the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第55节

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expedition　of　recent　years　which　permitted　the　use　of　alcoholic　drinks。
As　a　matter　of　fact　it　was　long　ago　proved　that　〃Alcohol　does　not　warm
nor　cool　a　person；　but　only　destroys　the　sensation　and　decreases　the
vitality。〃　Superficial　observers；　however；　have　upheld　the　use　of　alcohol
as　a　food；　saying；　〃See　how　fleshy　it　makes　people。〃　Well；　healthy　fat
is　not　always　an　advantage；　but　beer　drinkers'　fat　is　not　the　genuine
article。　Healthy　fat　represents　a　stock　of　body　warming　food　laid　up
for　a　time　of　need　and　is　formed　only　in　health。　The　〃fat〃　usually　exhibited
by　beer　drinkers　is　not　a　fat　at　all；　oil　is　not　its　chief　factor。　It
consists　of　particles　of　partly　digested　flesh　forming　food　which　the
system　required；　but　which　it　was　unable　to　assimilate　owing　to　the　presence
in　the　body　of　the　alcohol　which　the　beer　contained。　This　sort　of　fat
instead　of　indicating　health　points　to　disease。　This　general　teaching　as
to　the　worthlessness　of　alcohol　as　a　food　had　been　set　forth　by　the　leaders
in　medical　profession；　and　accepted　largely　by　the　rank　and　file　of
practitioners　for　about　twenty…five　years。　An　occasional　cry　came　from
the　other　side；　however；　and　late　in　1899　Dr。　W。　O。　Atwater；　professor
in　Wesleyan　University；　announced　that　he　had；　by　an　extended　series
of　experiments；　proved　the　truth　of　the　claims　of　those　experimentors
who　believed　alcohol　to　have　value　as　a　food。　Dr。　Atwater's　reports　were
widely　published　by　the　whiskey　press；　and　a　state　of　some　unrest
amongst　thinking　physicians　followed；　which　had　not　been　wholly　quieted
when　this　committee　began　work。

　　　　　　　　　　IS　IT　A　MEDICINE？

At　the　time　we　began　work；　however；　it　had　been　demonstrated　that
alcohol　is　not　a　medicine。　Many　years　ago　Dr。　Nottinghham；　a　great
English　physician；　said：　〃Alcohol　is　neither　food　nor　physic。〃　Dr。
Nicols；　editor　Boston　Journal　of　Chemistry；　long　ago　wrote；　〃The　banishment
of　alcohol　would　not　deprive　us　of　a　single　one　of　the　indispensable
agents　which　modern　civilization　demands。　In　no　instance　of
disease　in　any　form；　is　it　a　medicine　which　might　not　be　dispensed　with。〃
Dr。　Bunge；　professor　of　physical　chemistry　in　the　University　of　Basle；
Switzerland；　said：　〃In　general　let　it　be　understood　that　all　the　workings
of　alcohol　in　the　system　which　usually　are　considered　as　excitement
or　stimulation　are　only　indications　of　paralysis。　It　is　a　deep…rooted　error
sense　of　fatigue　is　the　safety　value　of　the　human　organism。　Whoever
dulls　this　sense　in　order　to　work　harder　or　longer　may　be　likened　to　an
engineer　who　sits　down　on　his　safety　valve　in　order　to　make　better　speed
with　his　engine。〃　Dr。　F。　H。　Hammond　of　the　U。　S。　army　said：　〃Alcohol
strengthens　no　one。　It　only　deadens　the　feeling　of　fatigue。〃　Dr。　Sims
Woodhead；　professor　in　Cambridge　University；　England；　had　given　the
following　list　of　conditions　in　which　alcohol　should　not　be　used：　In
those　（1）　who　have　any　family　history　of　drunkenness；　insanity　or　nervous
disease。　（2）　Who　have　used　alcohol　to　excess　in　childhood　or　youth。
（3）　Who　are　nervous；　irritable　or　badly　nourished。　（4）　Who　suffer
from　injuries　to　the　head；　gross　disease　of　the　brain　and　sunstroke。　（5）
Who　suffer　from　great　bodily　weakness；　particularly　during　convalescence
from　exhausting　disease。　（6）　Who　are　engaged　in　exciting　or
exhausting　employment；　in　bad　air　and　surroundings；　in　work　shops　and
mines。　（7）　Who　are　solitary　or　lonely　or　require　amusement。　（8）　Who
have　little　self…control　either　hereditary　or　acquired。　（9）　Who　suffer
from　weakness；　the　result　of　senile　degeneration。　（10）　Who　suffer　from
organic　or　functional　diseases　of　the　stomach；　liver；　kidney　or　heart。
（11）　Who　are　young。

Much　has　been　said　concerning　the　stimulating　effect　of　alcohol　upon
the　heart；　and　this　had　been　treated　at　length。　There　is　an　increased
action　of　about　four　thousand　beats　in　twenty…four　hours　for　every
ounce　of　alcohol　used。　This　fact　still　misleads　some　physicians　into
prescribing　it　to　strengthen　the　weak　heart；　but　the　increase　is　not　due　to
new　force。　The　heart　action　normally　is　the　result　of　arterial　pressure
and　nervous　action；　two　forces　mutually　balancing　each　other。　The
nervous　action　is　diminished　by　the　introduction　of　the　alcohol；　this
destroys　the　balance　and　deranges　the　arterial　pressure。　Dr。　James
Edmunds；　a　great　English　physician；　years　ago　said：　〃When　we　see　a
man　breathing　with　great　vigor；　does　it　occur　to　us　that　he　must　be　in
good　health？　Is　it　an　indication　that　he　gets　more　air？　We　all　know
better。　It　simply　shows　that　he　has　asthma　or　some　such　disease；　and
that　his　breathing　is　strained　and　imperfect。　He　is　making　use　of　less
air　than　the　person　who　breathes　quietly。　This　is　the　case　with　the　blood；
work；　so　it　plunges　and　struggles　in　the　effort。　And　the　cause　of　both
cases　is　the　same。　There　is　more　carbonic　acid　in　the　blood　than　either
the　heart　or　the　lungs　can　handle。　If　for　example　I　were　suffering　from
general　debility　and　milk　were　the　food　best　suited　to　my　needs；　and　if　I
should　discover　a　tramp　in　my　apartments　drinking　of　my　already　too
limited　supply；　would　it　be　reasonable　to　assert　that　the　exhibition　of
strength　which　I　made　in　forcing　him　to　desist　is　an　indication　that　the
entrance　of　the　vagrant　bettered　my　enfeebled　condition？　The　greater
activity　of　the　heart　is　not　due　to　the　added　strength　resulting　from
recruits　of　friends　but　to　a　desperate　struggle　to　beat　back　a　reinforced
enemy。〃

That　alcohol　does　not　allay　pain　had　been　established　when　this　committee
was　organized。　The　only　proper　method　of　allaying　pain　is　to
remedy　the　disorder　which　produced　it。　It　is　no　remedy　to　deaden　the
nerves　so　that　we　cannot　feel　it。　This　reasoning　had　been　found　good
in　the　case　of　alcohol　as　a　remedy　in　〃colds。〃　Whiskey　does　not　relieve
the　uneasiness　and　oppression　we　experience　when　ailing　from　a　cold；
it　only　benumbs　the　nerves　so　we　do　not　feel　the　trouble。　The　cure　is
not　hastened　but　delayed　in　this　way。

　　　　　　　　　　IS　IT　THE　CAUSE　OF　DISEASE？

Besides　the　fact　that　alcohol　had；　before　this　committee's　existence；
been　proved　to　be　neither　a　drink　nor　a　food　nor　a　medicine；　it　had　also
been　shown　to　be　the　cause　of　disease。　Over　five　thousand　of　the　most
prominent　physicians　in　this　country　had　so　stated　it；　and　the　proportion
was　equally　great　in　all　the　enlightened　countries　of　Europe。　The　most
pronounced　in　this　way；　perhaps；　have　been　the　great　leaders　in　medical
science　in　Austria；　Germany　and　France。　Some　of　the　points　made
against　the　use　of　alcohol　were　that　it　interferes　with　digestion　by　rendering
insoluble　the　active　principle　of　the　gastric　juice；　and　especially　by
preventing　the　solution　of　body…building　foods。　The　natural　action　of
various　organs　of　the　body　is　more　or　less　arrested　by　alcohol；　thus　reducing
the　temperature。　This　from　Dr。　Edmunds　already　quoted：　〃The
blood　carries　certain　earthy　matters　in　it　in　a　soluble　state；　these　earthy
matters　being　necessary　for　the　nutrition　of　the　bones　and　other　parts　of
the　body。　You　all　know　that　when　wine　is　fermented　and　turned　from
a　weak　sweet　wine　into　a　strong　alcoholic　wine；　you　get　what　is　called
a　'crust'　formed　on　the　inside　of　the　bottle。　What　is　that　crust？　That
crust　consists　of　saline　or　earthy　matters　which　were　soluble　in　the
saccharine　grape　juice；　but　which　are　insoluble　in　the　alcoholic　fluids。
We　find　in　drunkards　that　the　blood　vessels　get　into　the　same　state　as
the　wine　bottles　from　the　deposit　of　earthy　matter　which　has　no　business
to　be　deposited；　and　forms　the　'beeswing'　or　crust　in　the　blood　vessels
of　the　drunkard；　in　his　eye　and　in　all　of　the　tissues　of　the　body。〃　Alcohol
had　been　found　to　prevent　the　elimination　of　waste；　thus　the　body　is
loaded　with　worn　and　decaying　tissues；　leaving　the　system　an　inviting
field　for　all　sorts　of　diseases。　Life　insurance　companies；　influenced　by
business　interests　wholly；　make　a　distinction　between　liquor　users　and
non…users。　Nelson；　a　distinguished　actuary　of　England；　employed　as　an
expert　by　life　insurance　companies；　found　after　investigating　over　7；000
cases；　none　of　which　were　drunkards；　that　between　the　ages　of　15　and
20　the　proportion　of　deaths　in　total　abstainers　to　those　in　moderate　drinkers
is　as　10　to　18；　between　the　ages　of　25　and　30；　as　10　to　31；　between
30　and　40　as　10　is　to　40。

With　reference　to　the　effect　on　the　offspring　of　drinking　parents；　the
medical　profession　had　accepted　the　teaching　of　the　French　specialist；　Dr。
Jaccound；　that　〃of　the　children　of　drinkers　some　of　them　become　imbeciles
and　idiots；　others　are　feeble　in　mind；　exhibit　moral　perversion；　and　sink
by　degrees　into　complete　degeneration；　still　others　are　epileptics；　deaf
and　dumb；　scrofulous；　etc。；〃　and　of　the　English　teacher；　Dr。　Kerr；　that
〃long　continued　habitual　indulgence　in　intoxicating　drink　to　an　extent　far
short　of　intoxication　is　not　only　sufficient　to　originate　and　hand　down　a
morbid　tendency；　but　is　much　more　likely　to　do　so　than　even　repeated
drunken　outbreaks　with　intervals　of　sobriety　between。〃

Thus　the　men　who　have　been　of　the　greatest　honor　to　the　profession
in　every　land　were　a　unit　in　opposing　the　use　of　alcohol　in　health　or
dise