424 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



averaged 36 per cent higher in the nonabstaining section than in 

 the abstaining section. 



In his article published in the book by Horsley and Sturge, 

 Dr. Arthur Newsholme says : 



" Out of every 100,000 starting at the age of twenty, among the ab- 

 stainers 53,044 reach the age of seventy, while only 42,109 reach this age 

 in the general experience of a large number of life offices of Great 

 Britain." 



Of 100,000 total abstainers starting at twenty 

 53,044 reach 70 years; 46,956 die before 70 years; and 

 of 100,000 moderate drinkers starting at twenty 

 42,109 reach 70 years; 57,891 die before 70 years 



In the Scottish Temperance Life Assurance Society,' in the twenty 

 years ending 1897, the deaths amounted to 69 per cent of the ex- 

 pected mortality in the general section, while in the total abstainers' 

 section they amounted to only 47 per cent of the expected number. 

 The number of deaths in the general section of the Sceptre Life 

 Association, England, was 80.34 per cent of the expectation in the 

 fifteen years ending 1898, but in the total abstainers' section it was 

 only 56.37 per cent of the expected mortality. 



In considering the statistics of the insurance companies, it is 

 well to remember that those insured in the general sections were 

 picked men as well as those in the total abstainers' sections. 



In discussing the experience of fraternal societies, Dr. News- 

 holme gives the following statistics from the report of the Public 

 Actuary of South Australia : 



AVERAGE MOR- AVERAGE 

 TALITY PER SICKNESS IN 

 CENT WEEKS 



Abstainers' Societies , . . 0.689 1.248 



Nonabstainers' Societies 1.381 2.317 



MORTALITY PER AVERAGE WEEKS OF 



CENT OP SICK SICKNESS PER EACH 



MEMBERS MEMBER SICK 



Abstainers' Societies 3.557 6.45 



Nonabstainers' Societies 6.532 10.91 



Attention should be called to the fact that the nonabstain- 

 ers' societies have many members who are total abstainers, but, 

 unlike the abstainers' societies, they do not refuse to admit 



