LIFE AND LIQUOR.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3330, 4 December 1883, Page 3

LIFE AND LIQUOR.

SECOND EDITION

At the last meeting of the British Medical Association, Dr C. R. Drysdale (London) read a paper in the Public Medicine Section on “ The comparative death rates of total abstainers and moderate drinkers, as ascertained by the records of insurance companies.” _ He observed that the method of statistics so peculiar to this century seemed to him to show clearly that even a moderate consumption of any alcoholic fluid was detrimental to health and longevity. Dr Drysdale detailed a quantity of evidence which ho had obtained from severaHnsurance companies bearing on the subject One of these may be given as an example. Mr Wilfred Bowser, of the London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow Insurance Company, in a letter dated June 1883, states that his company was the first to offer special advantage to total abstainers insuring against accidents. In that Company “assurers are total abstainers from alcoholic drinks, of one years standing pay the same rates premium as non-abstainers, but they are insured in a separate and distinct section. It being an ascertained fact that the rate of mortality of total abstainers is less than that of ths general public, the former derives tho whole benefit at the periodical division of profits of their superior health and longevity. It is important to observe that persons who are the least intemperate are not assured by this company upon any terms.” Dr Drysdale, having detailed the whole of his evidence, added “The information derived from such important contributions to vital statistics of teetotallers and moderate drinkers all points clearly in one direction, and that is towards total abstinence from alcoholic drinks in daily life. Alcohol clearly is a dangerous article of diet, and like ether chloroform and opium is in the right place only on the shelves of the apothecary.” j