Year: 1872

ALCOHOL AS FOOD OR PIIYSIC.


Under certain conditions Of the body


1T may he says be better than either foot


or physic. We do not always want food


we rarely require physic. A glass o
K wine or beer may be useful refreshmen
fwhen the stomach is not prepared fol
ythc reception Of the one, and the system
S has need Of the other. Excessive ply
sical labor, long endurance Of hunger
: Or anything which has debilitating in
D fucncc, more or less effects the appetite


for solid food, and un!its the stomach


for its reception. At such times alcoholic
liquors are found to have most bencfi


cial effect upon some constitutions, both
in afiording present refreshment and in
llpreparing the system for more substan-
tial diet. To give beefsteak tot Ipan
enfecbled by a long continuance of hun
ger would be highly dangerous.


EFFECT ON THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS.
A little brandy or wine will quickly
.difiuse Itself through the body, and diff
J, fuses new life into every part,including
of course, the digestive organs, which
are thereby invigoated for the recep-
ti0n and conversion of the food which


lis TO follow. This is the treatment
which has saved many shipwrecked sal


Ors, in the last stage Of hunger, from the
Jaws of death, when becisteak would
have been noXious and fatal pOison.-
This description of the application OF
alcohol in case of fatigue or hunger
may be illustrated by reference to the
eSpcrience OF the present seasOn in
mountaineering.


AS AN AID TO MOUNTAINEERING.


When an Alpine ascent is undertaken
lby IA party Of tourists, is it not thought
Ia treasonable precaution to provide a
supply of brandy? We do not speak
now of specially difficult undertakings.
but of an ordinary expedition by per-
sons of fair bodily activity in the course
of months holiday. 1t certainly does
appear that the shop-keepers in Swiss
towns expect 10 sell TASKS adapted to
contain brandy. There are doubtless tee
Itotalers among successful mountainecrs,
but we think that it would appear TINT
'of all the persons who make a psrticu-
lar ascent in tie course of year, a large
proportion take with them what is COM
monty called pocket pistol.


SUPPLYING NERVOUS ENERGY.


Again, there is the class of persons
who, without any specific disease. are
unable from deficient power to digest
,it each meal sufficient food to exist up
on. The habitual daily use of small
amount Of alcoholic drink bestows on
this class the nervous energy ia which
they would otherwise be deficient. III
is further pointed out by the author that
the benefits conferred by alcoholic IL
IuOrs are not the less real because their
effect upon the sytcm is less permanent
than that of solid food. Ii is enough
that an article intended 10 sustain life
will serve the emergency of the hour.
Or even Of the moment. The starvcdI
sailor, revived by spoonful of brandy,
is not the less saved because its effect
is transient and it requires to be follow
ed by diet better qualified to restore the
body to its former strength. The vir-
tue of alcoholic liquors lies very much
in the quickness OF their action. They
lo not require a long process Of diges-
ton. but are rapidly absorbed by and
SO refresh the system. When solid food
IS the best n0urishment for the existingl
state of the body, it should be preferred
70 alcohol. but this in no degree dimin-
shes the value of the latter in the per-
ormancc of its own special function.


PLEASANT TO TIE TASTE.


II can not be denied that alcoholic IL
luOrs are pleasant to the taste and agree
lbc to the stomach Of the majority of
a hearer said to a TEMPER
lncc lecturer: "You have convinced |
ne of many things, but you have not
convinced Inc that do not like winc."
The author contends that il is fair pre-
that the reasonable use of|,
hcse liquors is beneficial. A singlc
moderate dose, suitable for the individ-
lal case, produces effects which are linz
ted TO the viscera of the abdomcn.--
quicker and more powerful digestion,
increased desire for meat and drink,and
more abundant sccrctions, are tho COM
non phenomena which result from the
owcst degree Of this action. a large
luantity. or several small doses repeated
It short intervals, extend the action of
'lcohol to the spinal chord, the brain,
md the entire nervous system. The
'ulse Is raised, becomes more powerful
nd quicker; all muscular actions take
'lacc with more ease, strength and ca
'acity Of endurance; the tone Of the
'crvous system is raised I; the Influence
# the nervous system upon the other
rgans Is quicker and more powerful.


INTELLECTUAL INFLUENCE.


"Above all that part Of the nervous
ystem whose functions are executed
" the brain is most pcrccptibly in |
rcased, as is seen in the greater cheer
illness. humor and cnulnnn ne wall o.