312 STIMULANTS AND NARCOTICS 



while drunkenness, with its attendant evils, became much 

 more common. ' ' x 



That the bad effects of alcohol are not limited to the 

 strenuous life of the soldier but are to be found equally 

 among men in the more peaceful walks of life is borne 

 witness to by a physician of many years' standing, who 

 says : ' ' From my experience during a very active life of 

 twenty-six years of medical practice, I have reached the 

 conclusion that the regular consumption of a moderate or 

 even small quantity of whiskey, wine, or beer is not con- 

 ducive to the most perfect health or the highest working 

 power in my profession or in any walk in life. In the 

 conditions of life in cities, I believe the most effective 

 work is performed by total abstainers from alcohol, but 

 that the greatest harm is done to men of sedentary pur- 

 suits, and to those who through the stimulus of alcohol 

 consume a larger quantity of nitrogenous food than they 

 would otherwise take. . . . Leaving out of consideration 

 all the harm done by alcohol in excess, the injury done by 

 moderate regular indulgence is incalculable. Almost all 

 the ill health in men beyond forty is associated with 

 alcoholic indulgence and with imprudent or excessive eat- 

 ing in association with it. " 1 



A man who for many years has had daily evidence of 

 the effects of alcohol, adds his testimony as follows: 

 * ' From a large experience with drinking men in a line of 

 work for their rescue, covering many years, I find that 

 the drink habit is one that they have formed not through 

 predisposition, but during the years of eighteen to 

 twenty-four from so-called good-fellowship and treating ; 

 then, having acquired a habit, and their system craving 



1 The Physiological Aspects of the Liquor Problem, Committee 

 of 



