The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-09-27
TEMPERANCE READING.
The Tcs,imony of soicnct.


In n recent editorial In these columns, un.
der the heading "A Common toe,' we dwcit
upon tie fact that tbs liquor traffic has
brought itself into open and direct antagon-
Ism with all the MORAL forces OF modern
civilization; that IL is the declared enemy OF
everything that tends to the uplifting and
ennoblng of the human race. We cited IL as
a significant and encouraging fact that in
nearly all the great assemblies Of tue present
year, religious, educational, philanthropic
and political, the evils OF intemperance have
been n subject of discussion and that in
many of them firm and decided action has
been taken with respect to the suppression OF
the "a g Of strong drink To all this we may
add that the voice of modern science Is
being raised in stronger and stronger pro-
test against the use Of alcoholic liquors as
beverage Scientific research Is bringing
more and more facts to the light which Tend
to d,sprove many old ideas and theories in
regard to the effects of stimulants upon the
human system and their general medicinal
value. From the same direction, also. comes
the most powerful and convincing testimony
as to the relations between the drink habit
and crime and disease. In their own calm
and dispassionate way, with irrefutabls facts
and figures, the scientists are showing how the
liquor traffic is weakening and destroying
the race, how IL Is filling up the hospitals and
asylums and how IL Is entaiing woe and
misery upon generations yet unOorn. As
Others are able TO show that tho traffic tends
10 industrial paralysis, to the complete de-
generacy Of mind and morals, so the scientist
can bring forward evidence to prove that
| alcoholic beverages are the deadly foe OF the
physical being, that they enfeeble its energies
and destroy It's life.
IL is evidence OF this character which DIR.
| +. n. spitzka presents In his article on "The
Increase OF the Alcohol Habit" in the Sep
| tember number Of the Forum. DIR. Spitzka
| is well known and universally respected
| authority in tho medical world, particularly
| OH diseases Of the nervous system, and his
| testimony in the case uni consideration ~
| worthy OF serious attention. ut Is an in
| controvertible proposition he says, THAT
the increase OF insanity in our large cities
aud industrial communities is due to two fac
| tors the increase of parctic dementia and
the Increase OF alcoholic insanity. Leaving
| out Of consideration the fact that alcoholism
Is al, important contrit utory factor OF the
former disease, the figures showing
| fciently alarming" DR. Spitzka then
proceeds TO quote from Lunier, dstin-
| guishcd German statistican, who shows that
where the consumption OF alcoholic beverages
has doubled per cdptd of tho population,
! the alcoholic insane have increased in n simi.
lar ratio. A corresponding increase in tho
| suicide ratio Is also observed. There were in
| France, in 1913. one hundred and forty-twC
| suicides attributable to the excessive use of
alcohol, and in 1865 without any great in
| crenSe IN tne general population, tnere were
four hundred and seventy-one ''The tota
proportion of the insane in France who
| owed their insanity to alcohol in 1864 was q
little over ten per hundred In Germany to
| day IL is over twelve per hundred" And yet
| We have IL constantly asserted as an argu
ment IN favor OF moderate drinking that the
use Of wine and beer in the two countries
just named is not productive of serious re-
suits.
Most alarming are the statements which
| DR.. SpitZka makes in regard to intemper
ance and hcredty. In introducing thi
phase OF the subject he raises the question
whether the State is not bound in self.pro
| lection to autagoni7e a vice which blight
the offspring Of mankind, and largely re-
cruits the weaker element in the community
which includes the criminal and paupe
classes, and which, in part, Hills our asylum
for tho insane, tho id otic and the deaf-mute
That the drink habit produces the results
here ascribed to 1t Is proven, DR.. Spitzki
adds, by abundant statistics and by observa
tions so numerous that the counter allegation
of accidental coincidence will not stand
OF seventeen children Of drunken parent
observed by Voisin, three were idiots, tw'
confirmed epilsptics, ono suffered from
congs.lital spinal disdsse, and the remainde
died in early life with convuIsions Al
ANALYSIS OF the alcoholic haS.t in the depart
ment of Finisterre. where alcoholism Is th
curse OF both sexes, showed that 10 produces
weakmindedness idocy, hydrocephalus, ep
, lepsy and criminailty to an almost incredibl
extent A French physician, Goyard, l
authority for the statement that the wome
employed in the hospitals in that country IN
variably recognize the children OF alcohol
parentage by their emaciated, shrunker
faced appearance, and their continual crying
He notes that they nre the first to succum
to epidemic and endemic Diseases. Man
other facts of the same character are sui
mitted by DR.. Spit2ka, showing the fearf,
results Of intemperance upon the younl
The article closes with the following signii
cant sentence: with the present rate {
, increase of nebriety and resulting alcohol
, ty and degeneracy. the races which M
: the bearers of modern civilization will largel
owe their degradation and extinction To
: and its inseparable concomitants" Ne
| lnrI, DbSsrrsr