ALCOHOL AN EVIL SPIRIT!

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 280, 7 August 1909, Page 10

ALCOHOL AN EVIL SPIRIT!

': Sir,—ln Saturday's' Dominion,' J)r. Moii'ck-. ton, ■of Fcilding,': presumes to.'■'have'' g'ivoii .your readers some ''plain,' unvarnished state-' .ropnts>" jbut; sir, ' his'references .to. tho oldfangledl'notions of what was, done ..'in the 'fifties': will '.riot boar weight'; in .this' ago of science., No doubt alcohof.gavo tho: so.-cnlled ;.'Dutoh courage" to the medicos, or- others' .having business in the slums, but 'at the same tinio: alcohol increases'tho averagb liato. disease. ' Liobig, quoted by tho Feilding medico, is 'lio authority to go by, for his 'arguments are 'ridiculed in .that rcconfc publication :on liygieno, by 'Ikin arid Lyster, 1906 editionyl also a certain French, scientist's'opinion of i 895 quoted in. support of his arguments. \ , 'Surely Dr/'Monckton is,a long way behind ; thoitimes and needs the opinions of modem deading medical nicii. Let-him got tho In-, tbrnational Medical' Manifesto of 1903; • included among-tlis'.'soo ' medicos':.'.are ■.such well-knowiirinen as Dr. E. Cosgrove, Professor Woodhead,; Dr. Dr.ysdfllo',-aJid DiS Eccles, ,I : regret-not .to-.be able' tc-;;quote ; ,morq fully, ;but there is;one/clause- of .tiieir: manifesto:— ".Observation /establishes the,' fact -that a' moderato use of 'alcoholic liquors; continued oyer _a\number of. yearsproduces:a:.gradual deterioration of ofv.thd.bbdy, and hastens tbc changes which old ago "brings thus increasing;' tho average liability :to diseaso, and shortening';tlio duration of life," What has Dr. Moiickton to say about the 14)718 medical'men 'of the United Kingdom, who signed, tJio great jnedical petition, which was presented to Lord /Londonderry bv Sir William Broadbcnt,,on-Ju'ly-11, *"dvocatiiig. ainong other, tilings. that instruction with rogard to tlio injurious, effects of alcohol should bo /made compulsory in, all tho schools of the country? ' Sir Wm. Broadbent, whopresented the position, is, a most eminent Dhysician, .'and in his' introductory '■ remarks ':Ko ;s'ays:—".:■;.. : : " v '. ,:■.''.;■■':'.-. ■ V,-' : \ ■' .-■'■.'•'•.. '."IKwas by sonic, supposed-that tho consump{.ion.:df. some quantity: of...alcohol .was absolutely iiecessarj''as a: source of,strength. .T.hore/-.could bo ,ho,-greater-error,.. for;so far ffoin:its, being-a sonrco of straigthr-tt'wns really: a.-.drain on. tho energy of tlie. 1 indivicinal." y ,'.'.:, -;•■' ';■'■■ ■'■ ■■■ -, .-'.- If-stjll more proof, is wanted of recent date,' I can supply Dr. .Monckton with the testi-. monies of men-all of whom,,ard:o'f. great cm-, ineneo'ih the medieni world;; ,No "doubt Sir; Frederick Troves's.-manifesto, has passed annoticed, but I would- refcr'our correspondent to. that 'as beiiig tho-testimony, of.vono of tils most eminent and 'experienced surgeons of tho, present day...;, ;.;'■■;■ ".,' ,-V. ';': "y- 'V . But surely I have given'proof, cno'ugb'-,that alcohol is an evil spirit. On tho other .hind, I am willing to admit that, there aro, a fbyy—■" a very few, and a decreasing . few—eminent medical men who still contend that moderate drinking is hotjn any-degree harmful.-...8ut 1 in tho.faco of the cvidoncb'l havdvprofcrred will ,Dr./Monckton any,; longer:-'liayo;, the audacity to deiiy.'.'.that ..modern '"medical, opinion is overwhelmingly; in favour of*total abstinonco? When your- readers ' remember ■ that Dr..Monck'ton's' theories have-long been cxplodod, they will bo. convince>V.tbat:?tho' cause of, alcohol, whichneeds, to,bo bolstered up in such a manner, is a weak one indeed,: :Nor can. I got a- more fitting wind-up : to' these remarks than from ,Milton's "Samson Agoiiistes" :-—.-■ - '' ; "Oh,-.madness! to', think.nso- of. strongest wines and strongest-.drinks our chief suoport of ■'health, when Go(l withihe'se forbidddM ■made choice to rear His mighty; champion';' strong aboyo compare, whoso drink Was only,: ■from the liquid brook." — 1- am, etc., ''':/" ' , '■ ,:• --Tlttr Grey town,. August, 1, -1909...:'...' .. ''