Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-12-12
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DRINKING IN ILL-REPUTE.
Evidence of Decline of Alcoholism in
England.

Consul Frank w. Mahin, of Not
tingham, in writing on the decrease
of drinking and drunkenness in Eng
land, says:
The truth of such a statement
would probably be doubted by the
casual observer of the number of in
toxicated people on the streets and of
men and women entering public
houses. But the evidence is derived
from comparative study of social
conditions and from the customs re-
turns and the reports of beer brewing
companies. No doubt another trust
worthy guide is the tendency of pub
lie sentiment, which is unquestiona-
bly, in the. direction of sobriety. Tenn
perance societies in this country are
growing in numbers and influence
Outside of these. the abuse of intoxi-
cants in hts relation to mental and
physical health is receiving much at
tention. A special committee last
year made an exhaustive investiga-
ton of the subject and reported to
parliament.
The substance of this report was.
published by the authorities of sew
eral London and provincial boroughs
through placards posted on billboardsl
and distributed in factories and work
shops. The Nottingham placard
signed by the chairman of the city
councils health committee, the city's
medical officer and the town clerk
reads as follows:
"The report of the committee pre-
sented to parliament by command of
his majesty states that:
The abuse of, alcoholic istimulants
is a most potent and deadly agent; Of
physical deterioration: -
Alcoholic PERSONS are specially liza.
BILE to- tuberculosis and all inflamma-
tory disorders. $780, 80
Evidence was ,placed before the
committee showing that in abstinence
is to be sought the source of muscular
vigor and activity. -.
The lunacy figures show a large
and increasing number of admissions
of both sexes which are due to drink
The following facts, recognized by
the medical profession and placarded
all over France by order of the gov
ernment. are published in order to
carry out the recommendation of. tho
committee and to bring home to men
and women the fatal effects of alcohol
on physical efficiency:
q. Alcoholism is chronic poison
ing resulting from the habitual use of
alcohol whether as spirits, wine or
beer), which may never go as far as
drunkenness.
80 1t is a mistake to say that those
doing hard work require stimulants.
AS fact, no one requires alcohol as
either food or tonic
20. Alcohol is really narcotic. dull
ing the nerves, like laudanum or
opium, but is more dangerous than
either in that often it's first effect is
to weaken a mans self-control while
his passions are excited; hence the
number of crimes which occur under
its influence.
a. Spirits, as usually taken, rapidly
produce alcoholism, but milder alco-
holic drinks, as beer, and even cider.
drunk repeatedly every day, produce,
after time, alcoholic poisoning with
equal certainty.
70. The habit of drinking leads to
the ruin of families, the neglect of So
cial duties. disgust for work, misery,
theft and crime. 1t leads also to the
hospital, for alcohol produces the
most various and the most fatal dis
eases, including paralysis, insanity,
disease of the stomach and liver and
dropsy. 1t also paves the way to
consumption, and frequenters of pub
lie houses furnish a large proportion
of the victims of this disease 1t COM
plicates and aggravates all acute dis
eases. Typhoid fever, pneumonia and
erysipelas are rapidly fatal in the sub
ject of alcoholism.
&c. The sins of alcoholic parents are
visited on the children. If these sur
vive infancy they are threatened with
idiocy or epilepsy, and many are car
ried away by tuberculosis, meningitis
or phthisis (consumption).
~. In short, alcoholism is the most
terrible enemy to personal health, to
family happiness and to national pros.
perity"