282 THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY HERB DOCTOR. 
investigation in tabular form, when treating ofindigestion. (See 
index). 
Dr Beaumont, the gentleman above referred to, sounds the 
note of alarm to all who are encouraging a taste for alcoholic: 
drinks. The healthy organ, when a glass of brandy or 
spirits has been thrown into it, takes on a similar appearance 
to that of a piece of meat dipped in hot water. From this fact 
it is concluded that a number of such drinks, will, so to 
speak, parboil the stomach. Ifit were not for the fact that 
nature has such repairing power, alcohol would not be as it is. 
how termed, a slow poison, but facts constantly prove that 
nature’s repairing powers cannot keep up with the folly and 
madness of the drunkard, who pours down his depraved thrvat 
this fire-water, which destroys the delicate sense of taste, 
congests, inflames, ulcerates, and destroys the secreting and 
digesting power of the stomach, hardens the liver, and at last 
morally hardens the heart, and even in this life has led to the 
combustion of the whole body. <A case is on record of a 
female drunkard who could drink a bottle of brandy a day. 
It is not known how she ignited, or whether it was a case of 
spontaneous combustion, but what remained of her was found 
in the shape of fine ashes which covered the room in which 
she suffered vital cremation or living burning. Another 
story is told of how a poor drunkard ended his madness. He 
was in the act of lighting his pipe when the fumes of his 
poisoned breath caught fire. His mouth, throat, and internal 
parts were so saturated with it that he burned to death. Oh, 
ye moderate drinkers, beware lest this evil come upon you. 
Your only safety lies in abstinence, counting all spirituous 
drinks as drugs, which should only be rescrted to in case of 
sickness. A word or two with regard to doctors who prescribe 
this. Some of the medical men now-a-days do think there is 
much virtue in such drinks, and prescribe them honestly. 
Others have confessed to their. brethren that it was more a 
matter of policy than faith with them; so in order to please 
their patients, whisky, brandy, ale, and porter were given as 
stimulants, tonics, &c. It has been said that in some places a 
