322 



Temperance. 



Vol. V. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Temperance. 



As the time of hay and harvest is approach- 

 ing, the farmers may be expected to put all 

 their force in requisition. When extraordi- 

 nary labours are to be encountered, it is natu- 

 ral to suppose that extraordinary supplies of 

 nourishment should be furnished to sustain 

 them. Hence the labourer, in time of har- 

 vest, usually expects an increase of wages, 

 and a more liberal allowance of provision, 

 than at other times. To this, within proper 

 limits, there is no reasonable objection. It 

 may, however, be rationally questioned, whe- 

 ther farmers do not, generally, work rather 

 too hard, during that busy season. It is true 

 we must make hay while the sun shines, and 

 gather our harvest when it is ripe ; yet, as 

 we profess to be Christians, we are required 

 to let our moderation appear in all things, 

 and therefore at all times of the year. In- 

 dustry and care are not inconsistent with 

 moderation; but excessive exertion, even 

 when collecting the fruits of the ground, cer- 

 tainly is. As one error, either in opinion or 

 practice, is very apt to produce another, 

 we often find that excessive labour, during 

 the sultry season of harvest, naturally leads 

 to excess in the use of drink. When the 

 strength is nearly exhausted by inordinate 

 exertion, a portion of stimulating liquor pro- 

 duces a transient revival. Hence the opinion 

 may be readily formed, that such stimulants 

 actually increase the labourer's strength. 

 Time indeed was, when the opinion gene- 

 rally prevailed, that the toils of harvest, in 

 this sultry climate, rendered the use of ardent 

 spirits almost, if not altogether, indispensable. 

 Experience has now fully proved the error 

 of this opinion. We now know that the hay 

 and grain can be collected, not only without 

 the use of ardent spirits, but without the aid 

 of any liquor of intoxicating quality. Still 

 the inquiry may be made, and it certainly is 

 an important one, whether the business of 

 harvest can be as well done without the use 

 of any intoxicating liquor, as with it. 



It is to be presumed that every man who 

 apprehends that intoxicating liquor is neces- 

 sary, or even useful, in time of harvest, will 

 admit that it is only the moderate use for 

 which he can plead. The supposition that 

 business of any kind can be carried on to 

 more advantage by men who are using strong 

 drink to excess, than by those who are strict- 

 ly temperate, is too glaringly absurd to be en- 

 tertained for a moment. We may then ask, 

 what use is moderate'! The answer will 

 probably be — such use as will increase the 

 activity and strength, without affecting the 

 understanding, or eventually impairing the 

 physical force. If such use can be made, we 



may admit that it is a moderate one. But if 

 we go beyond the limit here indicated, the 

 use is not moderate. If the quantity used 

 operates upon the mind, even though it may 

 appear in the form of hilarity, that hilarity is 

 at best of a very questionable character ; and 

 those who drink enough to impair their phy- 

 sical powers, unquestionably drink to excess. 



Now does any quantity of intoxicating li- 

 quor, small or great, produce an increase of 

 strength ? 



To place the subject in its proper light, we 

 may recollect that the question relates to the 

 intoxicating part of the liquid, to the alcohol 

 which it contains. There can be no doubt 

 that a small quantity of alcohol may be mixed 

 with solid food without destroying its nutri- 

 tious quality; and it may also be diffused 

 through nourishing liquids without destroy- 

 ing their power to support life. There are 

 unquestionably several kinds of drink which 

 contain some alcohol, and yet are nutritious. 

 But is the alcohol itself nutritions'! 



It is well known that in cases of great ex- 

 haustion, the stimulus of alcohol, applied ex- 

 ternally, or taken into the stomach, some- 

 times produces a salutary action. Opium, 

 and even arsenic, may sometimes be adminis- 

 tered with advantage as medicine; and so 

 may alcohol. But physiologists agree that 

 alcohol is not assimilated with the food by the 

 digestive organs. It is absorbed and mingled 

 with the circulating fluids, but not converted 

 into the constituents of the human frame. It 

 is alcohol still. Dr. Kirk informs us that he 

 dissected a man who died in a state of intoxi- 

 cation. The operation was performed a few 

 hours after death. In the lateral ventricles 

 of the brain was found a limpid fluid, in which 

 the scent of whiskey was distinctly percepti- 

 ble. When, to a portion of it in a spoon, a 

 candle was applied, it took fire, and the lam- 

 bent blue flame, characteristic of the poison, 

 played for some seconds on the surface of the 

 spoon. Now, whatever mingles with the 

 circulation, without being elaborated by the 

 stomach, is productive of disease. We might 

 therefore infer :\ priori that alcohol, taken 

 into the stomach, must impair the health. 

 When the quantity is small, it may be thrown 

 off without sensible injury ; and so may the 

 metallic poisons. But that is no reason why 

 they should be intentionally swallowed. 



That the apparent strength imparted to the 

 system by strong drink is very transient, may 

 be clearly inferred from the fact above stated, 

 that the alcohol is not assimilated with the 

 food. The sudden glow of activity and warmth 

 which alcohol excites, is found by experience 

 to pass quickly away, and to leave the frame 

 more debilitated than before it was taken. 

 Persons exposed to intense cold, are found to 

 perish sooner if they drink ardent spirits than 



