act with common sense, and relinquish those drinking habits which have so long domineered over society, they would enjoy such a portion of health as would starve almost all the physicians. That is my simple statement, contrary to my own personal interest and advantage. It costs you nothing-receive it, and you shall find yourself both healthier and richer than you have hitherto been."

pro

A medical man from Bradford, Mr. Beaumont, stated, at a Total Abstinence public meeting, held in Birmingham, about a month ago, that “he had asked a board of medical practitioners their opinion of total abstinence. Only one opposed the principle, and that from motives that reflected little credit on his character. The chairman of the board said, that 'he wondered that Mr. Beaumont should so strenuously advocate a practice which he knew must so deeply injure the business of their fession.' A surgeon, a friend of mine, who is a tetotaler, and recommends total abstinence to his patients, stated, the other day, that, "if his patients followed his advice, he should lose a hundred and fifty pounds a-year in his practice immediately." He resides in a small town. I have under my eye a most distressing case of dyspepsy and reputed spinal affection, which other surgeons and physicians had treated in vain, but which this gentleman, without any aid from alcohol, relieved in a few days, and in a short period effectually cured. To these testimonies I might add the names of many eminent medical men in America. Charles A. Lee, M.D., of New York; Benjamin Silliman, M.D., LL. D., Professor of Chimistry in Yale College, New Haven; Dr. Oliver, Professor of Theory and Practice in Dartmouth College, and many others, give it as their opinion that stimulating drinks are unnecessary to the human frame; that they originate the most painful and distressing diseases, and conduct to premature death.

The following most valuable testimony against the use of these drinks was addressed to Messrs. Meredith and Howard, Secretaries to the New British and Foreign Temperance Society, and is copied from the Third Report, page 19. The gentleman who sent it is Julius Jeffreys, Esq., an eminent medical practitioner, now resident in London, but who has passed many

years in India.

rator.

He is the inventor of the celebrated respi

"Gentlemen-In forwarding you a document which I hope will prove of much value to the cause of total abstinence from intoxicating drinks, it may be well that I should briefly relate the course through which I was led to procure it.

"Extensive opportunities of observing the habits of life of various classes, and of different races, amongst the inhabitants of Hindostan, during a residence of many years in the East, brought before me abundant evidence, that in using no alcoholic drink, they are exempted, in a remarkable manner, from the more complicated forms of disease—their diseases being chiefly those incidental to that deleterious climate-while, when willing, they can habituate themselves to efforts of labor of a surprising kind. Upon my return to England, in 1835, I had here also opportunities of a similar description, the nature of my pursuits causing me to see much of the working-classes, and to acquire a knowledge of their habits. The contrast was very striking, and equally painful. With bodily frames, by nature, incomparably more robust than those of the debilitating climates of the East, I found my fellow-countrymen, with few exceptions, undermining their constitutions, or more rapidly destroying themselves, by drink. The fact became forced on my conviction by evidence on every hand, that to persist longer in proposing to our people moderation in the use of alcholic drinks, was, in effect, to mock them. Moderation in the use of these drinks is, in fact, inapplicable to the case of the great bulk of the people of England. For a nation in our state, the Scriptures have provided a more strict and certain course, and have pronounced, in language abundantly clear, that total abstinence -'the cutting off the right hand, and the plucking out of the right eye' is the only step which can be accepted in the first instance, or blessed as remedial; and we appeal to the wonderful success of societies founded upon this principle, against opposition, scorn, and neglect, on all sides, as unanswerable evidence of Divine support.

"The Jews of old were not involved in drunken habits, like our nation; but, in respect to them, the Scriptures are silent as

to any recommendation of the habitual use of the smallest portions of these stimulants; nay, they do honor to those who habitually abstained from them; while the occasional use of them, only, is ever suggested in the Scriptures, and that, for the most part, medicinally-which thoroughly accords with physiological truth, which Scripture is ever found to do with all true science. But our rude ancestors, alike ignorant of scriptural and of physiological truth, imbibed, as an incentive to war, a craving after the daily use of intoxicating drinks, and a strong prejudice in favor of the constant use of them, as necessary for imparting strength. This prejudice has kept its ground, almost unopposed, till of late.

"Some years ago, a strong opinion against the use of distilled spirits was readily subscribed to by many hundred gentlemen of the medical profession, including all its leading members; but very little benefit resulted from it. Strong fermented liquors, the belly-gods of Englishmen, were not assailed; and they who committed excesses upon these, forming the bulk of our countrymen, were little likely to adhere even to their resolutions against distilled spirits, though supported by the highest medical authority.

“The notion, that the habitual use of wine or beer is needful for Englishmen, though an idle prejudice of ignorant times, is still almost universal beyond the field of temperance operations. Now, this prejudice, though it were not founded in error, would, nevertheless, to England as it is, be in effect destructive; for the bulk of our people need only an excuse for the use of stimulants at all, to render certain their abuse of them-abuse so dreadful and so general, as to threaten with destruction the very framework of society-as to be the cause of nearly all the crimes against the law, and nearly all the poverty in the land; rendering almost abortive, the numerous efforts for the Christian education of the people. They, therefore, who, opposed to the principle of abstaining from intoxicating liquors, would recommend to this nation a moderate use of them, however excellent their intentions may be, are, in effect, mockers of their countrymen, and triflers with their country's calamitiés.

"It has appeared to me, therefore, that the first and most

needful measure was to draw up a document setting these prejudices in their true light, as the offspring of early and ignorant times, and as having no foundation in physiological truth, and to procure the assent to it of the leading members of my profession, and, subsequently, of as many others of its learned practitioners as would favor it with their signatures. Such a document appears below, with the signatures attached, up to this date. To each of the parties it was sent, enclosed in the following letter, in print, commending to their attention the important object which it was to serve. I have now the pleasure of presenting the document to the New British and Foreign Temperance Society, for publication in its journals, and to be employed at the Temperance meetings throughout the country.

"I have the honor to be,

66 Gentlemen,

"Your obedient and very faithful servant,
"JULIUS JEFFREYS.

"London, May 11th, 1839."

The letter and document referred to above, are printed in the Third Report of the New British and Foreign Temperance Society, a work that ought to be in every house. The letter appealed alike to the reason, the scientific knowledge, and humanity of medical men, and then invited them to sign the document, which expressed that total abstinence from all intoxicating drinks was not only safe, but highly beneficial to all, but especially to those who have habitually to pursue very laborious employ

ments.

The following distinguished medical men added their signa

tures:

Batty, Edward, Esq., M.R.C. S., Lecturer on Midwifery, at the Medical School, Royal Institution, Liverpool.

Baylis, C. O. Esq., Surgeon to the South Dispensary, Liverpool.

Beaumont, Thomas, Esq., M.R.C.S., Bradford.

Berry, Samuel, Esq., M.R.C.S., Surgeon to the Town Infirmary, Birmingham. Birkbeck, George, M.D.

Blundell, James, M.D.

Brodie, Sir Benjamin C., Baronet, F.R.S., Serjeant Surgeon to the Queen, Sur

geon to St. George's Hospital.

Brookes, Benjamin, Esq., M.R.C.S., Surgeon to the British Lying-In Hospital.
Burrows, John, Esq., Liverpool.

Chambers, W. F., M.D., F.R.S., Physician to the Queen, and the Queen Dowager, and to St. George's Hospital.

Chavasse, Thomas, Esq., M.R.C.S., St. George's Hospital, Birmingham.

Chowne, W. D., M.D., Lecturer on Midwifery and Physician to Charing Cross Hospital.

Churton, Joseph, M.R.C.S., Liverpool.

Clark, Sir James, Baronet, M.D., F.R.S., Physician to the Queen and the Queen's Household, &c.

Clutterbuck, J. B., Esq.

Conquest, J.T., M.D., Physician to the City of London Lying-In Hospital.

Cooper, Bransby, Esq., M.R.C.S., F.R.S., Lecturer on Anatomy, and Surgeon to Guy's Hospital.

Cooper, George L., Esq., M.R.C.S.

Dalrimple, J., Esq., M.R, C.S., Lecturer on Surgery at Sydenham College.

Davis, Thomas, M.D., Lecturer on Medicine, and Physician to the London Hospital.

Davies, John Birt,, M.D:, Liverpool.

Davis, David D., M.D., Physician to the Duchess of Kent, and Professor of Obstetric Medicine in University College.

Eyre, Sir James, M.D.

Ferguson, Robert, M.D., Physician to the Westminister Lying-In-Hospital.

Fowke, Frederick, Esq., M.R.C.S.

Frampton, Algeron, M.D., Physician to the London Hospital.

Gill, William, Esq., M.R.C.S. Surgeon to the Northern Hospital, Liverpool.

Godfrey, J. J., Esq., M.R.C.S, Liverpool.

Grant, Klein, M. D., Professor of Therapeutis in the North London School of

Medicine.

Granville, A. B., M.D., F.R.S., Physician Accoucheur to the Westminster General Dispensary.

Green, Thomas, Esq., M.R.C.S., Surgeon to the Town Infirmary, Birmingham.
Great Rex, Charles Butler, Esq., Liverpool.

Hall, Marshal, M.D., F.R.S.L. and E., Lecturer on Medicine at the Sydenham
College and Consulting Physician to the Westminster General Dispensary,
Hay, Alexander, Esq., Surgeon to the South Dispensary, Liverpool.

Hope, I., M.D., F.R.S., Lecturer on Medicine at Aldersgate Street School, and
Assistant Physician to St. George's Hospital.

Howship, John, Esq., M. R.C.S., Surgeon to Charing Cross Hospital.

Hughes, John, M.D., Liverpool.

Jeffreys, Julius, Esq., M.R.C.S.

Julius, G. C., M.D.

Julius, G. C., jun., M.D.,

Key, C. Aston, Esq., M.R.C.S, Lecturer on Surgery, and Surgeon to Guy's Hospital. Knight, Arnold James, M.D., Sheffield.

Ledsam, J. J., Esq., M.R.C.S., Surgeon to the Eye Infirmary, Birmingham.

Lce, Robert, M.D., F.R.S., Lecturer on Midwifery, at Kinnerton Street Medical School, and Physician to Lying-In-Hospital.

Lewis, William, Esq., Manchester.

Long, David M., Esq., Surgeon to the South Dispensary, Liverpool.

Lynn, W. B., Esq., M.R.C.S., Surgeon to the Westminster Hospital.