The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-01-25
Effects, Of Alcohol Upon, HEALTH.

AS to the effect Of alcohol upon human
health and vigor, so fearful is the record, and
30 repeated and almost universal is the testi-
money, that we need not to repeat much of
it. Perhaps the most convincing recent evil
dence is that of the returns Of vital statistics
of the Registrar General Of England and
Wales, for the tenyears from 1870 to 1880 in
elusive These are contained in the supple
ment Of the Forty-fifth Annual Report( 1851,
in which are tabulated the facts as to two
million six hundred and seventy-nin thou
sand four hundred and sixteen deaths These
are the results of unimpassioned figures, gath
"rnd outside Of the records Of Reform Socie-
ties:
The mortality Of men who are directly
concerned in the liquor trade as brewers, inn
keepers, publicans, inn and hotel servants,
and masters, is appalling. The comparative
mortality figures are as follows, 1000 being
used as standard: Brewers; ] 1851; all deal
ers in spirits, wines, or beer, ,521; inn and
hotel servants, 2,205. For masters, who are
only concerned with the materials and; not
with the liquor itself, the figure is $780,"
The report proceeds as follows:
1T is well, whenever the opportunity offers
itself, to test the accuracy Of our death rates
by comparison with data derived from indie
pendent sources, and in the case of the inn
keepers and publicans such comparison is,
possible. By the experience of the Scottish
Amicable Life Assurance Society 1S26-1ST6,
the mortality Of males occupied in this bust
ness was SiXty.eight per cent. in excess OF the
actuaries' or healthy male table. and forty
nine per cent in excess of English life table.
The result tallies very closely with figures in
our table, where it appears that the mortality
of the innkeepers and publicanS is fifty-two per
cent. above the present mortality OF oil
males.
THAT this terrible mortality is attributable
to drink might be safely assumed a priori,
but the figures render it incontestable. The
mortality attributed to alcoholism Is far
higherfor innkeepers and publicans than for
any other industry, and more than five times
as high as the average; that for brewers falls
far short of this but nevertheless is the next
highest to that of innkeepers, with the single
exception Of cabmen. Under the heading,
Liver Diseases" the mortality Of inn
keepers is no less than six times as high as
the average, and more than twice as high as
that of brewers, and Of butchers, who come
next in order in this respect to innkeepers.
There are, in short, no organs ap-
parently that are not moro or less seriously
damaged by the excessive use of alcoholic
drinks though the liver appears to osuffer the
most.
at NAV also be worth noting that COM
parison between Mr.. Nelson's figures ana our
own comparative mortality figures showH
that large proportion of the innkeepers and
publicans, and of the brewers, must be Of
temperate habits; for whereas the compare
tive mortality figure Of innkeepers in our
table is l,j2l, and that of brewers is ], ,36l,
that for recognized Incorporate persons, ac-
cording to Mr.. Nelson's data, would be ), 80"
Their desire for profitable business often
helps to restrain innkeepers from drunken
ness While the tables show the greater evils
of distilled liquors, the wine and beer death
rate is enormous.
Such is the excess Of death-rate among
those whose business interests help to restrain
them from drunkenness.
At the same standard, the morality figure
for clergymcn shows the contrust Of $50; for
gardeners, 500; for farmers, 63l, and for agri-
cultural laborers, TOl.
In addition, the statisticians say that the
excessive mortality i'll many other calllngs,
as that Of cabmen, ETC., is one to be ac-
counted for by the use of alcoholic liquids,
although this is not stated as the cause.
Here are some Of the statistical commenLs
Commercial travellers, who lead mostly
an out of-door existence, have a mortality Of
94S. That a very considerable proportion of
the mortality is due to this cause is apparent
when it is noticed THAT, under theheadings.'
"Alcoholisln," Liver Disease "Gout,'
"Suicide," the mortality figures for this oc-
cupation come very high up on the list. The
death.rate of tailors, 1,05l, and that of shoe
makers, 9bl, are both high. While both
trades are scdentary, and somewhat un-
healthy, much of the excess arises from
those diseases which point to alcohol rs
cause"
These arc but specimens of very many
other empioyments in which the statistical
record points to IN excess Of diseases in
which, in the opinion Of the statisticians,
the high proportion is mostly to be
charged to the habitual use Of alcohol, and
often Ly those who were not regarded as
incorporate.
In different persons different organs seem
to feel the severity OF the disturbance, but
all are more or less weakened. Authorities
may differ in their estimate OF causes
which have produced embarrassing and
finally fatal changes in various secreting
and excreting organs: but We believe no
one has vet been found to dispute the un-
rivaled capacity Of alcohol to produce irri-
tative and degenerative changes in the
minute capillary circulation on which the
integrity and ability of the vital organs
depend. This does not absolutely retire 1t
from use in the hands Of the skilled physi.
clan in emergencies of disease, any more
than it does opium, belladonna, or corro-
sive sublimate; but it does certify that
alcohol is the most riskfnl Of drinks in all
that relates to the circulation Of the blood
In those organs whose vitality and function
depend on the pcrfectness Of their capll-
larry circulation. 1t is essentially dis
turber of the rhythm and the function OF the
blood -fow. .--iddfLendent.