American Woman's Home: Or, Principles of Domestic Science;: Being a Guide to the Formation and Maintenance of Economical, Healthful, Beautiful, and Christian HomesStowe, Harriet Beecher
Religion
American Woman's Home: Or, Principles of Domestic Science;: Being a Guide to the Formation and Maintenance of Economical, Healthful, Beautiful, and Christian Homes
Stowe, Harriet Beecher
Home economics
Carpenter, a standard writer on physiology, says the objection to a
habitual use of even small quantities of alcoholic drinks is, that
"they are universally admitted to possess a poisonous character," and
"tend to produce a morbid condition of body;" while "the capacity for
enduring extremes of heat and cold, or of mental or bodily labor, is
diminished rather than increased by their habitual employment."
Prof. J. Bigelow, of Harvard University, says, "Alcohol is highly
stimulating, heating, and intoxicating, and its effects are so
fascinating that when once experienced there is danger that the desire
for them may be perpetuated."
Dr. Bell and Dr. Churchill, both high medical authorities, especially
in lung disease, for which whisky is often recommended, come to the
conclusion that "the opinion that alcoholic liquors have influence in
preventing the deposition of tubercle is destitute of any foundation;
on the contrary, their use predisposes to tubercular deposition." And
"where tubercle exists, alcohol has no effect in modifying the usual
course, neither does it modify the morbid effects on the system."
Prof. Youmans, of New-York, says: "It has been demonstrated that
alcoholic drinks prevent the natural changes in the blood, and obstruct
the nutritive and reparative functions." He adds, "Chemical experiments
have demonstrated that the action of alcohol on the digestive fluid
is to destroy its active principle, the _pepsin, thus confirming the
observations of physiologists, that its use gives rise to serious
disorders of the stomach and malignant aberration of the whole economy."
We are now prepared to consider the great principles of science, common
sense, and religion, which should guide every woman who has any kind
of influence or responsibility on this subject. It is allowed by all
medical men that pure water is perfectly healthful and supplies all
the liquid needed by the body; and also that by proper means, which
ordinarily are in the reach of all, water can be made sufficiently
pure.
It is allowed by all that milk, and the juices of fruits, when taken
into the stomach, furnish water that is always pure, and that our bread
and vegetable food also supply it in large quantities. There are besides
a great variety of agreeable and healthful beverages, made from the
juices of fruit, containing no alcohol, and agreeable drinks, such as
milk, cocoa, and chocolate, that contain no stimulating principles,
and which are nourishing and healthful.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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