The Republican., 1899-08-10
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
a very serious danger to The health of
the community. Intemperance is par
ticularly rampant in Normandy and
Brittany. \ Rouen physician, DR..
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 a 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 DR.. Bru-
non, is due in a 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 Ii
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 for
a glass, which is often given them by
the shopkeeper with a view to securing
their custom. DR.. BrunOn declares
that 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
instance which he relates the cook was
methodical enough to keep an account
of her drinks, which was found by her
mistress, who had several times found
her unconscious in the kitchen. The
woman was in the habit of taking from
12 to Is glasses of alcohol in the course
of the day.
Among the working classes the ne
cessities of life may be lacking, but
there is always money enough to pro-
cure Cognac, or rather so-called cognac.
The bottle remains on the table
throughout the day, and while the hus-
band is away at his work the wife emp
ties it in repeated small doses. The
work girls of the great Normandy linen
factories indulge three times day in
what they call an ''all together (un
tout ensemble), consisting of a very
little coffee and great deal of bad
brandy. In the small towns, and even
in the villages, things are no better.
DR.. BrunOn cites n hamlet in the Nescin
where the street in which the grocer's
shop is found is called Dram street (Rue
de la Fiole,) because it is recognized
that none of the women of the place
ever visit the shop without consuming
her petit verre. In the coast towns of
Normandy the women pass their time
drinking what they term, on account Of
its cost, 'treizesous'-that is, a mix
ture composed of one sous worth of
sugar, two sous worth of coffee. and
ten sous worth of brandy. DR.. Bru-
mont Investigations merely corrobo.
rate those of previous nquiries.-Paris
Cor. Pail Mall Gazette.