CHAPTER VI. 

 HOUSEHOLD SCIENCE. 



1853-1860. Age, 32-39. 



WHILE writing his Class-Book of Chemistry Mr. 

 Youmans had made a study of the physiological ac- 

 tion of alcohol. Following the best authorities of that 

 time Liebig, Percy, Prout, Carpenter, and others- 

 he regarded alcohol as a disturber of functions and 

 disorganizer of structure, and therefore a poison ; and 

 because of its special action on cerebral tissue, a brain 

 poison. In 1853 the question of prohibitory legis- 

 lation was strongly agitating the public mind, and 

 Youmans prepared a carefully reasoned argument in 

 favour of State action, on the ground that alcohol in- 

 cited its victims to so much heinous crime as to justify 

 society in legislating against the traffic in it. Mr. 

 Greeley cordially adopted these views, and the article 

 was given an entire page of the Tribune. It so pleased 

 the teetotal party that they urged its writer to make 

 a book of it, which he did, under the title of Alcohol 

 and the Constitution of Man. Further reflection on 

 the subject, and change of conviction as to the legiti- 

 macy and efficiency of legislation in the circumstances 

 of the case, led him to abandon the ground he had 

 taken, so he let his book pass out of print. 



In the course of 1853 his brother Earle returned 

 from California, and Edward was very anxious to have 



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