prescribed medicinally, it should be with conscientious caution and a
sense of grave responsibility; that it is in no sense food to the human
system; that its improper use is productive of a large amount of
physical disease, tending to deteriorate the human race; and to
recommend, as representatives of enlightened science, to your several
nationalities, total abstinence from alcoholic beverages."

In response to this memorial, the president of the society received
from J. Ewing Mears, M.D., Secretary of the Section on Medicine,
International Congress, the following official letter, under date of
September 9th, 1876:

"DEAR SIR: I am instructed by the Section on Medicine, International
Medical Congress, of 1876, to transmit to you, as the action of the
Section, the following conclusions adopted by it with regard to the use
of alcohol in medicine, the same being in reply to the communication
sent by the National Temperance Society.

"1. Alcohol is not shown to have a definite food value by any of the
usual methods of chemical analysis or physiological investigation.

"2. Its use as a medicine is chiefly that of a cardiac stimulant, and
often admits of substitution.

"3. As a medicine, it is not well fitted for self-prescription by the
laity, and the medical profession is not accountable for such
administration, or for the enormous evils arising therefrom.

"4. The purity of alcoholic liquors is, in general, not as well assured
as that of articles used for medicine should be. The various mixtures,