Defence of Dr. Sewall's work on the pathology of drunkenness, and his drawings of the human stomach, as affected by the use of alcoholic drinks, from health to death by delirium tremens.

  • Delavan, Edward C. (Edward Cornelius), 1793-1871.
Date:
[1843]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Defence of Dr. Sewall's work on the pathology of drunkenness, and his drawings of the human stomach, as affected by the use of alcoholic drinks, from health to death by delirium tremens. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    #tf&Vw TEMPERANCE RECORDER—EXTRArT ;——- DEFENCE Of Dr. Sewall's work on the Pathology of Drunkenness, and his Drawings of the Human Stomach, as affected by the use of Alcoholic drinks, from health to death by Delirium Tremens. To Dr. Thomas Hun : Dear Sir—Your second number is a frank, fair and manly expression of opinions, and though differing entirely from some of the opinions expressed ; and though grieved to see talent so full of promise directed to the encouragement of a practice which appears to me to be full of danger to all, especially to the young, still, after the discourtesy which I have sometimes received from those with whom it has been my misfortune to differ, it is refreshing to meet an opponent in whose manner there is so much to commend, and so little to be dissatisfied with; and I cannot but indulge the hope, that a mind so discri- minating and ingenuous, on farther acquaint- ance with the principles of total abstinence, and the facts and arguments in favor of it which exist, will come to the conclusion that such abstinence is, after all, not undeserving of the approbation of intelligent, humane and patriotic, as well as Christian men. In stating the question at issue, you say, According to Dr. Sewall, the disease of the stomach, which reaches its greatest intensity in the confirmed drunkard, begins already in the temperate drinker; or, in other words, temperate drinking gives rise to a disease of the stomach which differs in degree from that produced by intemperance, but which runs into it by an insensible gradation. Such I understand to be the meaning of his plate I, fig. 2, and of the remarks concerning it in the Enquirer. This strikes me as a fair statement, and as sufficiently explicit; and the question aris- ing out of the same is, whether the temperate use of intoxicating liquors tends to produce diseased stomachs, oj which stomachs a cer- tain print is assumed to be a fair example. The print in question is sufficiently defined : it is No. 2; and that there may be no mistake as to the definition of the temperate drinker, .■ ,1._ ......... i : - - ' to belong, I remark that, so far as this dis- cussion is concerned, it is such a drinker as is described by Dr. Sewall himself in the Enquirer, as above referred to. The doctor's words are : In fig. 2 of the same plate, we have exhibited the internal surface of the stomach of the temperate drinker, the man who takes his glass of mint sling in the morn- ing, and his toddy on going to bed; or of him who takes his two or three glasses of Madeira at his dinner. And here the work of destruction begins. That beautiful net- work of blood-vessels, which was invisible in the healthy stomach, being excited by the stimulus of alcohol, becomes dilated and dis- tended with blood, visible and distinct. I affirm that such temperate drinking as is here described, does produce the inception of disease indicated by plate I, fig. 2, which disease is fully developed by drunkenness, as exhibited in plate No. 3. This I understand you to deny. That you have stated the question fairly and with sufficient plainness, is admitted; and it is admitted that you are entitled to an answer without equivocation. You commence your argument for the ne- gative thus : In the first place, I affirm that no satis- factory observations have been made lo estab- lish the difference, (that is, the difference between the stomach of the temperate drinker and the teetotaller,) if it really exist. You do not affirm that no observations have been made, but that no satisfactory obser- vations have been made. Now, whether the observations made are satisfactory or not, depends upon their appa- rent credibility in view of the person coaiem- plating the same. Observations quite satis- factory to some individuals, may be quite un- satisfactory to others. That the observations actually made, have not been satisfactory to