The evening times., 1896-03-24
GOldenberg's, 92S 7th--706 K
The best Hat
is the SAKS' Hat,
ALCOHOL AND LONG LIFE.
Do Middlc-Aged Men shorten Their
Life by Drinking?

LOndon Hospital
In word, among people under middle
age there has been a steady decrease IN
the quantity of alcohol consumed ard a
steady and enormous growth OF total alb
stiuencc. Among these the death rate
has steadily and markedly gone down
during the whole of the rast haIr century.
On the other hand, since there has been
"A vastly Increased consumption for the
whole popHia ton, and since that consutnp-
tiou can only have increased among actual
drinkers. and those drinkers are persons
at or above middle age it follows, nr
necessity, that they must have been re-
spOnsible for the whole OF the inCrea sed
consumption. Corresponding with this,
there is, as we have already stated "a
heightened death rate. The conciU sion OF
the whole argument is that middlc-aged
andOid persons drinkmuchm than
they used To drink, and die "a great deal
faster in consequence.
On the general que stion of alcohol and
longevity" there is much to be said. Our
own view OF the matter is that, assuming
for the moment Il some what abbreviated
longevity among our middle-aged and Old
population, alcohol is not the sole. or even
the chief cause.
Even if IL were, we should still be dis
posed to ask a question. namely, this: If
II be actually true that the mildIc-a ged
ana OLD persons drink flu Ch InOrcsiIC OH Than
than formerly, why do they drink il?
Is there anything in our civilization. in
our methods of work, in the strain to which
we are all subjected. that makes our peo-
pie drink We certainly do not believe
that the modern man or woman drinks for
the mere aDima! love of drink. or for he
plea sure Of feeling the stimulus and excite
ment which alcohol produces.
Whdt we want TO get AT l. the truth in
this matter. and rot merely that part of
the truth which consists in the answers
TO the question whether or not the middle
agetl and I'D do drink more than formerly.
OFdo die sooner incCn sequence. but whether
or not there are causes and reasons in
EcTcnt in our rrcs cnt civilization and ways
OF life which pic,iisposc so strongly as TO
make it impo sSibIe for mt OF average men-
tai lowers tu resist the prcdisposition.
In our judgment. there are many very
true. very real and very obvious causes i'll
our present WAYS of life which operate to
produce profound depression of spirits i'll
middlc-arcd and Old men, ard large i'm
pJiTmcnis of the vital powers But IL is
exactly i'll middle age that the IeSronsibil-
ties of the civilized man are the heaviest
Those responsibilities lie feels lie must
meet and face, just Us the soldier on the
battlefield feels that he has no choice but
To meet and face even death, If that De
necessary.
Tie real problem. then. we have 10 face
is not IhiS-I,o mnItlit aged men drink NJ
Cohol ami shorten their lives thereby?
:Iut this-lf middle aged men shorten their
lives by drinking, why do they do it,
And can we find amy means Of Icssening the
worry AMI strain OF modern life. and so or
preventing that depression of spirit and
impairment of mental power which makes
men fee a stimuiant To lie IN imperative
necessity