustices of an
artificial social order, turns for sep
aration from his environment to the
dullness and sunrestraints which alco-
hol brings. Then he is not only I'M
prepared for effective effort, compe-
tition or responsibility, but he is ex-
posed particularly to the ever ready
Infection, of which acute pneumonia
is the most striking example.
"These statements are not personal
opinions. The world admits and
then says: "What then! Shall we
give up this happy thoughtlessness
for the chance at bit longer and a
bit healthier life?" And up to the
present time the answer has been all
but unanimously "No!"
sit is, as conceive, it, the duty
of health departments to change the
answer.
Sis the task harder than teaching
the worldtha it may conquer tuber-
culosis, or the nations that they can
not live ifrthey waste their baby life?
''It is, as L conceive it, the duty
of9health departments to teach,
teach, teach, persuade, demonstrate,
exhibit, exhort, prove that alcohol,
as beverage or in patent medicines,
is a menaceato personal and commu1
nifty health, is a common source Of
sickness and death, lis blocking the
path of preventative medicine and is
a menace to the physical and social
development of the nation"
Mr., Beltrami County Resident, re-
member the above when you go to
the polls at the county option cleo
ton August IA.