The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-03-11
The Teacher and the Temperance Question
ALCOHOL AND MORALITY
Prof. Iohn r. Smith


feet on the children, so hard drink
ing on the part Of the parents mani
tests Itself in the degeneracy of the
offspring. You must not suppose
that this will be noticeable in every
case, nor must you suppose that al
cohol is the only degenerating force
that enters into the lives Of the
children Of drunkards. II is fire.
quently only one OF many, but il
does have its effects. The follow
ing examples speak for themselves.
One American physician observed
600 children who were born of 1870
drunken mothers and discovered
that 1876 Of the children died in in
fancy. These drunken mothers
took away from their babies a fight
ing chance for life and health before
they were born. Another physician
examined 20,ii9 children for the
New York Academy Of Medicine.
6,62i Of these children had drinking
parents. SO per cent Of these chill
dren were billiards. 1883 Of the
number had temperate parents and
only ten per cent were billiards.
In another case 3,7ii children
were examined and al per cent
their ancestors back to the third
generation was looked into. They
were divided into two groups
those with temperate ancestors and
those with Incorporate ancestors.
or all children with temperate an
cestors 96 per cent were bright and
efficient, only per cent were dull
lards. Only iS per cent developed
some form Of neurosis. On the 9TH
er hand, Of all those with intemper-
ate ancestors only % per cent were
bright and proficient, while II per
cent were billiards, 20 per cent OF
these developed some form Of ner-
vOus trouble.
In another instance 2i9 children
were examined and 81 per cent.
were found TO be epileptic. All had
alcoholic parents. When we re-
member that less than one-half per
cent of children born to normal
parents are epileptic we wonder
what causes this increase in the
children Of alcoholics.
Another examination was made OF
2l5 drunkards and insanity, epilep-
sy, and nervous disorders were
found to be quite common in their
descendants. Not long ago il was
discovered that 67.2 per cent Of the
pupils in the reform schools Of Ber-
lin had alcoholic parents. A French
doctor examined the records Of 2,55i
children and found that IL per cent
of them had drinking parents.
Another doctor examined $50 feeble
children and found that al
coholism existed in the parents Of
i0i.
Three great authorities estimate
the number of normal children that
are born to drunken parents. One
says that only i7.5 per cent Of such
are normal; another says
that only li.6 are normal, while the
third insists that only Ga per cent.
are normal. Anyone Of these estl-
mates is quite low enough to make
the young man who would drink
think many times before he damns
his children to lifelong sickness or
Another doctor examined a large |
of children for tuberculosis.
He found that only is per cent. OF
the children Of temperate parents
were affected, but discovered that |
10 per cent. Of those who came OF
families were in the in
cipient stages Of the disease.
High authorities estimate that so
per cent Of insanity is caused by |
The use of alcohol. We know that
and suicides are most fire.
Iuent where liquors are used most
freely.
Prof. Demme Of Berne observed
over a long period Of years 10 fami-
lies that drank heavily and 10 other
families who were abstainers. He
observed that 81 children were born
% the Incorporate families and that
II children were born TO the tenn
Derate. He noticed that OF the 81
children born to the temperate par
snts, 81 were normal, only two were
reformed. none were idiotic, none
we're epileptic, only 3 died in infan-
~. OF the 81 born TO the drinking
parents he discovered that only 10
we're normal, 10 were badly deform-
ID, 6 were idiotic, 6 were epileptic
md rs died in infancy.
Now no young man or young wo-
nan ought TO read this without do
ng some thinking. The young man
who drinks has before him the ter
'ible possibility OF blighted babies
when he becomes a father. Every