The herald., 1898-09-07
AND NoN-ABsTAINERs
THE. DEATH LOSS COMPARED
Valuable Data Compiled BY Two Noted
Actuaries-A London View Of the
Money Market-Bank Notes
OFFICE OF THE HERALD,
Los Angeles, Sept. 8, 1883.

known actuary OF Birmingham. mas just
compiled some suggestive statistics showing
the actual longevity among policy holders
who are known to be total abstainers. :"
Mr.. Meikle's observations, says the New
York Evening Post, cover period OF four
teen years, give the experience OF Brit
ish life company, and because OF their Pc
culiar signincance are attracting general
attention just now among actuaries In this
country and abroad. He shows that be-
tween the ages Of Is and 81 among policy
holders whose lives aggregate 1858 years.
only forty-eight deaths occurred The
actuaries expected (accordtng to the
healthy males table OF the Institute OF
Actuaries) s2.7 per cent deaths IN this class.
show1ns ratio of actual to expected
deaths Of 67.1 per cent. Between the agee
OF IS and ~, with y4oe years O. hfe under
observation. twenty-nine deaths occurred.
Or but 34.4 per cent Of those expected The
next group. ages Is to 81, 1922 years. showed
but thirty-two deaths, or ST. per cent OF
those expected. But twenty-sevsn deaths
occurred among policy holders between
the ages Of 81 and 10. 1885 years Of life. The
total among ali classes shows a ratio Of
actual to expected deaths OF 4S.1 per cent.
Az VtAACA WoiOO ousy AoA O<oth0 OSSUAAS SN
when more than 31S were expected.
Mr.. Meikle's disclosures have special in
terest for the American companies because
Of their present policy regarding abstainers
and non-abs tainers. and in view Of SINH
lar Investigations pursued In this country.
A notable contribution to the collected data
OF death loss among total abstainers In the
United States was given TO the Actuarial
Society Of America some time ago by
Emory McClintock, actuary Of the Mutual
Life Insurance Company OF New York.
Mr.. McClintock's observations concerned
his company's experience during an ex-
tended period from 1875. since which time
applicants for insurance have been asked
to answer Eyes" or no" with regard to the
use Of alcoholic beverages. Comparisons
were made between the actual death loss
in dollars and tho maximum death loss
expected according to an assumed stand
ard. The company sustaineda loss OF - ISL
050 upon those who stated on entering that
they abstained from all alcoholic bever-
ages. The expected death loss was -, 1885,
$50. Upon those who stated otherwise the
maximum expected loss was 9.sz9. .4s3 and
the actual loss 50. .le9 ,407. This shows q
death loss for the abstainers Of 70 per
cent Of the maximum. and for non-abstain-
srs se per cent. Analysing these figures
further, tho abstainers showed an actual
Toss during the frst year (of insurance)
Of $685. 800. against maximum expecta-
tion Of $716sSS, or 70 per cent; the non-ab-
stainers an actual loss OF 81 .0l0. 300, against
. maximum expectation Of $97S. .21s. or 1o6
per cent.
The exhibits during later years were
equally suggestive. From the second to the
fourth year inclusive the abstainers ex-
hibit an actual loss Of s2.067<s9l. or rs per
cent; the non-abstainers. 1885, $50. against
e3.640. $40. or 10l per cent. The actual loss
among abstainers after the fourth year was
$1.l37. $50. against 4 maximum expectation
Of $z67l $50. or 80 per cent: among non-ab-
stainers. S62l67. against an expectation
Of $581o.3o9. or 30 per cent. The abstainers
showed up about az well at all PERIODS. the
loss ranging from rs to 80 per cent Of the
maximum expectation. The mona bstainers
also showed progressive improvement.
loss during their flrst year was 106 per
cent OF the maximum. This fell, from the
second to the fourth year, to 1O1 per cent
and after the fourth year to 80 per cent.
Mr.. McClintock found that In the first year
Of insurance between the abstainer and
non-abstainer there was q difference of n
per cent: from the second to the fourth a
difference Of 2e per cent. and after the
fourth yer only 10 per cent. Also that,
"taking persons born in the United States
by themselves. the maximum expected
loss on abstainers after the fourth year
Of insurance was $2.219,207 and on non-ab-
stainers $3,6l2,671, and that the actual
losses respectively were 81 S6s $50 and IS 1885,
SN; the percentages being "a for abstain-
ers and % for mona bstainers, a difference
Of 8 per cent only"
Mr.. McCltntock thinks It evident that the
excess (above 80 per cent? Of the percentage
or loss among non-abstainers during She
hrst four years cannot be due to any neces-
sary Ill effect Of drinking in moderation.
The excess he ascribes rather to undis-
closed bad habitA at the time OF entrarcs.
In commenting upon the general results he
says:
Among wine and spirit drinkers large
part Of the extra loss is upon actual drunk
ards. while the remainder must be ascribed
70 the injurious effects upon the constitu-
tioni OF supposedly moderate, though really
lmmoderate. indulgence. Among beer
0S1uAOAS PASsty tuuCu tuc WuOle OF the
extra loss, 1t would seem, must be attribu-
ted to constitutional effects. It is widely
believed that the drinking of spirits short
Of intoxication ID less injurious than the
drinking Of beer. and there IL nothing in
these results to the contrary. II is the
danger Of falling into a habit of lrtoxico.
tion that makes spirit drinking the more
formidable Of the two; while undoubtedly
the habit Of drinking either beer, wine or
spirits beyond . certain medical limit, not
we'll defined. because It cannot be the same
for all constitutions, and usually exceeded
BY those who drink at all. tends in many
cases towards disease. Finally. 1t may be
Questioned very eeriously whether the
phystcians should mot dx their limit OF
safety Tor any individual a& q lower point
tor beer. msasuring By Alcoholac contents.
than for spirits; that 10 to say. whether
there 10 not an injurious element In beer
apart from the alcohol which It contAins.
"There 10 NO reason to distrust the gem
efAl result Of this iuvesttsatiop. Il coin
eides with All previous reasonable belief
ana expectation It dpeD not show that
thoss who drink only occasionally, ana
not to tnsoxicatton, or those who drink
hehituAlly, but lightly, are In any way IN
5ured = doee NOT ehow tnit III cS those
sae driAh heexi'y nse tAasessse naAes-