322 THE PRESENT EVOLUTION OF MAN — MENTAL 



Abstainers. Non-Abstainers. 



Proportional number... 1 3 



Sick Pay £17 3s. lOd. £172 17s. 4:d. 



Days of Sickness ... 205 2287 



Funeral Pay Nil £20 



" This return shows that the drinkers had more than 

 three times as much sickness as the abstainers in pro- 

 portion to their number. But in these instances the 

 numbers are small, and must, therefore, be received 

 with caution ; they only have weight as they correspond 

 with other and larger returns. 



" 88. The army and navy present the most hopeful 

 field for the settlement of this point, because in these 

 services the men are under strict observation, and under 

 practically the same conditions in other respects. The 

 number of abstainers in the Indian Army is now over 

 17,000, and there are considerable numbers in the army 

 at home. There are also a great many abstainers in 

 the navy, almost every ship having representatives. It 

 is therefore very desirable that an inquiry should be 

 instituted, certain diseases being omitted which would 

 unfairly handicap the non-abstainers, for there can be 

 no doubt that total abstinence is more practised by the 

 steadiest men in other respects, though it is also true 

 that the fact of abstaining assists in promoting self- 

 respect and continence, other things being equal. 



" 89. I have before referred to the returns from the 

 Madras European soldiers in 1849, which showed the 

 admissions to hospital to be — 



450 Abstainers, 130'888 per cent, of strength. 

 4318 Temperate, 141-598 „ „ 



942 Intemperate, 214-861 „ „ 



" 90. I have also mentioned the returns from 3878 

 abstainers and 8829 non-abstainers in the Indian Army 

 in 1885-6, showing more than twice as high a per- 

 centage of admissions to hospital among the latter. To 

 these may be added the following from Indian Army 

 hospital returns — 



