Evening star., 1942-09-27
Changes in School Instruction
On Liquor and Tobacco Studied
Special Committee to Meet Thursday
To Consider Revision of Courses

Both scientific and psychological
changes in the senior high school
course on alcohol and narcotics
will be considered Thursday at a
meeting of the special committee
to review the instruction.
At that time the committee also
will consider evidence written out
for it by opponents and advocates
of the use of alcohol. Mrs. Eliza
beth Livingston, president of Re-
peal Associates, has indicated she
will join the Washington Fedora
ton of Churches, Women's Chris
tian Temperance Union, Anti
Tobacco Alliance and National
Civic League in writing to the COM
mittee and perhaps appearing be-
fore the next board meeting Octo-
ber 7, when the report will be
presented.
Sees Harm in Abuse Only.
The main change proposed by DR..
James A. Cannon, chairman, at the
committees first meeting. is that
the entire course be built around
instruction on the effects OF the
excessive use" of alcohol.
The students should be informed
of the dangers of the abuse of al
cohol and their one -in-20 chances
to become drunkards, he says, and
then left to make their own de-
cision. AS the course stands he
objects to such statements as: "Al-
cohol is poison. Because Of the
effect of alcohol on certain organs,
their functions are impaired. Alco-
hol overstimulates the glands which
secrete digestive fluids When food
is introduced into the digestive
organs, the glands refuse to re-
spond"
In each case, he said, teachers
should stipulate that these are the
effects of abuse of alcohol, not OF
one drink. THE effects of alcohol
on the nervous system are the most
serious" states the handbook for
physical education teachers. "Alco-
hol breaks down the moral code
which civilized man has built up in
order to make the world a better
place in which to live
Wants Excessive" Inserted.
These statements, reiterated DR.
Cannon, would be true and praise
worthy if they added the words lex
cessive use" AS they stand, he
contends. they contain more moral
izing than scientific truth and are
phychologically poor.
Definite scientific "misstatements"
also were picked by the doctor out
of the course and presented for
agreement or disagreement of DR..
Joseph A. Murphy, chief of the
school medical services, and DR..
Carroll r. Reed, first assistant su-
perintendent in charge OF the cur
riculum.
The handbook contends that alco-
hol dissolves lipoid, the fatty sub
stance present in all cells" which
''acts especially as a fatty sheath
of all nerve tissues" Yet it neg
lects to mention, said DR.. Cannon,
that when only Tito per cent Of
alcohol, not nearly enough to dis
solve lipoid, has been absorbed into
the blood, the drinker would be
already dead.
Explains Red Nose.
I'm dissolving the lipoid in the
cells" continues the handbook, "the
alcohol destroys the selective prop
erty Of the cells and allows poisons
to accumulate in them"
"The Inflammation of the skin by
use Of alcohol" says the handbook
may produce blotches and pimples
because the skin cannot eliminate
wastes" Reddening of the Skin
after long use Of alcohol, DR.. Can
non contends. is due to dilation o.
the capilaries close to the skin, moi
to inability to throw of wastes.
Among the list of the effects o
alcohol on respiration. DR.. Cannon
objects to: by interfering with thu
blood flow, it causes Inflammation
of the lungs. 1t increases connec.
tive tissue in the lungs and there
fore reduces lung capacity. 1t re-
duces the oxygen needed for oxida
ton Of foods" He also branded a
untrue" the contention that IA
! cohol kills the white eorpuscle