The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-12
LIQUOR DRINKING IN EUROPE.
Some Startling Figures from British Par
Hamentary Paper.
London Times.

London Times
A parliamentary paper just published contains
reports from her Majesty's diplomatic and con
sular officers upon the consumption oflntoXcat-
ing liquors abroad. Consul genera. Oppenhelmer
estimates. with regard to Germany, that in the
dlstlleres of the empire in 1870 and 1876 at least
200, 900, 900 ltres Of pure alcohol were produced
for mere conSumption--or, in round mum erS,
six litres per head of the population. Reckon
Ing the male population over fifteen years OF age
at 30 per cent, this would give a yearly
consumption of twenty litres of pure alcohol
per head, or 90 litres of ordinary schrapps. BY
the year 1880 the quantity had increased to IL
htres yearly per head. The consumption of spir-
its in North Germany is very great and out of
yearly average Of 4 $50 suicides in Prussia for
five years, 500 have been due to dipsomana and
dellrium tremens. The percentage of suicides
among males, due to alcohol, was 1910, whereas
among females 1t only =. With regard to
fatal accidents Also a large number of them
were attributable to drunkenness. Similar sta
tIstlcs were furnished IN connection with the
lunatc asylums. Taking B, LOG cases yearly
treated III the general hospitals for dipsonlania,
$50 Of delirium tremens In the
lunatc asylums, 597 private dipsomaniacs,
sos suicides, and 81 drunkards, accidentally
killed, there is total of 52l2 cases yearly of
alcoholism III fatal form. The Prussian5 Estates
alone show 1921 mon and 80 women treated
yearly for delirium tremens. 1t appears that
seven tenths of those suffering from alcohol were
| in the prime Of life-that is, between twenty
and fifty years Of age. In the kingdom of Prus-
Sia in 1882 the estimated expenditures on spirits
alone was 26l 600 900 marks while all the direct
state taxes for the same period produced but
$50, 600, coo marks. Taking the whole expendi-
ture upon beer, wine and spirits 1T amounted to
907, 000, 900 marks, or more than double the
amount realized by the Prussan exchequer for
its taxes and stamp duties. etc.
In Sweden and Norway the consumption Of
spirits has been declining for some years past;
but in Denmark the evil of spirit drinking has
a bo m har Of 6pup K
ards who have committed suicide has risen in
thirty years from one seventh to one-third; while,
among the arrests, 56 per cent were cases of
drunkenness, and, adding to these Is per cent.
among prisoners for other offenses, there is
grand total of "A per cent or three-fourths of
all those taken into custody. for crimes com
mitted under the influence of drink.
In Holland the number of houses for the sale
Of drink no less than a, 900 in 1878, that
in a population of 1900, 900 there was drink
shop for every so Inhabitants including women
and children. Bat owing to the eXertionS OF
portion of the community, the Legislature passed
a restrictive law in 1881, with the result that in
the course of one year the drink shops decreased
from %, 600 to 80 600
Belgium affords incOntestably the worst stats
tics in regard to the consumption of alcoholic
liquors. In less than half century the use of
spirituous liquors has more than trebed itself in
that country, while the population has only ad
vanced from $500, 600 to 5, 800 900. The use of
spirits increased G6 per cent between 1851 and
1891 and of beer increased during the same period
1575 per cent. The consumption of spirits
wine and beer for 1881 amounted in value to
10000 000f. Although the country is so small
it contained in 1850 no fewer than 1875 900 places
devoted to the sale of Intoxicating liquors There
was public house the average for every
twelve or thirteen grownup males. The sui
cides rose from fifty four per LOCO 900 nhab-
tants. in 1848. to eighty in 1880. The lunatcs ad-
vanced from 720 per !, 900 600 inhabitants in 1916
to l,470 in 1881. The Inspector general of Bel
gian prisons reports that four fifths of the crime
and social misery during the last quarter Of a
century has been directly attributable to intem-
perance.
In France the sad effects of drunkenness once
witnessed have been considerably lessened by
the passing of a salutary act In 1875 the num-
bers punished for open drunkenness was 9S000
but by 1880 they had fallen to 60 000
Switzerland exhibits an unsatisfactory increase
in the drink traffic Between 1870 and 1880
the population advanced Go per cent, but the
public houses increased by as much as' - per
cent. Austria furnishes similar condition of
things. In 1880 there were in Vienna alone
l,G24 drink houses and G. 1913 persons were in
that year arrested for being drunk. The hospit-
ais, lunatlc asylums, and prisons of the country
all testify to the advance of drinking habits.
1t is suggested that the clergy, medical men,
and schoolmasters of every nation could do much
to mitigate this evil if their sympathies could be
thoroughly reused. Continental workmen gen
orally spend large proportion of their earnings
IL drink without becoming or being classeG as
absolute drunkards