A GREAT SURGEON ON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN SO-CALLED

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11279, 21 May 1902, Page 3

A GREAT SURGEON ON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN SO-CALLED

"MODERATION." Sir Henry Thompson, Bart., M.D., F.R.C.S. j Surgeon ext-aoidinary to his Majesty the King of the Belgians, and Surgeon to University College Hospital. I have long bad tbe conviction thattbere lis no greater cause of evil, moral and physical, in this country than the use of alcoholic beverages. I do not mean by I this that extreme indulgence which proI duce drunkenness. The habitual use 'of fermented liquors to an extent far short of what is necessary to produce that I condition, and such as is quite common in all ranks of society, injures the body and dhrrmushes the mantal power to an extent Ito which I think lew people are aware of. Such, at all events/ is the result of observation during more than twenty years of professional life devoted to hospital prac- | tice, and to private practice in every rank ! above it.' Thus, I have no hesitation in attributing a very large proportion of some of tlie most painful and dangerous maladies which com. under my notice, as well as those which every medical man baa to treat, to the ordinary and dally use of fermented drink taken in tbe quantity which is conventionally deemed moderate.. But if I venture one. step further it would bs to express a belief that there is no (single habit in this oountry which so m_.h tends to deteriorate tlie qualities of the race, and so much disqualifies it for endurance in that competition which in the nature of things must exist, and in wfijich straggle tbe prize of superiority must fall to the best and to the strongest." Let us put alcoholic 'liquor in its proper place, namely, among the so-called "luxuries" of life, not among its necessaries. I am quite alive to the exquisite perfume of a specimen ;of some rare old vintage; to the agreeable exhilaration which follows a moderate dose of good .hampagne. . . ... It is useless—it ia not wise to ignore the existence of _____ things; tbe best natures have felt their influence, and may perhaps have paid Some price for its enjoyment. , But'this is exactly the point I want to insist on: Don't take your daily wine under any pretext of its doing 'you good. Take it frankly as a luxury, one which must be paid for; by some persons very liigihtly, _y some at a high price, but always to be paid for. And mostly some loss of health, or of mental power, or of calmness of temper, or of judgment _. tbe price. I am quite satisfied that fermented liquor of any kind is unnecessary as an article of diet. For the few wno may require an habitual alcoholic stimulant it can only be considered as a medicine, and should," tbeMlfore, for them be so regarded. As with many other medicines, however, its emT>loym__. is apt to be greatly abused, and thus win. or*spirit is taken when not in the least degree necessary, often when it is absolutely injurious. For people who enjoy tolerable health, but __tvert_ek_s find "digestion slow" or "imperfect," or "the circulation languid"—popular forms of excuse for taking wine—it seems to mc more frequently a dangerous snare than a tolerable remedy.