THE MODERATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1917, Page 3

THE MODERATES.

'J'o the Editor. S7f,-As reprcsuding the Moderates in tiic use of alcohol, Air. llarker is a. reasonable correspondent, and J. am sure lie wants to bo right, and I hope that he may yet see the right as to intoxicants. It is true that doctors differ; but in regard to alcohol tlie difference is getting less and leas. During- the last 70 year's there have been several medical declarations against the beverage use of alcohol, and each with increasing support from the doctors, both in numbers and position. The latest is that of the American Medical Association, which ha? a membership of 80,000. In June last the House of Dleegates of the A.M.A. resolved unanimously.- "Whereas we believe the use of alcohol is detrimental to the human economy, be it resolved tint the American Ale'dical Association is opposed to the use of alcohol as a beverage, ami that the use of alcohol as a therapeutic agent be discouraged." during all these years I know of only one Medical Association in favor of alcoholic drinks, and that was issued more than ten years ago, and had onl/ Hi signatures." So it would seem that "doctors differ."' but that the trend of medical opinion is altogether against alcohol. Then Mr. Harkcr relies on alcohol as a. stimulant. That was the idea of some at one time. To-day it is pretty well given up. Afost of' us know that Solomon was right when be said 'Wine is a. mocker,'' and that the hook of Proverbs in the end of chapter •2:! gives a vivid and up-to-date description of how the drug deals with its votaries. However, let us turn to modern science for an explanation of how alcohol works. Here it is definitely set out that alcohol is not a stimulant, but a depressant, and a. paralyzant. Dr. Cutten in his "Psychology'of Aleoliolism" says: "Instead of stimulating the" mental powers ,it paralyses the regulative apparatus of the mind, so that the subject is not able to judge correctly, or to discern his real weakness." Horsley and Sturge Sxplain how alcohol at. first appears to stimulate: "Chloroform, and some of the drugs which send the brain to sleep, V.ave the property of causing a sonsatiojv of temporary- initial stimulation and excitation. It is indeed this temporary sense of stimulation which is sought after by the victims of morpbia and alcohol alike. In the casp of both, this sensation of betterment i 3 chiefly due to the slight deadening of the higher centres, where keen appreciation of'discomfort is recorded." Then they show that alcoh'd is not a stimulant as tea or coffer The former in the end is a depressant, while, the later reallv stimulate and leave no bad after effect. In this Horsley and Sturgo ace supported by Sir 1.. S. Ciouslon, M.D., who savs, in •'Hygiene of the Mind": "So far as scientific experiment goes, tea is proved not to weaken but rather to stimulate the mental powers of the brain's cortex, lis use in moderate quantity is not followed by any injurious reaction, and is not prejudicial to any function of the body.' To this may be added that some y"ars before the war one of the great powers of Europe sei up a medical commission to enquire what voiild be belter than spirits as a stimulus for soldiers on t!m mareli : and the,.conclusion come to was that sugar and sweet chocolate was the best fatigue ration and much to be preferred to spirits. Then, too,' it. is conIcnoje'd I hat alcoholic drinks lend tc long life. This is quite contrary to fact, nndfhe experience of the insurance companies, as well as to all vital statistics, ■Sis.T. P. Whittaker. chairman of the C.K. Temperance and General Provident Institution, says: "Our experience for (10 years, with over 190 000 lives, is that the death rate amungst abstainers as against careful moderate, drinkers is 23 to 35 'per cent, in favor of abstainers. From 1840 to 1901 the deaths of abstainers were .11-.M. if they had died in tho same proportion as non-abstainers there would have been 0:)."0 deaths, showing that in that period the saved IcX) lives. Abstainers and non-abstain-ers (moderates) are alike in other respects—same towns, same occupationsonly carefully selected non-abstainers are taken." Other insurance societies, where (lie two branches of business are recorded, show similar results. I must quote one more authority, and this from America. Air. Artnur Hunter, life insurance actuary, had charge for 3i years of invesications of the experience of 43 leading insurance companies of t'.S.A. and Canada. He said that "it is certain that abstainers live longer than persons who use alcoholic beverages." This ii superior evidence as to length of life, to any one man's observations of a few hearty old moderate drinkers. In my youth I lived near a military hospital (Chelsea Hospital) and saw many very old soldiers. They had lived through wars and peace to real old age. lint that observation of my youth did not prove that a battle field was a place of residence to be chosen if one desired a long life.—l am, etc., ,GEO. H. MAUNDER.