the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第56节

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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
disease　and　in　holding　that　if　people　are　determined　to　use　it　there　is　less
danger　in　health；　as　then　the　system　is　in　better　condition　to　throw　off
its　evil　effects。



　　　　　　　　　　PROGRESS　DURING　THE　PAST　YEAR。

Now　as　to　the　progress　made　during　the　past　year。　In　June；　1901；
the　American　Medical　Association　met　in　St。　Paul。　The　branch　of　it
giving　special　study　to　the　temperance　question　held　several　sessions；
about　one　hundred　of　the　most　distinguished　physicians　in　the　country
attending。　Much　time　was　given　to　considering　Dr。　Atwater's　teaching
to　the　effect　that　he　had　proved　alcohol　to　be　a　food。　During　the　previous
year　he　had　published　the　details　of　his　experiments；　and　at　the　convention
it　was　shown　that　his　own　experiments　upset　his　conclusions。　It
had　been　held　that　except　in　rare　instances　alcohol　taken　into　the　system
passed　away　from　it　as　alcohol　without　change。　Dr。　Atwater's　experiments
strengthened　somewhat　the　position　of　those　who　held　that　change
is　not　infrequent；　but　he　concluded　that　the　portion　broken　up　while　in　the
body　served　as　a　food。　A　closer　examination　of　his　own　experiments
showed　that　the　portion　oxidized　had　gone　to　form　other　compounds　in
the　system　which　were　possibly　more　harmful　than　if　it　had　all　passed
off　unchanged。　Dr。　Max　Kassowitz；　professor　in　the　University　of　Vienna；
said；　after　Dr。　Atwater's　statement　had　been　published：　〃For　the　animal
and　human　organism；　alcohol　is　not　both　a　food　and　a　poison；　but　a
poison　only；　which　like　other　poisons　is　an　irritant　when　taken　in　small
doses　while　in　larger　ones　it　produces　paralysis。〃　In　connection　with
the　fact　that　alcohol　is　simply　a　poison；　it　may　be　worth　stating；　that　the
original　meaning　of　the　word　〃intoxicated〃　was　〃poisoned。〃　After　reading
Dr。　Atwater；　the　Russian　Commission　for　the　study　of　alcoholism；
after　two　years'　work；　said：　〃The　claim　that　alcohol　is　a　food　in　any
proper　sense　of　the　term　is　not　sufficiently　proved。〃　In　the　St。　Paul
convention　spoken　of；　politics　obtained　a　foothold；　and　some　weak　resolutions
in　favor　of　the　army　canteen　were　adopted　but　not　even　the　champions
of　the　canteen　were　willing　to　subscribe　to　the　statement　that　alcohol　is
ever　a　real　food。

Just　previous　to　our　last　convention　much　noise　was　made　through
the　daily　press　concerning　a　finding　of　some　English　scientist　to　the　effect
that　an　acquired　tendency　cannot　be　transmitted　to　offspring。　We　were
told　that　this　would　upset　the　theory　that　children　inherit　a　craving　for
intoxicants　from　intemperate　parents；　and　〃the　moralists　and　reformers
would　have　to　readjust　this　logic　on　these　points。〃　In　the　annual　report
of　the　president　of　the　Union　a　year　ago；　attention　was　drawn　to　the　fact
that　those　who　indulge　in　this　sort　of　sophistry　have　not　read　what　the
teachings　of　temperance　workers　have　been　on　the　subject。　Such　was　not
the　opinion　of　the　scientists　making　the　report；　for　it　says　〃Children　of
drunkards　are　liable　to　be　mentally　and　physically　weak　and　tend　to
become　paupers；　criminals；　epileptics　and　drunkards。〃　It　will　be　seen
from　what　has　been　said　that　this　is　the　position　we　have　held　all　along。
Dr。　Davis；　the　dean　of　American　physicians　opposing　the　use　of　alcohol；
has　published　during　the　year　a　number　of　articles　showing　the　impossibility
of　alcohol's　being　of　service　as　a　medicine；　and　has　dwelt　especially
upon　its　harmful　effects　in　fevers；　diseases　in　which　it　is　still　much
prescribed。　The　two　influential　temperance　societies　composed　of　American
physicians　have；　during　the　past　year；　kept　up　the　agitation　against
alcohol　as　a　medicine；　and　good　is　coming　from　it；　as　gradually　medical
journals　are　giving　more　and　more　space　to　the　question。　The　following
international　manifesto　has　been　issued　by　the　leading　physicians　of　the
world：


　　　　　　　　　　INTERNATIONAL　MEDICAL　MANIFESTO。

〃The　following　statement　has　been　agreed　upon　by　the　Council　of
the　British　Medical　Temperance　Association；　the　American　Medical　Temperance
Association；　the　Society　of　Medical　Abstainers　in　Germany；　the
leading　physicians　in　England　and　on　the　continent。　The　purpose　of　this
is　to　have　a　general　agreement　of　opinions　of　all　prominent　physicians
in　civilized　countries　concerning　the　dangers　from　alcohol；　and　in　this
way　give　support　to　the　efforts　made　to　check　and　prevent　the　evils　from
this　source。

In　view　of　the　terrible　evils　which　have　resulted　from　the　consumption
of　alcohol；　evils　which　in　many　parts　of　the　world　are　rapidly　increasing；
we；　members　of　the　medical　profession；　feel　it　to　be　our　duty；　as
being　in　some　sense　the　guardians　of　the　public　health；　to　speak　plainly
of　the　nature　of　alcohol；　and　of　the　injury　to　the　individual　and　the
danger　to　the　community　which　arise　from　the　prevalent　use　of　intoxicating
liquors　as　beverages。

We　think　that　it　ought　to　be　known　that：

1。　Experiments　have　demonstrated　that　even　a　small　quantity　of
alcoholic　liquor；　either　immediately　or　after　a　short　time；　prevents　perfect
mental　action；　and　interferes　with　the　functions　of　the　cells　and
tissues　of　the　body；　impairing　self…control　by　producing　other　markedly
injurious　effects。　Hence　alcohol　must　be　regarded　as　a　poison；　and　ought
not　to　be　classed　among　foods。

2。　Observation　establishes　the　fact　that　a　moderate　use　of　alcoholic
liquors；　continued　over　a　number　of　years；　produces　a　gradual　deterioriation
of　the　tissues　of　the　body；　and　hastens　the　changes　which　old　age
brings；　thus　increasing　the　average　liability　to　disease　（especially　to
infectious　disease；）　and　shortening　the　duration　of　life。

3。　Total　abstainers；　other　conditions　being　similar；　can　perform　more
work；　possess　greater　powers　of　endurance；　have　on　the　average　less　sickness；
and　recover　more　quickly　than　non…abstainers；　especially　from
infectious　diseases；　while　altogether　escape　diseases　specially　caused　by
alcohol。

4。　All　the　bodily　functions　of　a　man；　as　of　every　other　animal；　are
best　performed　in　the　absence　of　alcohol；　and　any　supposed　experience
to　the　contrary　is　founded　on　delusion；　a　result　of　the　action　of　alcohol
on　the　nerve　centers。

5。　Further；　alcohol　tends　to　produce　in　the　offspring　of　drinkers　an
unstable　nervous　system；　lowering　them　mentally；　morally　and　physically。
Thus　deterioration　of　the　race　threatens　us；　and　this　is　likely　to　be　greatly
accelerated　by　the　alarming　increase　of　drinking　among　women；　who
have　hitherto　been　little　addicted　to　this　vice。　Since　the　mothers　of　the
coming　generation　are　thus　involved　the　importance　and　danger　of　this
increase　cannot　be　exaggerated。

Seeing；　then；　that　the　common　use　of　alcoholic　beverages　is　always
and　everywhere　followed；　sooner　or　later；　by　moral；　physical　and　social
results　of　a　most　serious　and　threatening　character；　and　that　it　is　the　cause；
direct　or　indirect；　of　a　very　large　proportion　of　the　poverty；　suffering；
vice；　crime；　lunacy；　disease　and　death；　not　only　in　the　case　of　those　who
take　such　beverages；　but　in　the　case　of　others　who　are　unavoidably　associated
with　them；　we　feel　warranted；　nay；　compelled　to　urge　the　general
adoption　of　total　abstinence　from　all　intoxicating　liquors　as　beverages；
as　the　surest；　simplest；　and　quickest　method　of　removing　the　evils　which
necessarily　result　from　their　use。　Such　a　course　is　not　only　universally
safe；　but　it　is　also　natural。

We　believe　that　such　an　era　of　health；　happiness　and　prosperity　would
be　inaugerated　thereby　that　many　of　the　social　problems　of　the　present
age　would　be　solved。〃

The　year　has　been　marked　by　more　detailed　examination　of　the
effects　of　alcohol　upon　the　human　system；　with　the　result　that　progress
towards　its　eventual　overthrow　as　a　medicine　has　been　distinctly　made。
The　greatest　reforms　are　brought　about　quietly；　but　truth　is　mighty　and
does　prevail。　It　will　take　time　but　gradually　all　will　come　to　feel　the
suggestive　power　in　the　fact　that　〃The　table　of　nature　is　spread；　and
bountifully　spread；　for　all　its　millions　upon　millions　of　guests；　but　wine
and　strong　drink　are　not　on　the　table。〃


　　　　　SCIENTIFIC　TESTIMONY　ON　BEER
　（From　speech　by　SENATOR　J。　H。　GALLINGER；　M。　D。；　January　9；　1901。）
　　　　　　　　　　OPINIONS　OF　LEADING　PHYSICIANS。

The　alarming　growth　of　the　use　of　beer　among　our　people；　and　the
spreading　delusion　among　many　who　consider　themselves　temperate　and
sober；　that　the　encouragement　of　beer　drinking　is　an　effective　way　of
promoting
the　cause　of　temperance　and　of　aiding　to　stamp　out　the　demon　rum；
impelled　the　Toledo　Blade　to　send　a　representative　to　a　number　of　the
leading　physicians　of　Toledo　to　obtain　their　opinions　as　to　the　real　damage
which　indulgence　in　malt　liquors　does　the　victim　of　that　form　of　intemperance。

Every　one　is　not　only　a　gentleman　of　the　highest　personal　character；
but　is　a　physician　whose　professional　abilities　have　been　severely　tested；
and　received　the　stamp　of　the　highest　indorsement　by　the　public　and　their
professional　brethren。　More　skilful　physicians　are　not　to　be　found　anywhere。
We　have　not　selected　those　of　known　temperance　p