The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-03-14
The Effects Of Strong Drink.

About fifteen years ago Mr. Il. G.. P.
Nelson, distinguished actuary of Lon
don, Investigated the rate of mortality
prevalent among persons addicted to the
i1nmoderate use of Intoxicating drinks.
He confined his attention solely to we'll
marked cases of intemperance, and in
sorted in the circular which he distribut-
ed to Trustworthy persons directions to
enter no case in the schedule "unless
the person alluded to was decidedly adj
dicted to drinking habits during a con-
siderable period of life" The facts col
lected by him were carefully analyzed
and tabulated, and the mortality exhib-
tied was compared with that of the gen
eral population of England and Wales.
Out of the six thousand one hundred and
eleven such persons under observation,
three hundred and fifty-seven died,
whereas if the general rate of mortality
had been observed the deaths would
have been but one hundred and ten.
Throughout the whole range of the
table," the author observes, the rate of
mortality is frightfully high, and un-
equaled by the results of any other
series of observations made on any class
Of the population,of this country. IF
there be anything" he goes on to say,
IN the usages of society calculated to
destroy life, the most powerful is GER
tainly the inordinate use of strong
drink" The schedule sent out by Mr..
Nelson required also an enumeration
of the peculiar features of the intemper-
ance in respect to the favorite beverage )"
and the following curious and signifi-
cant facts were observed as to the intlu-
ence of the different kinds of drink on
the average duration of life. Such du-
ration, after the commencement of the
Incorporate habits was found to be
Among beer drinkers. 2l.7 years
Among SPhls those who drink both spirit: and 0
beer rindiscriminately... ......,....... 16l years
and the rate of mortality
Among beer drinkers. ...... 4.597 per cent. yearly
Among spirit drinkers. 1896 per cent. yearly
Among mixed drinkers........ 6ls4 per cont yearly
1t is well to remark here that the " in
temperate habit is usually acquired at
comparatively early period, say at age
1880, for which age the average expec-
tation of life in the general community
is nearly double that given above for the
Incorporate drinkers of the least hurtful
beverage. The different effects produc-
ed upon several enumerated classes of
persons he found to be very singular.
The average duration of life after the
commencement of incorporate habits
was
Among trades, dealers and merchants II year,
Among professional men and gentlemen.... Is years
Among Id years
In subsequent part of his work the
author investigates the relative mortality
in the sexes from immoderate drinking.
From the table which he gives it ap-
pears that the mortality of the female
sex is, on an average about one-tifth of
that of the male, varying from % per
cent. at age 2l-30 to II per cent. at age
71-S0. "But the most curious circum-
stances disclosed by the figures" he says,
sis the remarkable similarity between
the proportion of crime in the sexes to
the proportion of deaths from assigned
causes of intemperance. By referring to
a subsequent contribution showing the
influence of age on the development OF
crime, it will be found that the tendency
to crime in the male sex is nearly five
TIMES as great as in the female sex, or,
Inpre strictly, in the relation of 1856 to
1851; while the ratio Of deaths to the
population from assigned incorporate
causes, at age 20 and upward, is in the
exact relation of SOIL to SO, ,769-a most
remarkable agreement, the difference
being under 2.5 per cent; 1914 substi-
tuted for SOIL would give the precise re-
lation of the figures showing the ten
dency of crime in the sexes. This is
rather q strange coincidence, and may
be probably viewed by most careful OBJ
servers as proving that crime legally
considered and intemperance in its or
dinary acceptation, are the concomitants
of each other" If the agreement no.
ticed is more than strange coinci.
dence," and subsequent analyses of Grim
inal statistics tend to strengthen the be,
lief that it is, the moral and social havoc
caused by the excessive use of strong
drink is as appalling as the physical. II
will be borne in mind that the result.
detailed here were obtained after labor.
ious collection and collation. of facts by
an experienced and able man, whose
chief object was to frame safe basis fol
business for life assurance operations il
which he was interested. He had NJ
theory of morals to urge, no sermon t.
preach save an incidental one, which the
facts preached for him. This would add
if anything could, to the impressivenes
of the lesson taught.
New England SuperstitiOns.