The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-15
Science and tho Temperance Cause.

In the study of the "ethnic factors in the
population Of Boston, by DR.. Frederick
H. Busher, drink is described as a chief
cause of both poverty and crime, more es-
pecially among the Irish, English, Scotch
and Americans.
A report of the proceedings and conclu.
sions Of the Sixth International Prison
Congress, held at Brussels in August, 1900,
made by Mr.. Samuel J. Barrows, the Com.
missioner for the United States, and just
published by order of our Congress, con-
tains a debate on the relation of alcohol.
ism to crime, which confirms the conclu-
sions of DR.. Busher as to the evil potency
Of drink. Dr.. Masoin, permanent Secre-
tary Of the Belgian Royal Academy of Med
icine. opened the discussion with report
on the subject, in which he pointed out
that statistics in different countries show
differences in the ratio of crime attribute.
all it is large. As an immediate and essen
tial influence on crime, drinking exceeds
any of the other recognized causes. Occa.
sional intoxication is preponderant cause.
more particularly in emotional crimes and
misdemeanors and in those against morals
and 'offenses against the person, but, OBJ
viously, it is much less important as stim-
ulation to offenses which require prepara-
tion, such as theft, swindling, forgery and
embezzlement.
Among the conclusions adopted by the
Congress was suggestion that "in differ
ent countries, making allowance for lati-
,tude, climate and temperament, the max
imum degree of alcohol contained in fer
a view to establishing line of delparcation
between alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks,
and to show the relation between alcohol
ism and crime and to furnish basis for
comparative statistics"
A third discussion of the evil influences
of alcoholic drinking, recently published
by DR.. Robert Jones, the medical superin-
tendent of the Claybury Lunatic Asylum,
at London, is made the basis of an article
by the Medical Record of New York, in
which alcoholic intemperance as cause of
insanity is treated specifically. DR.. Jones
shows from public statistics that of the
900 certified insane person, now in Eng;
land and Wales alone, alcohol is assigned
as the cause of the insanity in 2l.5 per cent.
of the males and 95 per cent. OF the fe-
males. OF those remaining in the asylums
at the present time he believes that "at the
lowest computation there are no less than
10000 males and $500 female who are men,
tally decrepit through the effects Of alco'
hol."
DR.. Jones finds, as to age, that "the Pc
rod of greatest incidence to the pernlclous
effects Of alcohol corresponds closely with
that upon which falls the greatest mental
strain" or, that men between twenty-five
and thirty years, and, again, between thir-
ty-fve and forty are more susceptible to al.
cohol than those of any other age.
In commenting on the conclusions of the
English insanity expert, the Medical Rec.
ord expresses the opinion that perhaps
the assertion that drink is the most potent
cause of mental disorders would now pass
without cavil," for unquestionably "the
brain is the organ which is most disastrous
ly affected by excessive indulgence in alco-
hol, although other organs may be serious
ly injured, the outcome of the habit il
more frequently mental dissolution"
The necessity for severe measures for the
protection of society against so potent an
evil is now recognized throughout civiliza.
tion. Almost every country OF the
world" says the Medical Record, sis TAX
ing up the drink question, alarmed at the
inroads which the unbridled consumption
of alcohol has made and is making into the
prosperity, health and morals of their peo-
ple." "Alcohol," said DR.. de Boeck, Bel
gian insanity expert, to the Brussels Inter-
national Prison Congress, lis violent poi
son to the nervous elements" destroys
them when taken in large doses, or by a
slow death when taken in small, but often
repeated quantities." and "the only way
of lessening the frequence of crimes and
misdemeanors engendered by alcohol is to
forbid the sale of alcoholic drinks or to
raise the price to such an extent as to
place them beyond the reach of the mass
of the people. New York Sun.