The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-07-11
Temperance
e 9gs9N
DECREASE IN ALCOHOLIC USE
Or Victor HorsIsy Says impossible
TO state Any Given Minimum
Amount Of Drug Harmless.

Vuhntlty, Al any time, under any con-
dition. In health or disease. either as
q beverage or as q medicine. This
view practically eliminates alcohol In
any relation to the human economy,
writes l.. D. Mason, NJ. D., IN the
Temperance. Sir Victor Horsley, r.
r. G. g.. the celebrated neurological
and surgeon OF London, England, sums
up the whole situation In a few words:
Zone conclusion energies from the re-
cent investigation OF the whole alcohol
question. namely that II 10 quite i'm.
possible to state that any given mini.
mum amount OF the drug IL harmless
TO our tissues" and we may add. this
statement holds good either in health
or disease.
Alcohol is q protoplasmic poison.
Tho organism 10 not an individual
but a social mechanism, always BRING.
ing US at last 10 s."-yirchow.
The most remarkable evidence OF
the increasing disusc of alcohol in dis.
ease 10 found In the records OF sup
plies" In the London METROPOLITAN
Hospitals. In the comparative con.
sumption Of spirits. wines and malt
liquors in a period OF fifty years the
liquor bill 10 three times less and the
milk bill three times mora There
has been a steady decrease and I'm.
crease In these particulars and Il IL
more marked every year along the
lines Of economy and medical prac.
tice. In Europe and this country
Temperance hospitals" in which alco-
hol 10 not used at all In tho London
County Asylum the comparative con.
sumption and decrease in the use OF
spirits, wine and beer In remarkable
In a period dating from 1850 10 1905
and 1906. In 1889 the amount Of amir.
Its and wine consumed was 900 gal.
Ions; In 1905 and 1906. EOS gallons.
Beer consumed In 1899. 1856. 4ssx gal.
Ions; In 1905 and 1906. I.2slh gal.
Ions. From these facts there can be
no doubt as n universal. worldwide
fact that the bospitals Of the world
(for the fact applies in n measure TO
all civilized countries) are eliminating
alcohol AZ a remedy in medical prac.
tice; and hospital practice regulates
as a rule. and determines general med
teal practice.
The effects Of alcohol on the intel.
lectual faculties and higher brain are
best shown In the words OF DIR. CIous.
ton, the celebrated neuroIogist and
mental specialist Of London. England:
From the medical and scientific point
OF view we have this great physiolog.
zeal fact before us-that the FIRST thing
that alcohol does in 90 cases out OF
100 IL TO effect the mental working OF
the brain OF the man who imbibes."
The lunacy statistics of England
and Wales as shown in the sixty.third
report OF the commissioners contains
among other interesting and import.
ant facts the following statement:
Taking a survey Of the last nfty
creased from 3s.7s2 cases in 1859 TO
I2s.7s7 cases on January 1, 1909. an in.
crease of e2.O25. This is not merely
an actual increase keeping pace with
the increase OF population. Il IL a
vast proportionate increase, for whilst
population has Increased by SIS Der
cent. lunacy has increased $50 per
cent" DIR. Clouston in the report OF
Morningside Asylum as early as 1908
SAYS: alcoholic insanity steadily
goes up and now II has doubled" All
neurologists in this country and In
Europe agree that all nervous dis.
eases and insanity are at the present
time largely on the increase and the
use OF alcohol 10 a prominent basic
factor In this increase. TO say nothing
OF other forms OF disease not specific.
ally affecting the nervous system.
Whether we consider alcohol as a
drug to be used In medicine or as a
beverage in daily life. we can only say
OF It after a consideration of the high
est scientific and medical expert testi.
mony In all centers Of civilization.
that ~ haa M niaca In tha human