The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-01-25
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS A5ouT
THE VICE OF iNTEMPERANcE.
rhe Latest News in Life Insurance Circles
Is Astonishing tho Tippiers - Death
Rate Among Moderate Drinkers Much
Larger Than Among Abstainers.

Rate Among Moderate Drinkers Much
Larger Than Among Abstainers.
The Boston Herald. under the editorial
head "Favoring Total Abstairers,' says:
''If the insurance companies decide to
favor the total abstaincr, II Will be pretty
strong proof that their Investigations have
led them TO the conclusion that even the
moderate use OF alcohol is not conducive
TO long life. II this step is taken by the
insurance companies it will unquestionably
prove a very strong temperance, or rather
total abstinence, argument. In many lines
of industry the total abstainer is now
given special advantages. There
will be few temperance arguments more
eloquent TO the average man than the as
surance that he may receive better rat
ing from the insurance companies u ne rs
a total abstairer than il he is an occasional
user of alcohol.
"The New York Tribune states that q
number of actuaries and medical directors
have been working on the statistics for
some years. and have come to the conclu
sion that those who refrain entirely from
the use OF alcohol live longer by from
twenty to fifty per cent. than do moderate
drinkers as a class. Even II the
minimum named was the maximum in real
ity it would Justify the companies in TAX
ing the Temperance factor into considera
ton. IF total abstainers live
twenty per cent. longer on the average
than do those who indulge in a moderate
use of alcohol. that fact should be taken
into consideration in figuring the risk o.
insurance on either class"
The Kansas CITY journal. under the cap
tion "Alcohol as Food" says:
Medical science has reached the concm
sion that it is useless il not injurious &c
take alcohol even for its possible food ele
ments And this scientific view has beer
received with approval in the business
Ebo Ii 20 t,in
are about to give special low rates for lie
insurance to those who are total abstain
ers in the matter of spirituous and mall
LIQUORS. The companies have approached
this matter without prejudice, as it i
merely a matter Of dollars and cents witt
them"
The New York American. in comment
ing on these latest bulletins of the life in
surance societies notes the following testi
mony of DR.. Shrady. the famous practi
tioner who was General Grants physician
throughout his last illness:
OR. George f. Shrady voiced the senti
ment of a score of prominent physician
when he said in speaking of the new insur
anee policy:
"1 think it is a good and Just plan. and
the liberality of insurance companies C
non.drinllers will be a profitable arrange
ment. That reduced rates should be givef
on the lives Of total abstainers can be am
ply shown. No figures are necessary t.
tell of the higher percentage of deathl
among people addicted to the use .
liquors 1t is simply a matter of daily Oh
servation.
1.-THE extent to which drink shorten
life will be a matter for delicate adjust
ment. 1t must. of course, depend upon TIN
amount of liquor taken into the system
The moderate drinlSer of to-day may be
come the immoderate drinker of to-mor
row. There are all sorts of things whicl
must enter into the calculations of the in
surance companies and to arrive at pro
per reduction will require some very def
figuring
"The proposed new policy, it is said, vii
contain many safeguards to protect tn
company against fraud on the part of tn
policy holder and against any fall frou
grace after the policy is issued. These
ills are still under consideration"