Physiological aspects of the liquor problem / investigations made by and under the direction of W. O. Atwater, John S. Billings [and others] sub-committee of the Committee of fifty to investigate the liquor problem.

  • Billings, John S. (John Shaw), 1838-1913
Date:
1903
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Physiological aspects of the liquor problem / investigations made by and under the direction of W. O. Atwater, John S. Billings [and others] sub-committee of the Committee of fifty to investigate the liquor problem. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    produce a depressing and even harmful effect when used just before or during physical or mental labor. They are useless as preventives of infectious or contagious disease; on the contrary, they appear to lessen the power of the organism to resist the effects of the cause of such disease. VIII. The report prepared by Dr. H. P. Bowditch of Boston, and Professor C. F. Hodge of Worcester, Mass., on the present instruction on the physiological action of alcohol, is believed to be a correct representation of the facts, and to justify the con- clusion that much of the methods and substance of the so-called scientific temperance instruction in the public schools is unsci- entific and undesirable. It is not in accord with the opinions of a large majority of the leading physiologists of Europe as shown by the statement printed on page 18 of volume i. of this Report. This appears to us to be a matter of grave importance. IX. It does not seem to this sub-committee desirable to at- tempt to give systematic instruction to all children in the pri- mary schools on the subject of the action of alcohol or of alco- holic drinks. To older children, and especially those in the high schools, it does seem proper that instruction should be given as to the principal facts known about the use and effects of alco- holic drinks, the sociological and especially the ethical relations of the subject, the means which have been tried to prevent the evils resulting from alcoholism — and the results, — the object being to enable them to form an intelligent opinion upon the whole subject, especially to distinguish between mere assertions and scientific evidence. X. This teaching should not be made a special, isolated mat- ter, but should be a part of some elementary instruction in physiology and hygiene, and all that is really useful and desir- able can be given in a brief time, equivalent to a few lessons of an hour each, following the lessons on food. In these lessons might be taught what the ordinary alcoholic drinks are, and of what and how they are made, the difference between simple fer- mented drinks, like beer and wine, and distilled liquor, such as whiskey, the nature of the so-called temperance drinks, and the general effects of alcohol as a stimulant and as a narcotic. It might be taught that while in moderate quantities beer and wine may be, in a certain sense, a food, they are a very imper- fect and expensive kind of food, and are seldom used for food