USES OE ALCOHOL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 110, 8 May 1880, Page 1

USES OE ALCOHOL.

Dr A. Buchanan, President of tbe Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow, aays:-!-*** The whole argument is comprised in tfye three following questions, to which , a clear and unhesitating answer can be readily given : — ,' Is j alcohol food ? 'Is alcohol poison ?' and r-'-SbquLd.- the use, of alcohol be ;retrictedbylegal enactments, as dangerous to civil society ?' The first question be answered ip what is alleged to be jthe Scotch fashion, viz., by putting another .questions ' Is fat an article pf foojirjtherfat; p f beef, pr of mutton, for ins tan cc, or .butter, which is quite . similar V aNo.w, no physiologist can have ithe 1 hesitation in answering the datter: question in the. affirmative, and the scientific answer is in accordance -with the universal experience of mankind.L Fat cannot indeed produce bone or muscle, but it aeryes other .purposes not less important in the animal economy. It generates heat and vital force. It almost consists entirely of the. combustible elements — carbon and hydrogen — and these, meeting within the bipod- vessels with ; atmospheric oxygen absorbed from \ the lungs and deposited in the blood-cor-puscles, gradually undergo combustion and so give heat and vital force to the bpdy. . Now, alcohol consists of the very same elements, .varying somewhat in proportion, but alike fitted to under- : go combustion within the body, aiid so '

produce the same salutary effects. la respect it is much superior, for it is more immediate in its action, which is $ g^f)Wß orta PSe ia all eases ofsudden emergency. Fat to be absorbed into the syatetn, and * pervading the whole body, gives: oat oesexy where its heat ; and invigorating; energy. The sacred Scripturefl- pod .all ancient hißtorial works ; attest. that,: from times immemorial, winerhas been believed by mankind to produce these Balutary effects 8 Who is there at the ,presont day; who has attained the age pf ;manhood who haß .not experienced the same .effect in his own person? If.any, man afflria ■ that he is an exception,,! reply th»t he ris an; exception also from the great majority ofrhis spjßcjesrin the constitution and susceptibilities of his body. If, therefore, I am asked whether alcohol b;e a goodjor bad thing, 1 am; bound to answer, in accprdence) with; the evidence of history, and in accordance with my own experience and the .experience of many trustworthy men communicated to me, that I hold it to be al,good thing-ta jgpod gift of God to map, which human perversity alone hpB, converted: into an instrument of evil. Now, how ah.ould suph a gift ba : received iat the bands of the^reat Giver of all good ? Should we spurn it from us, and declare in our wisdom that it is,an accursed thing that w,e cannot receive; or should we,; receive it humbly and thankfully, acd use it without abusing it; that is, so use it ; that we may obtain from it the- benefits intended for us, and avoid the evils consequent , upqa.abusing.it? It is (o my': mind, therefore, quite clear that all who entertain u these views of the beneficial action of alcohol upon the human body ought to partake, of it; that they have a double; ; sanction, moral and religious, in so doing;, and that for any man, directly or indirectly, to prevent them from doing it is a wrong action, contrary to the dictates both pf morals ; and religion.; ; Qa t the other hand, it is admitted on all sides that alcohol taken in excess is a poison, . and destroys ■ every year innumerable Jives. Seeing ; that the cause from wbioh the present unsatisfactory state of society proceeds is fully ascertained, there .is presented a wide and promising field for wide legislation ; and surely all good men will unite in asking, yea in demanding, such legislation from ; Government, i Quite the reverse. Two great parties cannot agree upon first principles,! and therefore they do nothing. The noble band of philanthropists who, from their long and arduous-struggle in cause of humanity, are so well entitled to lead the way in this all important work, will admit of no compromise, and have nailed their colors to the mast. They require, and can ecoept of nothing short of; total abatinenoe from all alcholic liquors. - This requirement will never ba acceeded to by the vastly more numerous body ot plain men with less enthusiasm but perhaps as muoh thought about them, who feel-in their own persons that alcohol does them good, and many of whom have besides a rational conviction thatit is a substance eminently fitted to act beneficially on the human body. Such ia the unfortunate dilemma in consequence of which all legislation has become impossible. Meantime the wheel goes round ; drunkenness and crime shout together in triumph, misery and disease groan aloud in despair, anddeattf con. signs foriy thousand victims annually to the silent grave." .