The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-11-29
WAR AGAINST WHISKY
How the Drink Evil Is Being
Fought In Australia.
ALCOHOL A DEADLY SCOURGE


Is a Frequent Cause of Consumption
The organization Of Il branch Of the
International Reform bureau at Syd
ney. N. S. W.. during the recent visi;
Of d. and Mrs. Wilbur +. Crafts to
that country vas followed by IL,
adoption Of a programme covering the
reforms commended to the people OF
Australia at large.
The following poster. after pains.
taking consideration, was unanimously
recommended for adoption by city gov
ernments in Australia and Throughout.
the world:
Alcoholism and Physical Deseneracy.
(Extract from proceedings French
supervising council Of public aid. 1902.
report by Professor Debove. dean Of
the faculty of medicine, and others.)
alcoholism is the chronic poisoning
which results from the habitual use OF
alcohol. even when the latter would
not produce drunkenness.
1T is an error to say that alcohol is
: necessary to workmen who engage III
fatiguing labor. that it gives heart t,
work or that it repairs strength. The
artificial eXC1tation which it produces
gives place very quickly to nervous de-
preston and feebleness. The habit OF
drinking spirits leads rapidly to al
coholism. but the SO called healthfuI
drinks also contain alcohol. There is
merely a difference of doses. The man
who drinks every day an immoderate
quantity of wine. cider or beer as sure
ly becomes alcoholized as he who
drinks spirits.
THE habit of drinking entails dis
affection from the family. forgetfulness
Of all duties to society. distaste for
work. misery, theft and crime. II
leads at the least to the hospital, for
alcohol engenders the most varied NAL
aides. paralysis, lunacy, disease of the
stomach and liver. dropsy. 1t is one
Of the most frequent causes Of tuber-
culosis. Finally. it complexities and
aggravates all acute maladies. Iy
phoid fever, pneumonia. erysipelas,
which would be mild in the case of a
sober man, quickly carry off the al
coholic drinker.
1.-THE hygienic faults of parents fall
upon their children. If the latter sur
vive the first months they are threat
ened with idiocy or epilepsy. Or. still
worse, they are carried off a little later
by tuberculosis, meningitis or phthisis.
For the health Of the individual. for
the existence of the family, for the flu
ture of the nation. alcohol is n of the
most terrible scourges."
What follows is from another French
poster, giving Verdict of Scholars"
IN. Berthelot, member of the Acade-
mics of Science and of Medicine: Al
cohol is not a food, eve though it
may be fuel. Atwater himself did not
conclude from his experiment that al
cohol is a true food-that is, that it is
capable of assimilation by the human
organism
"Dr. Charles Richet of the Academy
Of Medicine: If alcoholic drinks could
be entirely abolished possibly a small
portion of nourishment would be lost.
but one would have rendered an i'm
mense service to humanity
mr.. Magnan Of the Academy OF
Medicine. chief physician Of St. Anne
Insane asylum: In my opinion alcohol
would not be in any cast a food to be
recommended. 1t pushes into our asy-
lums Of the Seine almost one-half of
the inmates
"Dr. Gardner. chief physician of the
Special Almshouse infrmary: The
food. alcohol. feeds crime and mad
The former is indebted to this
substance for about 20 per cent Of Its
victims. the latter for 33 per cent"
From British city government post
ers. quoting parliamentary report on
physical deterioration prompted by
failure Of a majority of candidates for
in British army to pass the
examination:
"Alcohol is not q source Of muscular
or dexterity. but the reverse.
"Alcohol may produce temporary ex-
but depression soon fol-
1.-THE continued use Of alcohol. wheth-
or in the form of beer. wine or spirits.
even though not to the extent of drunk
often leads to chronic poison
Ing.
'Of 61.215 people the average deaths
per year by Insurance tables will be
1000.
.rOf 61.215 liquor sellers the death
average IL 1.642.
"Of 61.215 Rechabite (abstainers,
The average is $50.
'Sir Frederick Treves. physician to
King Edward. declares that alcohol is
IN insidious poison and should be sub
|ect to the same strict limitation as
morphia or %strychnine and that
supposed stimulating effects are
lelusive."