Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-19
SOME STARTLING FACTS.
shown by Scientific Study of the
Effects of Alcohol on School
Children.

IN study or the Effects OF Alcohol
on School Children" presented to the
American Medical Temperance asso-
citation last year. and published IN a
cent NUMBER OF the Journal OF Inc
briefly. Or. T. Alexander MacNichol. of
New York city. says:
In study of the relation of hered-
ity to the mental deficiency Of chill
dren. undertaken ia 1901 for the New
York Academy of Medicine. | was
forcibly impressed with the conspieu-
Gus position occupied by alcohol. A
more extensive study verifies the facts
then presented and gives added en-
phasis TO alcohol as an Geological fac
tor in mental deficiency"
After giving some very startling fig
ures, resulting from a careful inves-
ugation, including $1,000 school chill
dren, representing 143 schools, and
1872 classes. DR.. MacNicholl adds:
The close correspondence between
the drinking habits of the parent and
the mental deficiency of the child can
not be the result of mere accident.
One causative factor of dullness
which should command close attention
is the prevailing drinking habit among
children. A few special instances
may be noted: Four classes. having
total OF lS4 pupils ranging from
TO II years of age. were reported as
unusually dull but IS reaching the
standard in study. Investigation re-
vealed the following facts: 100 drink
ers OF beer. 3 drinkers OF spirits. 81
drinkers of beer and spirits-a total
of 100 drinkers (about 81 per cent?,
81 Of whom drank liquor regularly
with their meals. In a class OF 60
boys. Of whom 40 are drinkers of beer
and spirits, il is no uncommon ex.
perience TO have one or more stagger
into the schoolroom drunk. These
juvenile drinking habits are not wholly
confined to metropolitan schools. In
town of C.O00 Inhabitants. 10 chill
dren under II years OF age were found
on two occasions in a helpless state of
intoxication. In a VILLAGE school of
1S6 pupils. 80 are occasional drinkers
OF beer and spirits. When search
ing for two absentees. boys under -
years Of age. the truant officer found
them lying drunk under a she'd. a
boy OF years came into the class
room in great distress. On IN.
Quiry the teacher found he had
taken quantity Of pure alcohol TO
quench thirst that beer would. not
satisfy.
The dangers and temptations from
drink are not confined TO the child's
home. One teacher reports that
boy of nine came int school drunk.
He was induced 20 confess when he
secured his drink. Taking a card
from his pocket. he said: This is
my beer card and explained that a
hole was punched in the card every
time he got drink Of beer. and that
whoever got the most holes in his card
in month got a prize. a large mum
Der Of the So boys IN the class ac-
knowledge that they had cards like
IL. and often bought beer. so as 70 get
holes In their cards. Numerous in.
stances are reported of children ac-
auiring the appetite for strong drink
through patronizing the free lunch
In "a barroom.
I'm a number OF saloons rooms are
filter up with small furniture. picture
books, toys. and hobby horses. and
into which children are enticed 10
play. The taste for liquor is surrep-
titiously cultivated. until the habit is
securely fastened. Two boys. isons
OF highly respected and honored citi-
zen, were thus inveigled into drink
and I'm brief period sank into the
depths Of the widest debauchery."