The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-12
THE NEW DISEASE.


 Seems to us that the prohibitionists will do well to look after Dr. L.. D. Mason. of Brooklyn, vice-President of the American Society for the Study of Inebriety. He hands out to the world new disease which he terms Aqua mania" the meaning of which if not already plain to the reader. will be ap- parent by reading some of his remarks. There are as many water drunkards as there are whisley drunkards." Is his first astounding statement. "In- dulgence in water" he goes on. "can be carried to point where 1t will be- come as harmful as over-indulgence in liquor" and to clench his point he adds that he has friend who is victim of aauamania.
 This friend, the Doctor goes on to specialize, spends hours in the bath tub and drinks so much water that he has reduced the solids of his body and worked serious injury to himself. Many men and women drink too much water and are the victims of this form of intemperance," is the way he winds up this part of his remarks, and we should like to know what is to be done about it. We notice that the usually staid old New Haven Register becomes almost funny about it. say  ing:
 However, the dread malady discover ed by pr. Mason is yet, so far as out ward evidences go, rare one It may turk unseen as the reason for many case of poor health. but 1t can hardly have reached the proportions which the doctor describes except in rare tn- stances. It is at least possible to ob- serve that some persons whom one meets are not given to dissipation in water on the outside, while of others 1t Is observable with equal clearness for internal us. It is believed, more- over. though of course Dr. Mason should be consulted as final authority on the subject, that the diseases of found in the same person. It would appear that the one is an antidote, a sort of anti-toxin. for the other.
 The raSs has; therefore s,s its choice
 
 all appeal the questions: Which is the more injurious, to be run-tight or water-tight? Which is the more unde- water-soak? Which the more terrible end, to fall into a drunkard's grave or to dissolve in the bathtub? Then let mankind choose and act accordingly should be stopped pending the decision whether it is alcohol or water that needs to be abolished from the earth.
 This disease, it must be noted, gets close to those who favor prohibition, but it also. the reader will observe, strikes a blow at lovers Of the bath tub. or course 1t will be argued that a man can abstain from over-indul- gence in water if he will try. Certain ly he can, but the ardent and sincere advocates of prohibition and total ab- stinence argue that if a man indulges in strong drink. even moderately, there is danger that he will in time reach the point where he can no longer con- trol himself and will eventually become 6 drunkard. We know this argument is often over-worked but 1t is a com mon one, and of course Is sometimes sound and strictly true. Now will not the lovers of something cheering re- turn the compliment and say that any one who drinks water or ventures into a bath-tub Is liable to have an acute and incurable attack of aaumania? Of course they will, and wherein does the argument lack consistency if Dr. Mason's position is correct7 Seems to us that this scientist is placing a club in the hands of the. antrs with which to crack the heads of the prehibs- They'll do well to look into this thing.