SCIENTIFIC TEMPERANCE INSTRUCTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 487, 30 September 1909, Page 4

SCIENTIFIC TEMPERANCE INSTRUCTION.

REMARKS BY MRS RITCHIE.

In seconding the Rev. G. K. Aitken’s resolution in reference to scientific temperance being taught in our public schools, at the recent No-L,icense Convention held in Foxton, Mrs Ritchie said she believed that the solution of the drink problem was to be found in instructing the children as to the nature and effects of alcohol on the body and on the mind. If the children are taught that alcohol in any form injures the brain, heart, liver and every organ of the body, without exception, it will do more to put a stop to drinking intoxicating liquor than any amount of talk regarding its moral effects. We were accustomed to ask people to abstain for the sake of the weak brother —we still do so —but now, because of the discoveries of medical science, we ask them to abstain for their own sakes, because alcohol, even in its smallest quantity, is always injurious. We have a great weight of evidence in support of our demand. In the United Kingdom. 14,718 doctors —many of them in the forefront of their profession —in 1904 signed a petition to the Central Education Board, urging the necessity of teaching the chilclren, from a very early age, the effects of alcohol on all the organs of the body.

In the United States 22 millions of children are receiving such instruction. Why should it be withheld from the children in New Zealand ? Mrs Ritchie suggested that all temperance workers should educate themselves on this subject so as to be ready to combat the false ideas which prevail as to alcohol being a “pick-me-up” and a cure for any and every disease.

Reference was made to the patent medicines which contain a large per centage of alcohol, such as “Stearns’ Wine,’’ which has 20 per cent., and “Wincarnis,” which has 18 per cent. Hence the reason why so many women become victims to strong drink. Through using these medicated wines the craving for strong drink is created. Medicated wine is just port wine or sherry with some drugs added. It retains all the alcohol which was in the wine before it was “medicated.” Another suggestion was that a scientific temperance lesson should be given at every Band of Hope meeting. Children bad shown much interest in such subjects as “The effects of alcohol on the heart.” Until our demand is granted by Parliament, every opportunity of imparting such instruction should be made the most of.