The Washington herald., 1915-05-03
THE OPEN FORUM.
"Statistician" Questions the Figures
on a Church Wall.

Editor of The Washington Herald
One adult death from alcohol every
eight minutes" ] was surprised to find
this the caption of large poster on the
wall near the entrance to the Church
of the Covenant. staring in the face
those who went there to worship a few
Sundays ago. | felt that DR.. Wood. who
is one of the most scholarly and broad
minded pastors in the city, would not per-
init the walls of his church to speak
what he would not speak from the pulpit
and If this statement were true il was a
terrible indictment against the American
people.
To secure the latest and most reliable
statistics | went to the census office and
secured a copy of the mortality statistics
for 1873 the latest official figures to be
had. The total number of deaths in the
registered area of the United States In
that year was Ssos43. There were 25.OoO
deaths of children under years old. and
320. eco OF adults between the ages OF 20
and 50. The total number OF deaths from
alcoholism is given at 3. IA and not 65.745
as would be the total on the one death
every eight minutes calculation. Thi'
discrepancy is too great to be accounted
for by mistaken calculation.
One of my prohibition friends explained
that Bright's disease and acute nephritis
are produced bN dlcOnOl ana lndt tnc pro-
hibitionists were justified in attributing
all deaths from these diseases to alcohol
Taking the detailed figures l find there
were S5.1OS deaths from these two dis
eases. and this might indicate the of
fetal figures used by the author of the
poster But | have consulted several
eminent physicians who assured me that
medical science has discarded the old
Theory that alcohol is the sole or even
the principal agent of Bright's disease.
and the detailed mortality statistics ap-
pear to bear out this testimony.
Maine has been a prohibition State for
fifty years, but in 1918. Maine had a
higher death rate from Bright's disease
and acute nephritis than had Massachu-
sets; the cities of Kansas a higher rate
than those of Nebraska: the cities Of
Southern prohibition States higher rate
than those Of States where alcohol is
still sold. In the States OF Vermont,
New Hampshire. Massachusetts and
Utah, the death rate from these diseases
was higher in the rural districts than
In the cities. Boston had lower death
rate from these diseases than had Cam
bridge and Northampton. the two most
celebrated college towns in the State;
New York City a lower rate than Ithaca.
the home of Cornell College. and one
fourth the rate of Saratoga Springs;
Jersey City q lower rate than Asbury
Park or Atlantic City; Pittsburgh less
than one-half the rate of West Chester.
that beautiful Quaker suburb of Phila-
delphia: Cleveland a lower rate than Co
iumbus, the headquarters Of the Anti
Saloon League of America: Detroit a
lower rate than Ann Arbor. the seat of
the Michigan State University: Chicago a
lower rate than Jacksonville and Decatur.
Il
In Illinois. both having prohibition by
local option: Louisville q lower rate than
Augusta. Georgia, where prohibition Is
said to be strictly enforced: Lincoln. Ne
braska. the home of Mr.. Bryan. the same
rate as Omaha: Seattle lower rate than
North Yakima. the prohibition home OF
Senator Wesley Jones: Milwaukee a
lower rate than Eau Claire: San Fran
cisco a lower rate than Bakersfield. Ions