The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-05-25

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ALCOHOL LEADS TO DISEASE
Most Potent Factor in Propagation of
tuberculosis, Declares Prof. ?.
Brouardel o. Paris.

1t has long been known that the use
of alcohol induced in man a condition
which makes his system liable to dis
ease Of various kinds. and also made
the cure of disease even more diff.
cult.
At a recent medical congress of tu-
berculosis in London, number of
declarations were made concerning
the effect of alcohol drinking in pro-
ducing the disease, which were practi-
cally ignored by the general press,
and received very scant treatment in
scientific papers.
At that gathering of medical scien-
lists Prof. p. Brouardel, dean of the
Faculty of Medicine of Paris, read a
paper on tuberculosis in which he
stated that in some countries, it was
accountable for a sixth. a fifth, and
sometimes a fourth of the total NOR
tally from all causes" He further
stated that the public house is the
purveyor of tuberculosis, and that
alcoholism is the most potent factor
in its propagation"
tuberculosis is one of the most
deadly of all the physical diseases
which scour humanity. and we have it
on very high authority that most of it
is due to drink. It is a startling
statement, and ought to have received
wide publicity. But anything which
would hinder the consumption of alco-
hol, that pleasant poison to which
so many are passionately devoted, Is
carefully concealed.
The following is the salient portion
of Professor Brouarders important
declaration:
I'm fact, alcoholism is the most po-
tent factor in propagating tuberculo-
sis. The strongest man, who has once
taken 10 drink, is poWerless against
it. Time is too short for me now to
draw comparisons between the laws
in force in different countries. those
which are proposed, private efforts,
associated efforts, and temperance So
cieties. But I car say, that a univer-
sal cry of despair rises from the whole
universe at the sight of the disaster
caused by alcoholism"
Any measures. state or individual.
tending TO limit the ravages of alcohol
ism. will be our most precious auxil-
iaries in the crusade against tubercu-
losis, but the question is too large a
one to deal with here. Still, | should
like to draw attention to a mistake
made too easily in the different coun-
tries by ministers who have charge
OF the financial department OF the
State. They like to calculate the sum
the state gets from the duty on alco-
hol, but they should deduct from it the
cost to ,he community Of the family of
the ruined drunkard, his degenerates.
inhrm, scrofulous and epileptc chill,
dren, who must have shelter
This invasion OF alcoholism ought
to be regarded by every one as a pub
lie danger, and the principle the
truth which is incontestable, should
be inculcated into the masses. that the
future OF the world will be in the
hands Of temperance"
me ueEH VI Ile + dCulJy OF MeulClNG
in Paris was not alone in his conten.
ton. At the same congress DR.. A. T.
kelynack of Manchester, in the course
of paper on the same subject, said:
Alcoholism and tuberculosis stand
foremost amongst the conditions ham
pering human progress and limiting
mans happiness. Through them the
evolution of the race has long been
impeded, and unfortunately. in spite
OF numerous restraining and restrict
ing efforts, their baneful influence is
still accountable for a high degree of
mortality and an immense amount of
sickness and suffering.
With two such morbid influences
barring human advance, it was but
natural hat eager minds studying the
one should have been compelled to
recognize the presence and action OF
the other