American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-07-29
HAN GIil c,1.1s mn milton.

A. the annual session Of the
National Health association, I'll:
met in Baltimore, DIR. Homer q.
Hitchcock of Michigan, read a paper
on ssPublic Health and Public Wei
fare" from which is taken the fol-
lowing estimate of the cost of rum
to the nation:
"Nhat do the 40, 900 deaths an,
nually caused hy alcohol cost the
nation The average cost of burial
cannot be less than $40 per capita,
giving the sum of $50, 600. These
10000 persons should have had,
according to a table of working
years Calculated from life-tables by
DIR. Edward Jarvis, and u5.i is @,
in the fifth annual report of the
Massachusetts State Board of
Healthy, 37.4G years of effective life.
From the best fata obtalnable we
have been led to conclude that alco-
hol shortened the lives of those
who use it habitually or excessively
% per cent. AS this percentage
pertains to the whole Lire, inc utling
both the developing and effective
periods, it follows that these 1000
persons have each lost to the nation
% per cent. of S7.4G years, Or 16 0S
years of effective life, giving total
of 7St, 200 years. These figures are
much below the actual loss, accord
ing to the expectancies of intern
perate persons given above tor,
according to these eXpectancies, the
average loss of effective life is %
years within small fraction. On
this basis the annual loss of the
nation of effective loss from alcohol
is l. 127 600 years. If each effective
year of life is valued at $3.50, the
nation loses on the first calculation
S117 600, 900. and on the second
5l69, 100000. English actuaries.
from careful observations and cal
culations. estimate that for every
death there are two persons con-
stantly sick. We may, therefore,
calculate that for these $4,000
deaths from alcohol, there are 9S, 900
constantly sick from the same
cause: Tins in a single year 9S, 900
years of effective lie are lost to the
nation, which, valued at $3.50 per
year, gives a loss of Sl4, 100000
The cost of this sickness, at the
very lowest estimate, cannot be less
than $3.50 per year, or total OF
3l4, zoe, 900.
"What do the insane caused by
alcohol cost the nation each year !
We have already seen that in a
very moderate estimate % per cent.
of the insane are made SO by alco-
hol. Thus 9,35S of the 81, 432 insane
persons enumerated i'll the census
ables are thus caused. These rep
resent in each year loss OF effective
ite of 1856 years, which, valued at
$3.50 per year, gives a loss to the
nation of ST. ,403, 700. The average
cost of maintaining and caring for
1hese people cannot be less than 81
per week tor each, which is the
average cost IN three State asylums
Of Mas sachusetts. This will repres-
ent a loss to tile STATE of ,965, $50.
But, according to a table CONSTRUCTED
oy MIR. John l.. Copeland, and also
the English life-tables quoted by
DR.. Edward jarvis, page 1888 of the
nth annual report OF the Massachu
sets Safe Board OF Health, the
average loss OF effective life by their
death is 6.3 years old.
Moreover, as those made insane by
alcohol are generally made SO at or
before 40 years Of age, the loss of
.ffrctive life for the insane should
De based upon the loss in the first
hree decades, viz: ii ON twenty to
forty inclusive, which is all average
.or each person, male and female,
# 1913. THIS gives 70 total loss OF
effective life for the 9,35S insane of
,8. 259 years, which at value Of
$3.50 per year, gives loss to the
ration of S14,73S, $50. If now we
adopt Lord Saaftesbury's estimate
# the percentage of insanity caused
~ alcohol, these figures should all
30 increased by no per cent, and
We should have for loss of effective |
life 235, S21 years, with an estimated |
'alue of S35,373 $50. The annual
ost of supporting the insane, rem
Tered SO by ale hol, would then be
aised to Sl,71G, 432.
"What does he nation lose by
he idiots made SO by alcohol The
Whole number of idiotic persons re-
'orted in the census tables is "a, $50,
f which, on the basis of DR.. How's
tatistics, II, 953 are caused by alec
degenerate offspring of
1 unkards. If we correct these
ab.es according to the views of L.
). Sanborn, we have as the probable
hole number OF idiotic persons,
5,040, and the number tracnable to
lcohol or its effects, 1880. The
verage cost for the care and sup [
ort of these unfortunates must be
t least $3.50 per year, making
'ss to the nation of So So, 900.
flowing that one half Of these per
BUS, if they were not imbecile, 8
ould die before maturity, and thus '
ouid have no effective life, there :
,mains for the others a loss to the
alton of all the effective life to
hich they should have been en-
tied, or 37.46 years each, giving a t
'tal loss of 319,90S years, with an e
'tlmated value of S47 1856, 200. As |
ime may properly be considered t
one sense but form or symptom Il
disease, and 1T has been, and per- y
ma fairly. shown that at least 8