Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-12-23

AS might be expected. life insur-
ance companies are vitality interested
in such a matter as this. and we find
the following in the news columns of
the daily press
New York, Dec. 10-That the use
of alcoholic beverages shortens life in
this country was reported as a statisti-
cal fact TO the eighth annual conven-
ton OF the Association of Life Insur-
ance Presidents here this morning.
Figures on the subject were presented
by Arthur Hunter, actuary. in connec-
ton with the findings of a mortality
investigation into the lives OF 2,0O0.-
600 life insurance policyholders. cover
ing a period of 25 years.
The investigation. which has just
been finished, was made primarily to
assist the life insurance companies to
find out which types of persons could
be safely accepted for insurance at the
regular rates of premium, which types
should be charged an extra premium,
and which should be declined. 1t was
announced, however. at today's con-
vention that the results of this private
mortality inquiry were also available
for public use in lengthening life.
Fatal Effects of Drink
Among the men who admitted that
they had taken alcohol occasionally
to excess in the past" said Mr.. Hun
ter, but whose habits were con-
sidered satisfactory when they were
insured, there were 2S9 deaths, while
there would have been only 100 had
this group been made up of insured
lives in general. The extra mortality
was, therefore, over so per cent. which
was equivalent to a reduction in the
average life of these men OF over four
years. If this meant that four years
would be cut off the end of the average
normal lifetime of each man, there are
many who would consider that the
game was not worth the candle But
il means that in each year a number
OF men will die at an earlier age than
they should. For example, at 80 the
expectation of life is 80 years. In the
first year after that age, instead of,
say, nine persons dying, there would
be probably 2 deaths; that is, three
men would each lose 80 years Of life;
i'm the next year probably four men
would each lose 21 years of life, etc.
AS "a matter of fact, many immoderate
drinkers would live longer than 80
years. but not nearly so many as would
live if they had been moderate drink
ers, and far fewer than if they had
been total abstainers from alcohol.
with regard TO men who had used
alcoholic beverages daily but not to
excess, the experience of the COM
panies was divided into two groups
men who took two glasses of beer or
NJ. -. L.,
day, and men who took more than
the foregoing amount, but were not
considered by the companies to drink
to excess. The mortality in the sec
ond group was found to be fully SO
per cent greater than in the Tristan
excellent argument for moderation
in the use of alcoholic beverages.
Light Drinking Dangerous
The committee of the medico-ac-
tuarial mortality Investigations did not
make a report on the mortality among
abstainers, but sufficient statistics have
been published by individual com
panies 10 justify the statement that
persons who have always been total
abstainers have a mortality during the
working years of life of about one
half of that among those who use al
cohol to the extent of at least two
glasses of whiskey per day.
I'm view Of this, the effect of pro-
hibition of the manufacture and sale
Of alcoholic beverages in Russia must
be very great. If the government of
Russia carries out it's present intention
to abolish permanently all forms of
alcoholic beverages, the saving Of hu-
In, uyin no
1t is not too much to say that the loss
of 100000 men as the result of the
present warfare could be made good
in less than 10 years through complete
abstinence from alcoholic beverages by
all the inhabitants Of Russia"