The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-06
WHAT CONSTITUTES 4 HARD DR|NKER Evidence Submitted To a Jury
 Of Experts TWO VIEWS SUPPORTED Some Say Two Drinks of Beer, While Others Claim Thirty Drinks of
 Whisky-climate Has
 Some Effect.
TWO VIEWS SUPPORTED

From the New York Sun.
 The inner circle was in session, and although the wee small hours had passed with something like the customary enjoy ment it had been matter of uneasy con- sciousness with the members that some infusion of ginger was needed. The usual squad of butters-in had been routed in the usual fashion and had been gently man. handled by the experienced walters in the usual removal of them from there The satisfaction of the chosen in witnessing this had become, however, a familiar pleasure an no longer enhanced festivity.
 Somebody spoke of Smithers and there was an awkward pause. Sheer humanity dictated a word of eulogy for man they all knew. since he had just died, but none hastened to speak it. Presently the pane gyrist said with visible effort:
 At least he was a good, hard drinker,'
 Apparently there were no more flowers for the departed, and it was with an evil dent desire to change the subject that one Dartle inquired: What is hard drinker?"
 "one who drinks hard" said Q. E. D. promptly.
 "But what is hard drinking?" persisted Dartle And there was another pause.
 'I heard that stated the other day." said He who Takes Notice. Riding in trolley car I overheard a conversation between two laborers. One said: I've cut out the booze If Pm thirsty l take a glass of beer, and If that isn't enough I take another, but two beers are enough for a thirst. More than that is hard drinking"
 .He was probably right" said the doc- tor, as the others laughed. 'Hard drink ing Is taking more than is good for the drinker. He was wise enough to know his limit"
 "But." objected the positivist. that leaves the question unanswered what Is the limit? And if given amount Is good for a man. wouldn't less be better for him? Isn't 1t therefore hard drinking to take all that's good for your
 "A good opening said the Prince' hopefully. "Supposing we hear from the senior wrangler on that" But the figure head interrupted.
 ''This is something too important to be settled by the splitting of hairs,' he said. Tt is eminently fit that we apply the ulti- mate test of all things-mathema All drink Some drink hard. It Is question of quantity purely.
 q know a man who takes 30 full sized horns of rye whisky daily. Is he A hard drinker? And if he isn't would
 
 Your question Is crude" said the senior wrangler. tEven If you assume that mathematics should be the test you must admit that this is in the field of the higher mathematics. The personal equa- tion governs and you can't work out any equation involving an unknown quantity on single proposition.
 Nevertheless the statement of quantity is interesting. Thirty drinks day seems { r,D1C
 Immediately the chorus was heard.
 "It is of record" said one, that an English prizefighter-I forget his name averaged something over four bottles of gin daily
 "There are plenty of men in the brew cries." said another, "who take half a dozen gallons of beer every day and seem to suffer no Ill effects"
 'I know a Scotchman," said third, "who drinks as much as that prizefghter, only his tipple is brandy. I've seen him finish a bottle of it before g o'clock in the morning."
 Tn the tropics and the near tropics said He Who Goes Round, where the retically men should drink less than here I have noticed that many men drink more I knew several in Panama who would average 40 brandy cocktails daily and a cocktail down there is serious proposltion.'
 Did they live?' asked the actuary.
 ''They did," was the answer, but they have not persisted in it.' "All interesting continued the actuary, But none of these examples seems to prove much.
 "I don't know whether you all think as I do, that life insurance is higher mathematics, but I can tell you what i roughly speaking, Is considered hard drinking in my business. According to our tables we don't classify a man as a desirable risk who ha-ltually drinks more than two ounces of alcohol a day
 Our presumption Is that when he reaches the age of 50 or whereabouts he is extremely likely to go off with either pneumonia or Bright's disease. It's no sure thing, but we look for it."
 That might be cleared" suggested the prince, If you'd translate those two ounces"
 We reckon 1t at about five drinks of whisky or five bottles of beer"
 You'd go out of business on that basis in England or Scotland" remarked He Who Goes Round. T reckon it's the climate, but when I was living over there and thought I was drinking moderately I took enough to give me the D. T. in New York"
 Hard drinking Is drinking too much said the aphorist impatiently. Why