Januaby 10, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



53 



wf^ave in a lesson on alcohol with his dis- 

 cussion of the physiology of muscle, of 

 nerve, of digestion, of vision, and each of 

 several other sections of the subject, so that 

 all his work seemed literally tainted with 

 alcohol. 



It is a notorious and a disgraceful fact, 

 that, apparently with a view of pleasing 

 this self-constituted oligarchy, some wri- 

 ters have even made alcoholic instruction 

 the beginning, the middle, and the end, of 

 their text-books. Of such books it may 

 truly be said that they have no per- 

 manency of their own, and are only with 

 difficulty preserved by alcohol. 



"What I have said thus far of this sub- 

 ject applies mainly to elementary educa- 

 tion; but those who have witnessed the 

 virulent attacks upon a conscientious 

 chemist and physiologist, who has recently 

 made important physiological experiments 

 upon the oxidation of alcohol within the 

 human body, because his experiments have 

 seemed to confirm the earlier statements 

 that alcohol in minute quantities is more 

 like a food than a poison, do not need to 

 be told that this same propaganda is quite 

 as eager to bring science, as it has already 

 brought education, under its powerful 

 dominion. Signs are not wanting, how- 

 ever, which indicate that its control has 

 already reached its climax, and even begim 

 to decline. 



An attempt in 1899 on the part of Mrs. 

 Hunt and others to make the Massachu- 

 setts law conform more closely to the ideas 

 of those interested in ' scientific temper- 

 ance ' was stoutly resisted by the Massachu- 

 setts Medical Societj', as well as by various 

 scientific men and educators, with the re- 

 sult that the statute of 1885 remains un- 

 changed. This prescribes that ' physiology 

 and hygiene, which in both divisions of 

 the subject shall include special instruction 

 as to the effect of alcoholic drinks, stimu- 

 lants and narcotics on the human system. 



shall be taught as a regular branch of 

 study to all pupils in all schools supported 

 wholly or in part by public money, except 

 special schools maintained solely for in- 

 struction in particular branches, such as 

 dra^wing, mechanics, art and like studies.' 

 With the exception of the clause ' to all 

 pupils ' this statute is not Tonreasonable, for, 

 as I have said above, it is right and proper 

 that the youth of the land should be 

 taught, plainly and thoroughly, the dan- 

 gers which lurk in alcoholic drinks, in nar- 

 cotics, etc. What is luinecessary and ob- 

 jectionable is that the exact amount of 

 such teaching should be prescribed by law; 

 and that the method of teaching (by text- 

 books in the hands of the pupils), the 

 space devoted to it, and its treatment, 

 in text-books, should be legally regulated. 

 That, in addition, the particular text-books 

 used should be largely determined by a 

 self-constituted and unofficial oligarchy, 

 leaders of a propaganda, which, in any 

 right use of the terms, is neither educa- 

 tional nor scientific, is both odious and in- 

 tolerable. 



In Connecticut, in 1901, a statute of the 

 objectionable sort referred to above was re- 

 pealed, and one to which but little excep- 

 tion can be taken was enacted in its place. 

 It is gratifying to note, also, that the Depart- 

 ment of Superintendence of the National 

 Educational Association, at a meeting in 

 Chicago in the early part of the -same 

 year, adopted a report containing the fol- 

 lowing significant, if guarded, paragraphs : 



' ' The questions of highest importance 

 for teachers and superintendents of 

 schools to consider [concerning ' temper- 

 ance physiology'] are those which relate 

 to the methods by which temperance in- 

 struction shall be imparted, the extent to 

 which it shall be carried, and the subject- 

 matter to be presented. 



' ' The educational side of this question 

 is vitally important, and demands thor- 



