Stimulants 



The fact that yeast is the real cause of fermentation was not 

 clearly understood until the middle of the nineteenth century. 

 At that time, Louis Pasteur, a very distinguished French scien- 

 tist, definitely established the cause of fermentation by a long 

 series of experiments. 



7s Alcohol a Stimulant? Until within a few years most 

 authorities have maintained that alcohol in small doses is a stimu- 

 lant, since it apparently incites the various organs of the body to 

 greater activity. Now, however, there are many physiologists who 

 insist that it is never a stimulant. These maintain that the 

 apparent stimulating effect of alcohol is really a paralyzing 

 influence on the nervous system, which lessens its restraining 

 control over the actions of the body. 



Why Alcoholic Beverages Are Used. Since it is univer- 

 sally acknowledged that the use of alcoholic drinks has been the 

 cause of much misery, pauperism, and insanity, the question at 

 once arises as to why such drinks are used. It is claimed by some 

 people that alcohol when taken into the system produces a cer- 

 tain amount of heat energy. Although when taken in small 

 quantities alcohol may possibly act as a fuel and tide over a 

 crisis in sickness, the danger that accompanies its habitual use 

 is so great that it is unwise to employ it for such purposes. 

 Habitual users of alcohol do not recover as readily from ill- 

 ness brought on by accidents or by surgical operations. People 

 do not ordinarily drink alcohol because it produces heat energy; 

 they drink it because of its taste, because of the excitement it 

 produces and, finally, because they have acquired a habit of 

 using it which they are not able to overcome. 



While under its influence, users of alcohol are irresponsible 

 and do not act quickly or accurately in mind or body. As a 

 result they often endanger themselves and others. This is espe- 

 cially true of workers in many industries who are required to 

 handle machinery and dangerous materials. Consequently men 

 who drink find themselves restricted in their opportunities for 

 work. In the heavy automobile traffic of today, drivers who 

 are under the influence of alcohol are unable to operate cars 



