The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-13

Science and the Temperance Cause.
In the study OF the ethnic factors in
the population OF Boston by DR.. FRED
RICK H. BUsHEE, drink is described as a
chief cause of both poverty and crime,
more especially among the Irish, Eng
lish, Scotch and Americans, and most
OF all among the Irish. Not only is
there more drunkenness among the Irish
than among other nationalities, says
DR.. BusHEE, but drunkenness and
crimes resulting directly therefrom oon-
stitute large proportion OF the Irish
misdemeanors.
A report Of the proceedings and con-
illusions OF the Sixth International Prison
Congress, held at Brussels in August,
1900, made by Mr.. SAMUEL j. BARRows,
the Commissioner for the United States,
and just published by order Of our Con-
gress, contains a debate on the relation
Of alcoholism to crime, which confirms
the conclusions OF DR.. BUsHEE as to the
evil potency Of drink. DR.. MASON,
permanent secretary OF the Belgian
Royal Academy Of Medicine, opened the
discussion with report on the subject,
in which he pointed out that statistics
In different countries show differences in
tho ratio OF crime attributable to alco-
holic intemperance, but that in all it
is large. AS an immediate and essen
tlal influence on crime, drinking exceeds
any OF the other recognized causes. Oc-
casional intoxication is q preponderant
cause, more particularly In emotional
crimes and misdemeanors and In those
against morals and offences against the
person; but, obviously, it is much less
important as a stimulation to offences
which require preparation, such as theft,
swlndling. forgery and embezzlement.
Among the conclusions adopted by the
Congress was suggestion that in diff
ferent countries. making allowance for
latitude, climate and temperament, the
maximum degree Of alcohol contained
in fermented liquors should be ascer-
tanned with view to establishing line
OF demarcation between alcoholic and
on-alcoholic drinks, and to show the re-
lation between alcoholism and crime and
to furnish basis for comparative sta
tstics.'
A third discussion of the evil influences
of alcoholic drinking, recently published
by DR.. ROBERT JONES, the medical super
intendent Of the Claybury Lunatic Asy-
lum, at London, is made the basis OF an
article by the Medical Record of New
York, in which alcoholic intemperance
rs cause of insanity is treated specific
ally. DR.. JONES shows from public sta
tistics that of the 10000 certified insane
persons now in England and Wales alone,
alcohol is assigned as the cause of the
insanity in 2l.5 per cent. Of the males and
9.5 per cent. of the females. or those
remaining in the asylums at the present
time, he believes that sat the lowest
computation there are no less than 10, 900
males and $500 females who are mentally
decrspit through the effects of alcohol
DR.. JONES finds, as to age, that the
period OF greatest incidence to the per-
nicious effects OF alcohol corresponds
closely with that upon which falls the
greatest mental strain, or, that men be-
tween twenty-five and thirty years and,
again between thirty-five and forty are
more susceptible to alcohol than those of
any other age.
In commenting on the conclusions Of
the English insanity expert, the Medical
Record expresses the opinion that per
haps the assertion that drink is the most
potent cause of mental disorders would
now pass without cavil"; for unques-
tionably the brain is the organ which
is most disastrously affected by excessive
indulgence in alcohol, although other
organs may be seriously injured, the
outcome of the habit is more frequently
mental dissolution.
The necessity for severe measures for
the protection of society against so po-
tent an evil is now recognized through
out civilization. Almost every coun-