Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-12-26
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF iNTEMPER..NcE.

The Cost to-the Community of the Ruined
Drunkard, and His Degenerate, Scrof-
ulous Ciildren-A1coholism Definitely
Predisposes to Tuberculosis.
In different countries OF the world min.
isters who have charge of tho financial de-
partment like to calculate the sum the
State gets from the duty on alcohol, but
they should deduct from it the cost to the
community of the family OF the ruined
drunkard, his degenerate, lnhrm, scrofu-
lous and epileptic children, who must have
shelter. The invasion of alcoholism ought
to be regarded by everyone as public
danger, and this principle, the truth Of
which is incontestable, should be incul.
Gated into the masses, that the future OF
the world may be in the hands OF the tenn
perate.
In the Edinburgh Medical Journal foI
September is an article by DR.. Keynack,
of Manchester, which follows the same line
of argument. DR.. Keynack puts the po-
sition as regards the aspects from which
scientific men as follows: Q) That alco'
holism is antagonistic to tuberculosis; (2)
that alcoholism bears no special relation
ship to tuberculosis; (3) that alcoholism
definitely predisposes to tuberculosis, and
he gives the views of well-known physi-
clans of various countries bearing on the
point at issue.
Flint used alcohol freely, that is, from
six ounces to pint Of spirit daily, and
appears to have had firm belief in its
efficiency in the treatment of tuberculosis
Chartens, writing IN 1877, concerning the.
administration of whisky to phthisical pa
tients, says: ''In private practice | order
it to be taken ad libitum" Hermann
Weber expressed himself in like terms,
but Bell, of New York. as far back as
1859 opposed the view: then generally, cur
rent, OF. the beneficial influence of large
of
monary tuberculosis.
That alcoholism definitely predisposes
to tuberculosis has of recent years re.
ceived much support, and the theory will
appear to be gaining ground at a rapid
rate Hector Mackenzie believes that al
cohoism must be regarded as a powerful
predisposing cause OF tuberculosis. Osler
refers to the subject thus 1T was for
merly thought that alcohol was in some
way antagonistic to tuberculous disease,
but the observations of late years indicate
clearly that the reverse Is the case, and
that chronic drinkers are much more la
BILE to both acute and pulmonary tubercu-
losis. 1t is probably altogether a question
of altered tissue soil. alcohol lowering
the vitality and enabling the baclli more
readily to develop and grow" DIR. Kelly
mack himself says that, having had eXcep-
tional opportunities of studying large num-
bcrs of cases among workhouse and hospi-
tai patients, he is convinced that the pub
lie house or saloon must be considered as
one of the most serious obstacles to the
speedy and effectual stamping out of tu-
berculosis.
Italians, Germans and physicians of
other countries who have studied the ef
fects OF alcoholism in connection with tu-
berculosis have arrived at similar conclu-
sions. 1t is further contended by some
that, in addition to a general impairment
of vitality and perncious environment,
there is special prejudical influence aris-
ing from the action of the alcohol and its
associates. This, as DR.. Kelynack points
out, is very hard to prove, and at present
and until Investigations have more clearly
elucidated the matter. must rest con-
tent with the knowledge already gained
that alcohol exerts little no beneficial
influence on the course of tuberculosis,
but that, on the contrary, it tends to pre-
dispose to the malady those who cohsums
it to any extent. Indirectly, of course,
the fact is undeniable that alcohol is a
prominent cause of tuberculosis, by low
ering the vitality of its subjects, by induc-
ing poverty and necessitating life in un-
healthy surroundings, by causing degener-
alton of the individual and offspring, and
by these means rendering the race more
susceptible and prone to infection. Sup
preston of alcoholism should go hand in
hand with that of tuberculosis. - New
York Medical Record.