The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-04-15
A MARN1NG TO nRrNKARns.

The supporters of the much disputed theory
of spontaneous combustion have received
fresh grounds of belief from the case of Mil
ton Hardcastle, of Baltimore, whose remains
were recently found nearly consumed in his
shanty on the outskirts of that city Hard
castle was an old colored man of unknown age,
enjoying n small monthly income left him
some years ago by his former w Colonel
Eustace Hardcastle, and which went almost
entirely for whisky. 1t is said that the man
consumed a gallon and a half a day, and
wtuld often buy and drink the pure alcohol
in large quantities, often for days at n time
partaking of no other nourishment. He
lived all alone being OF a singular taciturn
disposition, so that it was some days before
he was missed. but his shanty was observed
to remain closed, and search being instituted
he was found in his bed burned nearly to a
crisp, while the mattress and clothes were
only slightly scorched.
The room was in perfect order and no trace
of fire was found on the hearth, which was
swept clean, and as Hardcastle was known
to have been unique among colored people in
never smoking, the whole affair seemed
shrouded in mystery. DIR. Everhardt was
called upon by the authorities to make an
investigation, and gave as his opinion that
it was a case of spontaneous combustion. In
this he has been supported by several other
prominent physicians, who agree in declar-
ing that the circumstances admit of no other
Observation-Disclosures Dispatch.
TOTAL ABSTINENCE AND LONGEVITY.
When the death of a c"entenarian is re
ported in the newspapers it usually ELECTS
from the reporter one of two comments.
We are either told that the deceased had
been al his life a total abstsiner from to-
babco and alcoholic beverages, or else that
he had always INDUCED with moderation in
those stimulants. On such statements, even
if authentic, we would not base any trust
- min IL a. &c
alcohol upon longevity-tirst, because the
facts are contradictory, and secondly, be
cause they are too few.
The large amount of data needed for even
q provisional induction is now for the first
time presented by an English life insurance
company, which has been for some years
collecting statistics bearing on the subject
The Scepter Life Association, which has
been in existence for a quarter of a century,
has kept two records of the persons insured,
total abstainers being classed in one section
and all other risks in another, the s~o-called
general section. Even from the last-named
category heavy drinkers and persons
engaged in the liquor trafsc are excluded,
The data, therefore, collected by the com.
pany are intended to afford the means OF
comparison between total abstinence and
moderate indulgence in alcoholic beverage.
as regards the effect upon longevity.
The result OF the company's experience,
uulihS lhc hNe years elullS DeCeulDeT, 1906,
have just been published. In the genera
section during that period six thousand sever
hundred lives were insured; in the abstinence
section, four thousand five hundred anC
twenty-seven. In the general section tn,
actual deaths constituted only seventy-si,
per cent. of the deaths expected according
TO the British actuaries' tables. On the othei
hand, in the abstinence section the actui
deaths were only fifty-seven per cent of tin,
deaths expected. The evidence supplied by
these statistics must be admitted to be CO.
gent, if not absolutely conclusive. 1t indi
Gates that ever a moderate drinker is mucl
less likely than a total abstainer to live to al
advanced age.
Another interesting fact is brought out b,
the medical examiner Of this life insuranc
company. He says that in the examination
of many thousands Of applicants he ha
found that total abstainers, as a rule, exhibi
a much cleaner condition of the tongue, re
sembling, indeed, that of a young child. Hi
observations have also led him to concu
with the late Baron Liebig in affirming tina
total abstainers eat more than moderat
drinkers.-Neto York Ledger.