Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-08-12
FEMALE TIpPLERS
An Alarming Growth OF Drunkenness
Among the Women OF
France.

The progress of drunkenness in
France is provoking something like dis
may among all persons interested in the
welfare of the population. Until COM
paratively recently the French lower
classes drank nothing but wine; or, in
the northern provinces, beer and cider.
OF late years however, the consump-
ton of cheap and bad alcohol has in
creased to such an extent as TO become
n very serious danger to the health OF
the community. Intemperance is par
ticularly rampant in Normandy and
Brittany. Rouen physician, DIR.
Brunon, has just published pamphlet
on the subject, which shows the evil
to be even worse than was supposed.
The special object of DIR. Brunon's
investigations has been drunkenness
among women. In Normandy many
things have come to such pass that
the women drink even more than the
men, although the latter are the most
inveterate topers in France. This state
of things, in the opinion of DIR. Bru-
non, is due in large measure to the
| exceptional facilities the women have
| for obtaining drink. They have no need
| to 90 to the cafes or marchands de vim
the temptation awaits them at every
/ turn and corner, for as there are no ID
censing laws in France, the grocers,
/ green grocers, coal merchants and
other shopkeepers have adopted the
| practice of selling intoxicating drink
| The servants and other women who
make their purchases in their establish
| ments make their visits the excuse fol-
q glass, which is often given them by
the shopkeeper with view TO securing
their custom. DR.. Brunon declares
that a cook who does not drink to ex
cess is almost unknown in Normandy
and he cites the most extraordinary
cases of young girls of 20 and under who
are already habitual drunkards. In one
i instance which he relates the cook wa
methodical enough to keep an Rccoun
of her drinks, which was found by he
mistress, who had several times founC
! her unconscious in the kitchen. Th'
woman was in the habit of taking from
IL to 16 glasses of alcohol in the cours
of the day.
. Among the working classes the ne
cessities of life may be lacking, blu
there Is AlNdNa luOHcy cIObSh " BAO
cure cognac, or rather so-calied cognac
The bottle remains on the tabl
throughout the day. and while the hus
: band is away at his work the wife emp
ties 1t in repeated small doses. Th
work girls Of the great Normandy line
factories indulge three times a day Il
what they call an "sll together" (ui
tout ensenible). consisting of a yer
] little coffee and n great deal of ba
brandy. In the small towns, and eve
In the villages. things are no better
DIR. Brunon cites q hamlet in the Vessel
where the street IN which the grocer
> shop IL found il called Dram street (Ru
! de Ia Fiole,) because It Is recognize
that none Of the women OF the plac
ever visit the shop without consumin
her petit verre. In the coast towns {
Normandy the women pass their tim
: drinking what they term, on account {
/ it's cost, 'treizesous"-thati Is, a mi,
. ture composed of one sous worth {
sugar, two sous worth Of coffee. an
ten sous worth Of brandy. DIR. Br'
mont Investigations merely corrob'
% rate those Of previous inquiries.-Par
. Cor, Pail Mall Gazette.