BIOLOGY APPLIED TO HEALTHFUL LIVING 549 



to their large amount of alcohol (50 to 80 per cent). Alcohol 

 in large quantities has been demonstrated to be poisonous 

 enough to account for most of the physiological evils 

 ascribed to alcoholic drinks. So long as people will drink 

 alcoholic fluids, there should be " pure food " laws aimed at 

 making them as free from harmful substances as possible; 

 but no one should be deceived by claims that a given brand 

 of liquor is harmless. Whenever alcohol is present in con- 

 siderable amount, there is a substance which, in quantity 

 varying with individuals and conditions, is certain to be 

 harmful in its effect upon the essential life-processes. Even 

 the " best " alcoholic beverages have the power to do this. 



The common opinion that the cheap artificial whisky sold 

 in some saloons for three cents a glass is especially injurious 

 to health as compared with " high grade " natural whisky 

 made from corn and rye is not supported by chemical 

 analysis. This cheap whisky consists of 30 to 50 per cent 

 alcohol with caramel, sugar, and flavoring essences. Its 

 harmfulness depends chiefly upon the alcohol contained. 

 Perhaps the chief reason why such cheap liquors appear 

 harmful is that the low price leads to the use of more alcohol. 

 Certain it is, however, that the chief danger in cheap whisky, 

 and in all whisky, lies in the 30 to 50 per cent of alcohol which 

 it contains. 



475. Alcoholic " Temperance Drinks." Very many people 

 who hold strictly to temperance principles are unaware that 

 many fluids sold at drug-stores contain large amounts of 

 alcohol. In general, all " tonics," " bitters," " malt-ex- 

 tracts," " celery compounds," and other similar fluids adver- 

 tised as givers of strength, vigor, etc., contain alcohol. 

 Certain much-advertised medicines called " sarsaparilla " 

 contain at least 25 per cent of alcohol. Many " bitters " 

 and " tonics " contain from 15 to 45 per cent alcohol.- Some 

 of these are advertised as containing no alcohol, or as " tem- 

 perance " medicines. According to the labels on the bottles, 



