BEVERAGES 81 



ing the use of liquor, many are thoughtlessly doing 

 this. 



But eating too much of desserts, meats, and other 

 foods undoubtedly causes some of the same ailments 

 and results. Why should we be more particular 

 about abstaining from liquors than from these? If 

 one were absolutely sure that he could use alcoholic 

 drinks without ever becoming a drunkard, then there 

 would be only this difference between using them and 

 too rich foods. The rich foods contain building ma- 

 terials in form unnecessarily difficult for the diges- 

 tive organs. The liquors have no building materials 

 and furnish an unnatural stimulus. 



However, no one is able to tell for certain whether 

 he can keep from forming the drink habit. Parents 

 have used alcoholic drinks for years without seeming 

 to lose control of their appetites, while their children 

 have become drunkards on the very threshold of life. 

 Alcohol has the dread power of creating an appetite 

 for itself. A person takes the first glass just to be 

 social, or, perhaps, because it seems to be the thing 

 to do, with no intention of forming a dangerous habit. 

 Gradually and unthinkingly, through the unfortunate 

 treating custom, the amount is increased to several 

 glasses. The saloon ceases to be repulsive. Slowly 

 and surely the appetite grows until the harmful habit 

 becomes fixed. Perhaps it may be only daily to burden 

 the digestive organs with liquids that may bring on 

 disease at the end of a long period of years. Perhaps 



