TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 41, 18 February 1911, Page 12

TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

[The matter for this column is supplied by a representative of the local temperance bodies, who alone ib responsible for the opinions expressed in it " 3 ~— ALCOHOLISM AND TUBERCULOSIS. The medical indictment of alcohol as potent causes of the scourge of consumption is now pretty complete. Dr. Vaoher, Medical Officer of Health, Cheshire, in a recent address at Liverpool, endorsed the conclusions of Dr. Newsholme, Medical Officer of Health, Brighton, that "Tuberculosis and cancer are more frequent amongst those who indulge in alcoholic drinks than among abstainers." Professor Metchinukoif states: "Alcohol has a harmful effect upon the white blood cells, ihe agent/3 of natural defence against microbes." Sir Victor Horsley. "The susceptibility of the lungs of those who indulge in alcohol explains the high death-rate from consumption that exists in places where it is freely taken." Professor Florel, in "Alcohol as one of the Causes of Tuberculosis," says: "Alcohol does not actually give force, warm the organism, or favour tho digestion. The alcoholic does not only not resist tuberculosis, but he acquires it with the greatest ease." Sir W Broadbent declared : "Alcoholic excess is one of the principal factors in the progress of consumption." Professor Osier, in "Principles and Practice of Medicine": "It was formerly thought that alcohol was antagonistic to tuberculosis diseases, but the observations of later years indicate clearly that chronic drinkers are much more liable to acute and pulmonary tuberculosis." The late Professor Broyardel, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine; Paris, remarked at the International Congress on Tuberculosis, 1905: "Alcoholism is the most potent factor in the propagation of tuberculosis. The most vigorous man is without resistance before it." After a full discussion of the subject, a resolution was passed by that congress: "That in view of the close connection between alcohol and tuberculosis, this congress strongly emphases tho importance of continuing 'the fight against tuberculosis with the struggle against alcoholism." In June of last year the French Permanent Committee on Tuberculosis held a meeting to receive a report "from M. Laucereaux, who had studied 2192 cases of tuberculosis. His classification of the causes was as follows : — Alcoholism 1,229 Insufficient air and sedentary life 65 Privation, 82 Misery ... ... ... ... 90 Probable hereditary 93 Contagion 48 WHY WILL CROOKS WANTS THE PUBLICHOUSES CLOSED ON ELECTION DAY. lii- a recent speech, Will Crooks advocated the closing of publichouses on election day in the following humorous fashion: — "When they tried to impress upon people how important it was that men should go to the poll sober, some people could not really understand it. Let. him give a simple illustration. It is polling day, and one of his supporters as he goes down the street ;s; s accosted : 'Going to vote for Crooks? Well, Crooks isn't a bad chap; I like him very much, but he is a ,bit groggy on some things. He doesn't know anything about economics — he really doesn't. Now. look here, come and have a gargle.' He takes him in. 'Now, as i was saying, old man — " 'Bass; give him a Bass.' 'Well, now, look here. Crooks really does not know anything when you come to sum it up. You know lie is not a Tariif Reformer. That shows what a fool he is. . Now, in a very simple manner, if you have £100,000,000 worth of goods coming into the country, and you put a tax on tnem, you would make £10.000,000 and keep them out.' (Laughter.) 'Well, I don't quite See it.' ' Well, have a whisky, old man ; have a whisky.' (Renewed laughter.) 'Now, as I was saying, if all these goods come in and you pub a tax on them, you make the £10,000.000 while keeping them out.' 'But how do you get the £10,000,000 if you keep them out?' ' Have another, old man.' (Laughter.) | Nov/, as I was saying, the country is in danger, and we must protect it, and you cannot protect it without money. Well, with this £10,000,000 which you make you can protect yourself.' 'Well, 'I don't see it.' 'Have another.' (Laughter.) By the time he has had about five he would believe anything. (Renewed laughter.) There was a simple illustration to chow the need of keeping the publichouse shut." (Cheers.) AN EXPERIMENT WITH SOLDIERS. The Swedish are a very practical people, and they recently tried the effect of alcohol on the skill of their soldiers in an interesting^ manner. They took two crack companies, and gave one company 2oz of brandy each, but kept the other wifhout alcohol. The soldiers were then sent to the butts to fire so many rounds as quicidy as possible, being told to make" as many points as ■they could. The result was that the men who had taken the alcohol were very much astonished to find that their fellows who had had no brandy had finished their shooting considerably before they themselves had, and, when the scoring was counted up the alcoholic were, besides, 30 per cent, behind the non-alcoholic company. The test was carried further and reversed. After giving time for the alcohol to get out of the systems of the men who had the "brandy, alcohol was given to the other set of men, with the result that again the men who were now the non-alco-holics made the better record, both as Tegards rapidity and accuracy, proving that in both cases the men who were not under the influence of alcohol were the better men for the work they had in nand. That was a most convincing experiment carried out by men who had no object in obtaining one or another set of _ results, and it was accepted by those in authority as befog satisfactory, for they immediately took steps to prove to the Swedish soldier that he was a better man without alcohol than he was M'hen ho took alcohol. WITCHCRAFT." Discussing the trend of medical opinion and acientific research concerning the qualities of alcohol as food and medicine, the London Times, in its leading columns a, good many months ago, wrote : "While years, perhaps generations, must pass away before popular opinion reaches the present standpoint of scientific opinion, it is not impossible that a belief in the strengthening and supporting qualities of alcohol will eventually become as obsolete as a belief in witchcraft. . . It may be stated as an opinion upon which most if not all physiologists are agreed that alcohol contributes nothing to tho permanent powers of tho healthy organism, whether physical or intellectual. No man, it is said, is tho stronger for taking it, and no man is the wiser. Tho experience, now very extensive, of insurance offices, seems to place it beyond doubt that even the moderate regular use of alcohol in any form is on the whole contributory to the shortening? of life. When these views come to be fairly balanced against temporary gratification of the palace, or temporary stimulation of the brain, they will be likely to lead, not to a single wave of sobriety, but to a gradual change in the habits of tho more intelligent portion of mankind."