128 PERILS. — INTEMPERANCE. 



preparation of burning fluid. " Since 1862," he adds 

 ' ' the production and consumption of burning fluid have 

 almost entirely ceased." The commission said: "We 

 are inclined to consider the estimate of a gallon and a 

 half per head for the consumption of the United States 

 (of spirits as a beverage) as somewhat exaggerated." 

 But taking this "exaggerated estimate," we find that in 

 1840 there were .93 of a gallon of alcohol used per caput 

 as a beverage and in 1860, 1.01 gallons. Most of the 

 spirits now consumed in the United States are used as a 

 beverage, but allowing ten per cent, for use in the arts 

 we, in 1888, consumed in our beverages 1.2 gallons of al- 

 cohol per caput. That is, the increased consumption of 

 beer and wine has been accompanied by an increased use 

 of alcohol. 



Thus it appears that during the last half century or 

 longer, in those countries lying in the nervous belt, the 

 use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage has Increased 

 2jer caput. The full significance of this fact appears only 

 when we remember that early in this century liquors 

 were on every side-board, and conscientious scruples 

 against their moderate use were almost unheard of, while 

 to-day there are many millions of teetotalers both in this 

 country and in Great Britain. Especially during the 

 past twenty-five years, the temperance reform has made 

 wonderful progress, and the proportion of teetotalers is 

 much greater to-day than ever before. And yet there is 

 more liquor used per caput now than formerly ; show- 

 ing, conclusively, that there is much more of excess now ^ 

 than then ; declaring that, as a natioyi groups nervous, ' 

 those who drink at all are more apt to drink immoderately. 

 Again, in the second place, men of nervous organiza- 

 tion are not only more likely than others to use alcohol, 

 and to use it to excess, but its effects in their case are 

 worse and more rapid. The wide difference between a 

 nervous and a phlegmatic temperament accounts for the 

 ' fact that one man will kill himself with drink in four or 

 five years, and another in forty or fifty. The phleg- 

 matic man is but little sensitive to stimulus ; hence, when 



