CHAPTER IX 



THE HISTORICAL EVIDENCE 



The Jews, Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, Germans, English — 

 Polynesians and Africans — Other savages — The increased 

 per capita consumption in France — Fallacy of reasoning 

 from the per capita consumption — Predisposition to ine- 

 briety arose in man apart from the use of alcohol — 

 Alcoholism a "disease'' — Civilisation impossible in the 

 absence of alcoholic evolution. 



Let us now quit a priori reasoning and turn to 

 the actual facts. A priori reasoning, confirmed 

 by facts, is a very valuable means of advancing 

 scientific truth. Unsupported by verifiable evi- 

 dence, it is apt to lead into a very quagmire of error. 

 What then are the facts ? Some races have been 

 afflicted by cheap and abundant supplies of alcohol 

 for thousands of years, for example, Greeks, Italians, 

 Spaniards, and Portuguese. Others have been 

 less afflicted for a shorter time, for example, all 

 North Europeans. Yet others have had little or 

 no experience of alcohol, for example, most savages. 

 Of all peoples, to whom alcohol is accessible, the 

 most temperate are those who have been most 



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