The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-11

positively that total abstinence de-
cidedly increases longevity. Knit up
with the direct influence Of absti-
nence, there is also, of course. the In
fluence of other contributory factors
to longevity in the abstainer He Is
more likely to be thrifty, to spend
his money for healthful recreations,
TO live regularly and observe general
laws of health. all of which go along
with abstinence and thereby contrib
utes to length of days.
We are warranted in teaching that
medical evidence shows that In gem
eral from 10 to 15 per cent at least
of all insanity is due directly to al
cohol; that is, are causes of alcoholic
insanity. to recognize which is to
know the cause. Beyond that is the
wide range of cases in which alcohol
is a contributing factor But the
matter is highly serious when we
can show by United States official
statistics that at least one person in
every ten, one man in every six, who
enters an insane asylum, goes in with
insanity for which alcohol is directly
responsible
Plant and animal experimentation
ia tustifying us IN teaching the pos
sibility of physical injury to the next
generation by the drinking parent.
Here, of course, has been disputed
ground In recent years There are
those who hold that alcoholism it
self Is a sign of nervous defect, and
that when defects appear In the chill
dren of drinking parents 1t simply
means that the weak family stock.
not the alcohol, was the original
cause The question has been raised:
Is the man degenerate because his
father was alcoholic, or was his
father alcoholic because he was de-
generate and nassed on his degener-
acy to his son The difficulty with
human families is that we cannot get
far enough back always to ascertain
what originally caused a defect that
shows itself as alcoholism. The fee
ble-minded line of the famous Kalli-
kak family described by Goddard. for
instance. ne traces back to the de-
fective Legitimate son of feeble
minded girl. But the girl was the
daughter of a tavern keeper of the
Revolutionary period. Who shall say
that the cause Of this line of defec-
tives may not lie with the tavern
keeping and probably drinking father
of the girl?
But in the plant experiments we
have seen physical characteristics
changed by chemicals introduced into
the organs whence come the life
cells. and these chara cteristics per-
sisting from generation to genera
ton. In animals we have seen de-
generacy develop after the admins
tration Of lead and alcohol to the par
ent which alone could be offered as
explanation of the deterioration which
took place in the offspring. In the
case of alcohol this deterioration has
already been shown to persfst to at
least the fourth generation Of animals
even when the intervening genera
tons were not alcoholic. We find
here. too, a reply to the scientists who
would explain deterioration in the
children by bad hycenio conditions
of the home which affect nutrition
and development OF the young In
the animal cases the environment of
the alcoholic and non-alcoholic par
ents was absolutely the same.
In this matter of heredity where
much more carefully selected evil
dence needs to be obtained, I think
we cannot afford to be over-dog-
matte in drawing conclusions as to
details, but we can and should tell
fally and frankly all the evidence we
have and let It speak for itself.
Our argument against the relation
OF alcohol to degeneracy IS strong in
any case. If, under favoring condi-
tons. it causes degeneracy. then GER
Ao@4hAs &ttoSS hO aiCnCi1U dEIDR3
should not be permitted for the AXE
of the soundness OF the case II al
coholism lis an expression OF defect,
We know that 1t accentuates the de-
feet and makes detectives so much
the greater danger to society. So
ciety ought to protect itself by pro-
tecting its weak ones from alcohol,
and thus prevent this added waste.
Place a man who is only so per cent
n q t,1ax
bring ont all the capacity In him
what might be called a 100 per cent
environment-and he should reach
the full so per cent attainment posi-
bic TO him But place that 80 per
cent man in a. so per cent environ
ment such as community where he
can obtain alcoholic liquors, and the
chances are that he will fall consid-
eraoly below even the so per cent of
attainment, which is the very most
that can be expected OF him.
In all these facts we have a strong
body OF truth concerning the rela-
ton OF alcohol to the individual
With these general facts we shall
flnd the great body of scientific optn-
ION of today pretty generally IN ac-
cord. Such difficulties as we may
meet will lie along the line OF de-
tails as to how the general results
NGTHS paw Aci On Some OF the de-
tails there is less general agreement
Evidence, however. Is constantly ac-
cumulating. The surmise of today
is often the proven fact OF tomorrow.
This has occurred more than once In
the progress of physiological knowl-
edge. Hence. we need not necessar.
ny fail 10 use explanatory details
simply because all physicians do not
accept them. but we ought not to use
them without carefully weighing them
as evidence considering the authority
on which they are based. the meth Cd
by which the conclusions were
reached.
Given the facts, what shall be tho
aim OF our appeal? They have both
an Individual and a social appeal. rne
Individual needs to know their appii-
cation, to fitness for life's work. to
ability to get on in the world, to the
rearing OF healthy. worthy children.
But there is also the social appeal
When we began TO link these facts
up with other facts OF social wastaee,
our field Immediately broadens, the
range OF illustration widens. We
can apply the known facts about al
cohol TO the social and economic
losses involved in infant mortality.
sickness. insanity, shortening of life,
We can brine trr,rr,- tr,-+he In a i,a,9..a1