254 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



ments of Kraepelin and his associates show that moderate doses of 

 alcohol exert a deadening influence on all mental processes. Appre- 

 hension is slower, accuracy is lessened, errors are increased, and mem- 

 ory is impaired. The character of associations is also unfavorably 

 affected, the number of higher logical associations being decreased while 

 associations depending upon similarity and contiguity in time and space 

 are increased. Schnidman made experiments on the effect of alcohol 

 in the work of translating from one language to another, with the 

 result that under the influence of small doses of alcohol there was an 

 increase of errors and a decrease of rapidity. The experiments of 

 Lieutenant Boy upon Swedish soldiers in revolver and rifle shooting 

 with and without alcohol showed that accuracy was affected unfavorably 

 by the drug. Mayer found that the speed of writing was lessened by 

 alcohol. In Dr. Aschaffenburg's experiments with typesetters, he 

 found that there was an average impairment of efficiency amounting to 

 about 9 per cent, as the result of small doses of alcohol. Smith experi- 

 mented on the effect of small doses of alcohol upon memory processes 

 when the drug was administered for successive days. The alcohol in 

 these experiments was administered in the evening and was found to 

 exert a damaging effect upon the memory processes to a very marked 

 degree, the effect increasing from day to day. Fiirer found that 80 c.c. 

 of alcohol taken in the evening was followed by increased errors in 

 choice-reactions during the whole of the following day. 



Experiments such as the above are difficult to carry out and possible 

 sources of error may enter. It is highly desirable that still further 

 researches should be made in this direction, eliminating every possible 

 source of error. The work to be undertaken in this field by the Car- 

 negie Institution under the direction of Dr. Benedict and Dr. Baymond 

 Dodge will be awaited with great interest. It may safely be said, 

 however, that the experimental evidence is already sufficient to show that 

 it is not on account of any increased mental efficiency due to alcohol that 

 the world-wide desire for it is to be explained. The testimony of Helm- 

 holtz in his speech at Berlin on the occasion of his seventieth birthday 

 is significant in this connection. Speaking of the conditions under 

 which he had had his most brilliant intuitions, he said that the smallest 

 amount of alcohol seemed to frighten them away. 



The experimental evidence of the damaging effect of alcohol on 

 physical and mental efficiency is confirmed by the practical experience 

 of railroads, steamship companies, shops, manufacturing establishments, 

 contractors, surveying and exploring parties, athletic teams, etc. An 

 increasingly large number of railroads forbid the use of alcoholic liquors 

 to their employees, in some cases even when off duty, while in shops and 

 in mercantile establishments of all kinds statistics show a significant 

 increase of accidents and decrease of efficiency immediately following 

 Sundays and holidays. 



