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[Of all systems of social reform]

About This Item

  • Title: [Of all systems of social reform]
  • Date: 8 January 1859
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman
  • Whitman Archive ID: per.00787
  • Source: Brooklyn Daily Times, 8 January 1859: 2. Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm scan of the original issue. Microfilm of original issue held at Pennsylvania State University Libraries. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the journalism, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Editorial note: This piece is unsigned, as was the case for most of Whitman's journalism. However, this editorial is part of a series of texts that deal with a coherent theme that has been identified by the Whitman Archive journalism team as likely authored by Whitman. This decision is based on a combination of historical and (auto)biographical accounts, similarity to contemporary Whitman writings, a history of scholarly attribution, extant clippings retained by Whitman, computational stylometric analysis, and, in some cases, manuscript evidence in Whitman’s hand.
  • Contributors to digital file: Tara Ballard PJ Zaborowski Kaylen Michaelis Stephanie Blalock Karie Cobb
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "[Of all systems of social reform]." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 17 July 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: per.00787.xml (TEI)
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☞ Of all systems of social reform, that which affords the pleasures of dissipation and averts its pains, is likely to be the most captivating. A physician has discovered an antidote for the bane of drunkenness. A toper may now drink as much as he likes, and never either get drunk or have a headache in the morning!1

"Dr. Beck, of Dantsic, has just made a curious discovery. He has found an antidote, or rather a counter-poison, for ardent spirits. It is a mineral paste, which he encloses in an olive, and which once absorbed destroys not only the rising effect, but likewise the disastrous consequences of drunkenness. He tried several experiments on a Pole, an irreclaimable drunkard. The individual, named Radevil, swallowed three bottles of brandy in succession, and after each bottle ate an olive prepared by the Doctor. He experienced neither the effect of drunkenness, nor the slightest sickness."

Notes:

1. The historical usage of the term "toper" refers to one who drinks excessively; a drunkard. [back]

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