ALCOHOL: AN ENEMY OF HOME AND COMMUNITY 541 



small quantities of alcohol render the organs of sense less 

 sensitive and hence less accurate. 



A number of other experiments along similar lines have 

 been performed to test the effect of alcohol on mental activi- 

 ties, and all the evidence goes to show that the mind is not 

 capable of its best efforts when influenced by even small 

 quantities of alcohol. 



Effect of alcohol on ability to set type. One experiment was 

 tried with four typesetters to test the effect of alcohol on 



FIG. 214. Comparison of abstainers and non-abstainers in a walking match. 



their ability to set type. The experiment lasted four days. 

 On the first and third days no alcohol was taken, on the 

 second and fourth each worker took about three quarters 

 of a tumbler of wine. It was found on the days that alcohol 

 was taken that in three of the cases the rapidity of setting 

 type was lessened, in one case 10 per cent. As a typesetter 

 is paid by the amount of work he does, this man actually 

 earned 10 per cent less on account of this one drink of wine. 

 Alcohol and athletics. Figure 214 shows the effect in an 

 athletic contest of the use of alcohol. This was a sixty-two 

 mile walking match in Germany. Of those who entered 

 71 per cent drank beer and 29 per cent were abstainers. 



