A Sensible Doctor

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 110, 11 March 1890, Page 3

A Sensible Doctor

Dr Churton, Chester, held an inquest at Nantwich touching the death of George Berrington, a^aged inmate of the workhouse. The evidence showed that he ate a hearty Christmas dinner, and next morning was found dead in bed. In reply to the Coroner the Master of the Workhouse stated that the Guardians had passed a special resolution refusing beer or W' alcoholic stimulants to inmates on Christmas Day. The Ooronor said it was quite unnecessary to pursue the enquiry further- For reasons best known to the Guardians they had- departed from the usual arrangement of allowing beer at the Christinas dinner. His own impression was that, instead of doing harm, a little alcoholic stimulant was beneficial as assisting to get rid of a heavy meal." . In his experience he had known many mistakes made by persons who held extreme views on the use of stimulants. What were the good things of earth sent for unless to be enjoyed in moderation f Did they mean totell him that a glass of wine or beer would hurt any living man? Certainly not; in fact, stimu* lanta, he knew from a very long experience, had been the means of saving thousands of lives. ; 1$ . was espeeialiy beneficial in oases of weak aotionof the heart. He had known teetotallers who were inordinate eaters, who got large quantities of food 6n their stomachs. He remembered a case in Nantwioh, where a man, a teetotaller, -went home at night and ate -a$ eaotnftoua supper/ Nextxnora-

ing he was found dead in bed. The enormous quantity of food had filled the stomach, pressed upon the heart, and prevented an upward flow of blood. Because he (the Coroner) ex pressed the opinion that a glass of beer would have saved his life, he was severely criticised. Extreme men carried this kind of thing too.far.* A verdict of death from natural causes was returned.