The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-22
SOCIETY WOMEN DRINK? MONO!
DOCTORS WHO OUGHT TO BE IN
FORMED SAY THEY DON'T
And Refute Bronson Towards Charge-Ac-
cording 10 Fifth Avenue Steward
the Ladies' OF the 400 Hardly Know
the Taste Of the Wine That Bubbles.

Since Bronson Howard used to analyze
the 400" in -Aristooracy," Young Mrs.
Winthrop" and THE Bankers Daughter.
he has not attracted so much attention as
by his statement made on Sunday in Salt
Lake that women of wealth and position in
New York drink too much for their own
good.
sun reporter talked yesterday with
two men who might be expected to have
positive knowledge on this subject One
is the head of physical culture institution
that includes among its pupils every winter
some of the women best known in New York
society, and noted in many cases for the
looks they struggle 80 hard to preserve.
Another is well known for his success in
treating victims of excessive indulgence in
drink.
Dr. Watson l.. Savage. who is at the head
of the physical culture institution in Fifty
ninth street that bears his name, does not
agree with Bronson Howard.
81 have many women among my patients
every winter that come from the class Mr..
Howard described" he said, but cannot
recall single instance in which n woman
who came here needed treatment for the
results OF excessive drink. Many Of them
bring letters from doctors and never had
one that named drink as the cause Of q
patients condition.
Possibly obesity, Of which some women
come here to be cured, might be called
the result Of too much drinking But the
cases OF obesity l have treated during the
past few years have not been Of that kind.
Nowadays all women want to be slight
and they are willing to give up great deal
for that. They know that nothing will
fatten them more quickly than alcohol,
Now people know as they never did before
what the result of their imprudences will
be Women realize that cocktails and
! champagne will puff them up.
1T is inexcusable now to b. fat because
so many women nave shown that ii is pos
slble 20 avoid that condition by healthy
exercise and diet Women, therefore, who
think of their appearance are more care
full about drinking than they ever were.
: And the women who have social position
and obligations are more careful than any
others to avoid the kind of life that is
going to bring them to the state they are
! trying so hard to shun. For their appear
! ance and for their health they are drink
! INK less than ever.
4Drinking among women Of another
class. however, may have Increased. |
! mean perfectly respectable women who
| find liQuor more accessible TO them than II
! ever was before There are half dozen
restaurants or cafes in this region which
women may enter with impunity and take
a drink il they want to, and | very fire.
! quently see them doing it
Drink may have increased with those
women, but those of position who have to
compete in looks with many others, are
, avoid liquor and they are coming to look
after their physical development more and
more closely every year.
DIR. / f. Shaffe.' is the New York physi-
ci:.n who probably treats more cases OF
alcoholism than any other, He was not
prepared Yesterday 10 say that the number
of excessive drinkers among women OF
society had increased during recent years.
IL know" he said, that the number OF
NV women patients has increased during
the past five years, but would have to GO
over my books very carefully to say whether
that increase had come among women OF
the class that Mr. Howard mentions.
don't believe II does.
"lthink that women, az well as men, drink
more nowadays than they did. Money is
more plentiful and champagne s bought
with a frequency that was unheard OF q
decade ago. SO II Ia natural That Int
women should do some of this drinking
as they go to restaurants now to an extent
that was formerly unheard of.
But | could not say that the habit OF
drinking has grown more among women OF
social Importance than among others
A steward of large Fifth avenue
restaurant which serves mora private din
ners and entertainments than any othe
restaurant in New York and has the repu
tation OF having the most fashionable pat
rons was Disguised opponent Of thu
theory that women In society drink too
much.
, "Why, if we relied on what the womel
| order" he said, there would not he VIM
enough sold to make any profit. Most o
the women who come here refuse even ;
, cocktail They may sip a little champaign
. or some other wine, but that is all they
take.
-Tve begun to believe that it's the fashio
now for the women to refuse wine, an
| you'll never see them taking liqueur afte
dinner Now they'll shy even al a crern
de menthe with ice, which used to he popu
lar with them. should say that he aver
Z age drink Of the ladies who come here is
half glass OF wine.
And it's not only in restaurants this
thew are 80 sparine. At the dinners
! private houses and at dances the wome
. drink not hing. At the balls given upstair-
and at those in private houses it's onl
; the men that drink the champagne. If n
, women Of society do drink too much,
, don't know where it's done