CAUSES OF INTEMPERANCE. (Lancet )

Waikato Times, 14 January 1873, Page 2

CAUSES OF INTEMPERANCE. (Lancet )

WnATEVKB may be thought of Mr Dalrvnvile's proposal to | esinblnli reformatories for drunkards bvleg^lative enactment, md whatever may be thought about the provisions of fie Licensing Act, there can be no doubt that fiere is a general agreement with regard to tho pvils of intp'Ti"»p»"*nc/», and a general desire for their rcrm>3S'on, co'iolecl w Hi mi ipichv suspicion that tho hab ts w ii"h \ n \ ' fo 1 r < -v w dclv d'fftispd abroad among sn^'ety. We shn,M n if b- 1 n^euspl of leaning towarls thp doct-'ne* nn'l ni-nct we* of the tiH) abstinence nnrtv : and wp a 1 *? f'lM" pinvmn" 1 o* 1 thp g*eat dietetic and medicinal vVt'ie of alo'iol Rm ( ' 'vp 1o mt yetyield to Mr Bwli>y himse' Pi i vi-^-a- -wrfvt 1 - t> i^V injury dine bv excess, howv.T wp in" IV* r ") ■> V- n a* to the means qv which excess mf't be n cv( i' >u Ti w% < case 1 !, no donb*-, ppo'Vlc inherit from rLiw >rl infi>-)tiv i voMion so frpbie that t'ipv enn sfircclv b* ptiw'i 1 1 (oreany form of tcmntnfion, and, if they 1 lie di mkj tVy hppr-ne drunkards out of hand. P.itlms thi« cln^ o.i one sule, cannot neenpt the existence of drunkenness ,n nn uHima^e fact of human nature, but think i( must ho dap to causes some of wlrch inve=i'ic;atioii mifi;lit di«clo*e. Abstainers have Ions; endcavourpJ to trvai it to ouv social cv*! j'n, and Goorgo Ouiekshank h<w crystallise'l to tlio en leavour in one of lus well-known pictures But surely this is, in the main, an error; and, we except in the lowest clashes, convivial'tr and intoxicat'on do not go hand in hand. More wino is con s umed at dinner parties than at other like occas'on, and it | is a matter of common observation that cren free afterdinner drinkers have little or no tendency to become drunkards. Wo incline to think that the chief source of drunkenness arising from accepted* customs would be the practice of taking " nips" at odd hours of the (lav ; and th^re arc many reasons why *his practice is on the incroise. Our mercantile classes are leading lives of strain and excitement to which history furnishes no parallel, and they do so mainly on account of tho increased facilities of communication with correspondents in distant places. People still living can renvmibor when the events of tho day turned very much upon the letters brought bv the morning post delivery ; so that, as a rule, when these letters wore read, the man of business know what the (lav had in store for hi>n Tfow the place of letters is largely taken by telegrams, and tplesra'ns meet one at every turn, eomine; without warnin r an 1 at no appointed ttm». Oflen, of course, they must bring h<H nows, and thus those who habitually reeeivo them are called upo-n to stand with their loins girded. A man who is iust about to enter upon a negotiation rpquirin" allhis knowle r lg« and aoutenps3, receires a telegram which infbrnis him ofloss or misfortune. A glass or more than a glass of wjne will enablo him to mllv his faculties, to prevent, them from travelling instinctively 1o the bad news, nh<\ to fce»r. Ot*m <»>»*- contracted upon the matter in hand. Thus it befalls that so many oflio>s nave cupboards Cn w^feflr sfierrynn'l bi'tet's may be iound ; and thfl hab' t of us ; ng a stiniul'i-as a snur to tho overtarocl or j»Jpcl fieulties is onptlis.t otrow* anno> A'nons women in the middle cla« very ana'a^ou cand't>'>ms evi^t They nro, m many cases, reared in hah ts of luvirv «nd idleness, with little or no re.il mental culture. They have no sympathy with, or knowledge- of, occunations o^ the ; r husbands, who are oflen hard workers in commpreinl orni*ofo'jional pursuits. They have not the wi le range of social duties which remWs the life of a groat lady nparly as arduous as that of a states™ i or a general ; h it they are ant .othi"k that they noproa?h to being great ladies when they hand over tVir ehiHrci to nurses anl gorernrsses. and their establish-iinnts ta housekeepers. A life of tidlenoss and vacuity is attended with tnanv sources of discomfort; physical discomfort, duo to gastric or uterine irritation ; uiciital discomfort, di\o to triumphs of riT*ls in. '

a little circlo, to the superiority of Mra brown's earring, or to the extravagance of Mr? tt >bi neon's cost line For such distresses, abohol is fur a time an unfailing sel*,." 1 ; and eJ.il de-cologne is apt to be replace I by luunily. "* c lady feels a- little "low," and must have Rtxnethm^ to support her. From pauses and under conditions whicb • the foregoing example* may illustrate, but do nob exhaust, 4| it is brought about • people in a respectable position drink little drains aft all sorts- of period* in the day. 1 hey do not get drunk —at all events not 111 the early stages of their pi 041 ess ; but the "-nips" destroy the already weakened self control, and leal to drunkenness. Thd less the excuse for occassional stimulant, tho greater mischief is it likefy to do; for alcohol, when it is nee led to sustain the nervous system against an actud shock, may pei haps be expended in fulfilling the purpose for which it is consumed. ' When on tin ooutraiy, it is not taken to call forth effort, but only to itford cisc, it will do its full measure of mischief to the nervous and the secretory systems. ' We would urije, therefore, upon all who would promote temperance, and especi illy upon medical men who are consulted with regard to habits of life, that they should do all in their power for the suppiession of the occasional stimulant, which is taken between meals, and which is not called, upon to go out in action. Our American cousins are far ahead Jof us »s regards the inebriates themselves If this be so, it would couth fax our behave that habitual drunkenness is only an advanced form of frequent " hquor-iag-up."

IS Cows 6 8u115... Average. £222 10 0 IGG 8 G Total. £12,120 3 993 11 14 . £212 18 9 £13,118 14