An enquiry into the effects of spirituous liquors upon the human body, and their influence upon the happiness of society / by Benjamin Rush, M.D. Professor of the theory and practice of medicine in the College of Philadelphia.

  • Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813.
Date:
MDCCXCI [1791]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An enquiry into the effects of spirituous liquors upon the human body, and their influence upon the happiness of society / by Benjamin Rush, M.D. Professor of the theory and practice of medicine in the College of Philadelphia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    9/18
    I (hall now proceed to combat fome prejudices in favour' of the ufe of fpirituous liquors. There are are three occafions in which fpirits have been thought neceffary and ufeful. 1. In very cold weather. 2. In very warm weather. And 3. In times of hard labour. 1. There cannot be a greater error than to fuppofe that' fpirituous liquors leiTerj the effects of cold upon the body. On the contrary,. I maintain that they always render the body more liable to be affected and injured by cold. The tem- porary vn armth they produce, is always fucceeded by chil- linefs. It any thing, befides warm cloathing and exercile, is ncceflary to warm the body in cold weather, a plentiful meal of wholelbme food is at all times fufficient for that purpofe. This, by Simulating the ftomach, invigorates the whole lylVem, and thus renders it lei's fenfible of the cold. 2. It is equally abfurcl to fuppofe that fpirituous liquors kflen the effects of heat upon the body. So far from it, they rather encreafe them. They add an internal heat to the external heat of ihe fun ; they diipole to fevers and in- flammations of the molt dangerous kind; they produce pre- ternatural l'weats which weaken, inilead of an uniform and gentle perfpiration, which exhilarates the body. Half the diieales which are laid to be produced by warm weather, I am perfuaded are produced by the fpirits which are i\val- lowed to leilen its effects upon the fyltem. 3. 1 maintain with equal confidence, that fpirituous li- quors do not leiTeu the effects of hard labour upon the body. Look at the horle, with every mufcle of the body fwelicd from morning till night in the plough, or the team, does he make figns tor fpirits to enable him 10 cleave the earth, or to climb a hill ?—No. He require* nothing but cool water and robfiUntial food. There is neither itrength nor nouriih- ment in Ipirituous licjuors. If they produce vigour in labour, it is of a tranlient nature, and ib always iucccciied by a fenfe of weuknel's and fatigue. Thele facts ^re founded in ob- fervationj fori have repeatedly feen thole men perform the greateft exploits in work both as to their degrees and duration, who newr t ftcd fpufituous liquors. A 2