Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

ALCOHOLOGY

HOMELY TESTS. (Published by Arrangement). Many persons with no claim to be called scientific would like to apply tests of their own to the question as to whether alcohol is a useful adjunct to life and well-being, and would be much more satisfied to trust to their own observations than to the recorded observations of others—even though the observers were of the highest reputation. Now this can be done by any careful man or woman without any intricate apparatus or great expense of time or money. There are two ways by which the effects of alcohol can be, and are, tested. Both are equally scientific, even when made by the non-professional investigator, if only the necessary care be ta'ken and the records kept. The first is by observing the effects on individuals at various stages of life or work, both with and without alcohol. The late Professor Parkes, of Nefcley Hospital, made these tests on soldiers at various kinds of work and invariably found the better wort done without alcohol. Our plain man could not do all that Dr. Parkes did, but he can do this: Take down the uames of all the people lie knows, sav living within a few streets of himself, if in a town, or within a few miles, if in the country, and to the extent of 50 or 100 names. Then go over all these names and mark those who in themselves or families would benefit if no strong drinks were to be got; then again put another distinguishing mark against the names of those who would suffer loss of health or happiness if total abstinence were the universal rule. This rs a test that few defenders of the use of alcohol dare make, for if they did they would find that a very considerable proportion of the 50 or 100 names suffer harm either in themselves or in their families by the use of intoxicants. On the other hand, it would be found that very few indeed, if any, would suffer | even by enforced total abstinence. Then there is another simple test which is really laboratory work on a small scale. It is known now that there is very little difference between the first germs of life in a plant or an animal—.between animal and vegetable protoplasm. What will nourish one will nourish the other, and what will act injuriously on one will act injuriously on the other. NOW FOR THE TEST.

Take six small white phial bottles, cadi of about two-ounce capacity, and Jet them be thoroughly cleaned and dried. Into each bottle put a piece of cotton wool about the size of a walnut and press it firmly into the bottom of the bottle. Number the bottles so ur, so keep a correct record. Then pour into the first bottle enough water containing one per cent, pure alcohol to thoroughly moisten the cotton wool; treat the second bottle in the same way with water containing only one-half per cent, alcohol —1 part to 200 of water; the third bottle with one--fourth per cent—l part alcohol to 400 parts water; the fourth with one-eight per cent, alcohol—l to 800; the fifth with one-sixteentn wt cent.—l to 1000; and lastly, the sixth bottle with pure water. Xow drop into each bottle a few grains, say six or eight, of cress seed and cork the bottles tightly. Set them a'll on a shelf whete they can be easily observed and watch the results. In a few days, according to temperature and the freshness of the seeds, signs of growth may be expected. In the end it will be found that .the seeds having one per cent, alcohol will not grow at all, nor will number two, with the half per cent., show any growth; the others in order may show ■growth, but a growth increasing with the decreasing alcohol, and number six with pure water will grow best of all. It must, however, he remembered that just as men vary in their ability to withstand alcohol', or other deleterious influences, so do seeds; and a-seed here and there may be able to germinate in numbers three or four, but none can stand even the half per cent, of alcohol. Now consider how weak that solution of alcohol is that kills the seeds; it is as though two ta'blespoonfuls of strong beer were put into a pint of water. That is sufficient alcoholic strength to Kill cress seed—vegetable protoplasm in the germ of that seed. How, then, can we do other than conclude that a very small quantity of undiluted beer must do more or less injury to the drinker and prevent his protoplasmic cells from developing as they ought to develop? If you are so busy that you cannot make the above test, just try'some seeds in a flower pot with say one of beer to four of wat'e> In the open the alcohol evaporates; and that is why the bottles are corked: so. too, in the beer-drinker the alcoholic evaporates or more harm would be done.

REMARKABLE SPEECH BY MR. T. E. TAYLOR. At a large gathering at the Wellington Town Hall under the auspices of the New Zealand Alliance in connection with the Xo-License Convention recently held, the notable speeches were those hi Dr. Henry and Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.P. The former dealt with the subject mainly ■from the moral and religious, point ol view. He said that there were now 50 million people under prohibition in America, and it was a success. In proportion as the public-house prospered the Church lost ground, and in proportion as the Church prospered the public-house lost ground. The triumph of one meant the defeat of the other. These two institutions, which are living side by side in Wellington, would not live side by side for ever. Ultimately the Church would live and the public-house would perish, or the public-house would live and organised Christianity would perish from the earth. Science declared that the fittest' survived, and he submitted that the Church of Christ should live and that! this institution should die the death. It had been stated in America that "the saloons would close all the churches if they could, and the churches could close all the saloons if they would." Mr. Taylor, referring to the political aspect of the question, made an important declaration. Local option, he said, must give way to Dominion option. ,- I believe," continued Mr. Taylor, "that we are coming to a parting of the ways on this question of ipolicy. The educational effectiveness of local option is almost exhausted."

Voices: "You're wrong." "Question." Mr. Taylor answered that the question was capable of being argued. He considered that the disappointments in the operation of iNo J license, and the loopholes for the evasion of the law were 'gradually undermining the enthusiasm of Xo-license people. They knew that in Ashburton there were' eight sly-grosr' shops. (A voice: More than that.) The police knew it. (Voices: Shame!). It was admittedly difficult to get convictions, hut it would, he fifty times less difficult to enforce Dominion prohibition than local no-license. There were "revisions that tempted people to evade the law. Tie had resisted -'Clause 9," but he was now satisfied that they must face the logical issue that came from local option. The liquor traffic, from A to Z, lock, stock and barrel, must be wiped out.

There was no such thing as moderation in the liquor habit. It aggravated | all diseases. It was corrupting our national life. Why should they hesitate' to raise the national cry of absolute prohibition of the manufacture, sale and imnftant parting company with some who had worked with them, let it come, and if it had to come, then the sooner the better. Within the next twelve months they had got to decide on a policy that would mean standing still for several years, or a policy that was the logical and natural outcome of their progress in the past. The liquor traffic was almost, a> insolent in its pride to-day as it wrt3* fifteen years ago. Its wealth, was increasing daily. Its .political power was almofit as great as ever. Why should they keep their Christianity outside the sphere of .practical politics? (Applause). \Vh»- should they have to go cap in hand

to a neutral or hostile Parliament or municipal authority (Applause). Instead of pleading and begging, they ought to be able to exercise the right that belonged to them by virtue of their numbers. The liquor question would never be settled until it was settled aright. Local option was only a stepping stone and an educational movement, and the duty of the men and women of this country was to oet hold of the liquor traffic and strangle it by carrying the national prohibition of the importation, manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquor. When that was done, if he were still a'live, he would make some other urgent reforms —though they had no right to stop for a day in connection with any of the great urgent reforms. The one great crime for men and women in the face of the evils of to-day was apathy and indifference. "There are great evils hurting society to-day," exclaimed Mr. Taylor, -'and if you try to crawl into Heaven before you have done a man's or a woman's share in finding a remedy for them—well, if I were in charge of the gate " The remainder of the sentence was drowned in applause, and before it had finished, Mr. Taylor resumed his seat.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19100702.2.64

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 71, 2 July 1910, Page 10

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,595

ALCOHOLOGY Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 71, 2 July 1910, Page 10

ALCOHOLOGY Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 71, 2 July 1910, Page 10

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert