Alcohol and the human race

Foreword

IN 1908 the Legislature of Alabama, after enacting a Prohibition statute, submitted a Prohibition Amendment to the State constitution as a referendum to be voted on by the people early the following year.

I was then a member of Congress from that State. My political advisers, in whose wisdom I had confidence, urged me to come out against the Amendment, as most of the men in public life in the State were doing, and I had about decided to follow their advice, for, though taught in childhood to be abstemious, eighteen years of life in the United States Navy and the superficial observation of an average man of the world, had led me to look upon the liquor question as a mere matter of police regulation which would be out of place in the organic law. The thought that my mother, if alive, would have been for the Amendment, led me to decide, before announcing myself, to make an investigation as to whether any issue of a deep abiding nature, fit for incorporation in the organic law of a state, were involved.

I recognized at once that the question was wholly one of fact rather than judgment, and that it hinged on the actual properties of alco-

8 FOKEWOKD

hoi, a chemical compound. I therefore proceeded, with the aid of the Librarian of Congress, to assemble all available scientific information on the subject. I was startled to find, almost at the outset, that alcohol is not a product built up of grain, grapes and other food materials, but is the toxin of yeast or ferment germs, which, after devouring the food materials, excrete alcohol as their waste product. Though abstemious myself, the thought that intoxicating liquors were really, built up of the excretions of living organisms removed all glamour from the cup, and produced a reaction of loathing. Soon I was shocked to find that this toxin causes degeneracy in all living things, disrupts the germ plasm, blights offspring, and, in the end, entails sterility and extinction. I saw at once that instead of being a mere matter of local police regulation its handling was the most fundamental and organic question confronting society, involving not only the integrity of free institutions, but the lives of nations, and the perpetuity of the race. I could not understand how my ignorance had been so dense regarding so important a scientific matter since, at Annapolis and at the Ecole d' Application du Genie Maritime, I had been trained for a scientific profession — that of Naval Constructor and Marine Engineer. After beginning the study of alcohol, however, I never ceased. This book is the product of scientific investigations continued steadily from 1908 until now — investigations in.

FOEEWOED 9

which I have always sought only "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

During the past ten years I have endeavoured to take my knowledge of this subject to my fellow countrymen, chiefly by the spoken word. Now that democracy has conquered in its agelong struggle, and must face the reconstruction of the world, I am hoping and praying that I may be helpful in some degree in carrying this vital truth to the ends of the earth through the written word. If the peoples of the earth do get this truth, a no-license world will follow as day follows night, democracy will endure, and a new era will dawn for the sobering world.

To those who wish to examine original experimental data, I would suggest the following:

First — Publications of the Carnegie institution at Washington on experimental investigations by Drs. Benedict and Dodge, on the effect of moderate doses of alcohol. These investigations establish that alcohol is always a depressant poison, no matter how small the quantity taken, and set at rest the controversy over the imagined food value of alcohol, " temperate drinking," "the use of light wine, of beer, etc."

Second — Eeports of Dr. Stockard of experiments conducted at the Cornell Medical College, as to the effect of alcohol taken by mammals upon offspring and progeny, published in the "American Naturalist," and in the Proceedings of the Society of Experimental

10 FOEEWOED

Biology on Medicines. These experiments upon lower animals show the disruptive effect of drinking upon the germ plasm, producing degeneracy in the offspring, and finally possible sterility and extinction in the progeny.

Third — Eeports of Dr. Laitinen of the University of Helsingfors, investigations — covering thousands of families — into the effects of drinking of parents upon their children, published in the Proceedings of International Congresses on Alcoholism, especially the Congress of London, 1909. These investigations uncover the degenerating effect of even the most temperate drinking by parents upon children, showing that the general use of " light wine " or " light beer " must in time bring about the disintegration of any family, and the decline and downfall of any nation.

To those who wish to examine an assemblage of experimental data, and the searching analysis of poisonous effects of alcohol, I would suggest the " Psychology of Alcoholism " by George B. Cutten.

The basic facts about alcohol are now established so thoroughly by the scientific world that for brevity I have omitted all my copious bibliography, and have cut down the citations of authorities. The question has really passed the controversial stage — elucidation and interpretation are now in order.

I wish to express my great indebtedness to my sister, Sarah A. Hobson, for the patient research work she has done for me at Eadcliff.

FOREWORD 11

Only an imperative demand for brevity in order that this book may go on wings prevents the placing of chapters prepared by her along with these chapters of my own.

E. P. H.

PART I Alcohol and Individuals

I. Alcohol a Protoplasm Poison . . 21

Discovery of distillation — Continued ignorance of alcohol — Scientific Twilight, Sunrise and Noonday — Extensive investigations cited and their results briefly noted.

Chemistry of alcohol — Product of yeast germ — Why it is not a food — How produced — Poison to all higher forms of life — Hydrocarbon — Chain series — Relation to ether and chloroform — Effects on Protoplasm — Coagulates protein — Absorbs water and oxygen — Lessens nutrition and elimination.

Alcohol and Biology — Cells organized into bodies — Cells constitute ultimate tissue substance — Effects on cells produce effects on tissues through coagulation, malnutrition and deficient oxidation, elimination and cell-reproduction — Kills the germs which excrete it — Should have been recognized as toxin — Effect on low orders of life — on vegetable— animal — man.

Alcohol and Physical Pathology — Poisons in general — Slow recognition of alcohol as poison — Expulsion from Pharmacopoeia — Alcoholic pathology of Skin — of Nutrition — of Blood and Circulation — of other organs.

II. Alcohol a Habit-Forming Drug . . 66

Alcohol and the Nervous System — Special affinities of poisons — Alcohol's affinity — Nervous system fixes scale of life — Nervous evolution in Man — Lower Brain — Upper Brain — Brain Cells — More highly organized — Usual cell effects but more marked — Greatest damage to Upper Brain.

Alcohol and the Senses — Touch — Sight — Hearing — Taste and Smell.

Alcohol and Intellect — Memory — Dims impressions — "Weakens power to recall and recognize — Latest

H CONTENTS

impressions destroyed first — Imagination — Disorganizes and debases — Destroys constructive imagination.

Thinking — Required coordination of mental powers impaired — Capacity to concentrate lessened — Moral conceptions and judgment go first.

Effects on Reason — On Will — Will requires Memory, Judgment, Reason, superlative nerve energy — Capacity to Will destroyed.

Alcoholic Craving — Based on motive of Exhilaration and motive of Oblivion — Universally present — Have legitimate answers — Falsely baited by alcohol— Appeals to each in turn — The alcohol habit — Each drink enhances drink motives and increasingly anaesthetizes opposing powers — Every drink makes taker less of a man.

III. Alcohol the Specific Cause of De-

generacy ...... 90

The Universe in change — Processes of building — Processes of decay — Processes more complex in organic world — In Vegetable — Animal — Man.

Protoplasm the physical machinery of evolution — Highest forms of suffer most — Physical fabric of man's spiritual evolution in Upper Brain — Building processes there reversed.

Alcoholic emotions epitomize gamut of alcoholic degeneracy — Control centers paralyzed — Emotions given rein — Sink in scale as anaesthesia progresses — Like effects over longer period from continuous more moderate use.

Alcohol and morals — Insanity — Pauperism.

Alcoholic toxicology — Shortening of life — Minimum fatal dose — Poisoning symptoms and processes — Premature senility — Mortality of drinkers.

Alcohol and offspring — Nature hostile to degeneracy — Alcohol and germ plasm — Experiments of Dr. Stockard — Degeneracy and ultimate sterility — Confirmed by investigations among human kind.

IV. Alcohol and the Human Life-Cycle

(Including Discussion of Alcohol's Effects in Families) . . . .Ill

Alcohol and the prenatal period — Effect on germ plasm further considered — Syphilis as a kindred plasm poison — Alcohol's relation to — Sacredness of child in embryo — Alcohol's effect on.

CONTENTS 15

Alcohol and the period of minority — Incapacitates mothers for nursing — Prevents proper care in infancy— Infantile mortality and — Cause of parental neglect, incompetence, bad example and abuse — Adolescent age — Stops education — Besets with special temptations — Rules out wholesome influences— Youthful depravity and.

Alcohol and maturity — Effects on breadwinners — On home-protector — Alcohol and wedlock — Shortened period of maturity — Blighter of old age — Alcohol and the soul.

PART II Alcohol and Society

V. General Principles . . . .133

Keying humanity to the top of its brain — The law of the fang out of date — No surplus human life — Race approaching condition of a warm-blooded organism— The new Bill of Rights — Future civilization will require dominance of top of the brain — The precept of the new order.

Inescapable conflicts — Socialization of " Rights " inevitable— How nature arms a species against menace — In man intelligence and conscience must aid.

Applying the scientific method — What it is — Illustrated in Battle of Santiago.

The great objective — Nature's and Society's must coincide — What natural science reveals as to man's true objective — How Nature aids toward its achievement — All things measured by how they aid — Anything that interferes is of moment to the whole race — Nature's indication of probable social effects of alcohol — Do facts corroborate.

VI. Alcohol and Nations . . . 146

Social integration and nations — Higher attributes of humanity developed by exercise — Large social groupings the only adequate field for their use — The why of nations — Ultimate integration of the human race — Average character the spiritually, and industrial organization the physically, determining factors — Nations the highest social organisms yet achieved.

16 CONTENTS

Alcohol and national nutrition — What national nutrition includes — Society built of conscious, not unconscious, units — A comparatively new relationship— Functioning of units not yet fully established or become automatic — Man working at his own socialization — Social nutrition concerns food and more — Alcohol and food supplies — Alcohol and socially wasted labour — Lowered national efficiency — Waste of money — Injury of legitimate businesses — The cloying of the social body with alcoholic debris — Tax burdens — Sickness — Premature deaths.

Alcohol and national exercise — The activities which preserve and develop a nation — How alcohol affects them in the home — The school — Business — Alcohol an anti-social force — Effects on public self-control — Capital — Labour — Morality — Politics and government — Life of a nation not static but influx — Effects on germ plasm work national consequences— The fall of nations explained — Average individual development of top-brain determines outcome of group conflicts — Drinking nations doomed to displacement — Nations must sober up or wither — Race must conquer alcohol habit or be forever toppling back into alcohol-purging chaos.

VII. Alcohol and Civilizations . .172

Fundamental factor in life-histories of individuals and nations apply to civilizations — Civilizations formerly dominated by one nation, now by groups of nations — Failure of historians to study the past biologically — Such study reveals prime role of alcohol in tragedies of civilizations.

Alcohol and the physical basis of civilizations — Has restricted the zones of civilization — Delayed conquest of natural forces — Makes natural seats of civilization most perilous — Distillation has accelerated rate of decay — Cities as special menace — Alcohol's effect on naturally selective breeding — The enervation of alcoholic diseases.

Alcohol and the spiritual structure of civilization — Built on relations of men with their fellows — Justice as a requisite — Alcohol's effect on — Political virtue and a free civilization — Alcohol's effect on — The alcohol interests and free civilization in unescapable conflict — Peace as an essential —Alcohol's effect on — Closer relations between

CONTENTS 17

alcoholized peoples can only develop discord- Temporary cessation of conflict not peace — Only hindrances to civilization now spiritual — Alcohol destroys the physical basis of the spiritual faculties — Summarized statement — Civilization must reckon with alcohol.

Historic proof — How the course of empire advanced ahead of the cults of dissipation — No more new lands — Top-brain development the hope of the world — Cannot be achieved using alcohol.

VIII. The Only Cure 192

Alcohol's appeals reviewed — The motives of elation and oblivion — Drug's power to increase and intensify its appeal — Methods which leave it freely accessible no possible cure — As true for society as for individuals — Habit, heredity and weakened resistance great social factors.

The alcohol supply — Laboratory processes difficult- Production by fermentation easy — Manufacture achieved early — Capable of great development at low cost — No limit to its financial possibilities — Greed and the elements of manufacture everywhere— Regulation ridiculous — Society always susceptible to attack — Contagious in its spread- Disease is organic.

The Cure — Organic disease requires organic remedy — Combat the appeals and inhibit the supply — Truth about alcohol more potent than alcohol's appeals to the unenslaved — Must be instilled into each generation — Present-day alcohol heredity, habit and enslavement make truth alone unequal to task — Inhibition of drug essential — Education more fundamental — Must precede and follow prohibition— Effective prohibition only after education— Full educational results only after prohibition.

The educational objective — The instruction of all the individuals of each generation.

Prohibition of the traffic — License and regulation the traffic's aids — Prohibition the only rational attitude— Must ultimately be complete in a nation — In the world.

Past failures no criterion — Elements of true cure unattainable then — The truth, agencies for its dissemination and motives which make that truth paramount now conjoined — Outcome inevitable — "When, depends on those who have learned the truth.

PART I Alcohol and Individuals

I

ALCOHOL A PKOTOPLASM POISON

"Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall

make you free." — John 8:32.

"My people perish for lack of knowledge." —

Hosea 4:6.

"Wine is a mocker.' * — Proverbs 20:1.

Scientific Twilight.

THE first recorded scientific discovery of isolated alcohol proper was that of the Arabian chemist, Albucasis, who discovered distillation in the twelfth century. Previous to the use of distillation, intoxicating liquor had never contained over twelve to fourteen per cent, of alcohol, because at this concentration the toxin alcohol kills the ferment germs that produce it. The evaporation of the alcohol, like the invisible passing of the spirit of man, and the invisible movements of disembodied spirits, led to the name " spirits " of wine being applied to the condensed distillate. The name was similarly applied to the condensed distillate of turpentine, ammonia, and other substances, but when used by itself the word " spirits " to this day means alcohol.

The powerful, paralyzing effect of pure alcohol must have become known to this Arabian chemist, but he seems to have kept it as a trade secret, as did those initiated who followed him; and only slowly did the manufacture of distilled liquors spread over the world.

Chinese records indicate that distillation was discovered and practiced in China as early as the tenth century b. c. The imperial edict of 1116 b. c. indicates that " spirits " of wine was known even then.

The appearance of distilled liquor, instead of throwing light upon the real nature of alcohol, as would be natural, only served to obscure the whole drink question. The widespread use of distilled liquors during the last two or three centuries has brought galloping degeneracy in its wake, with a deluge of excesses and drunkenness that is hurrying the nations on to the doom of those nations which have passed and are no more.

Notwithstanding the destructive work of alcohol through thousands of years of history before distillation was known, the early scientific investigators of our day were blinded by the more glaring ravages of distilled liquors, and disregarded the slower but even more deadly, because more general and insidious, use of fermented liquors which produces vastly more degeneracy, quantitatively, than distilled liquors. Largely as a result of this misconception many who are considered well-informed persons to-day still hold to the idea that it is all right to drink " in moderation." Many actually believe that " drunkenness " is the only ill, that distilled liquors are its only source, and that reform should seek to eliminate " whiskey " but leave and even encourage the moderate use of beers and light wines.

Sunrise.

Scientific Sunrise upon the Field of Alcohol may be said to have come with the publication of the pioneer scientific pamphlet entitled, "An Inquiry into the Effect of Spirituous Liquors Upon the Human Body," by Dr. Benjamin Bush of Philadelphia, in 1783. Dr. Bush was chairman of the Committee of Independence of the Continental Congress, and through the cooperation of such prominent men of that Congress as Benjamin Franklin, General Putnam, and Dr. Belknap, the Continental Congress adopted a strong resolution calling upon the various legislatures immediately to pass laws the most effectual for putting an end to the pernicious practice of distilling grain. As Surgeon General of the Military Department of the Bevolutionary War, as Professor of Chemistry in the Philadelphia Medical College, and as a noted practitioner of his day, Dr. Bush made careful observations and analyses which led him to conclude that distilled liquors produce serious injury to the human organism. It seems a pity that his observations did not extend to fermented liquors, because his method was thoroushlv scientific and It's observations thor-

24 ALCOHOL Aim THE HUMAN EACB

oughly accurate, so much so that his pamphlet, even to this day, is an interesting authority on the subject, coming to the definite conclusion that spirituous liquors undermine the health and strength of the human organism and are neither good for food nor for medicine. However, Dr. Eush never seems to have suspected that the basic substance, alcohol, is the foundation of the ill effects of all intoxicating liquor, and must of necessity work harmfully in malt and fermented drinks as well as in distilled liquors. His famous pamphlet even advised the moderate use of wine and beer. There are conscientious and otherwise well-informed men and organs of the press to-day, who, in temperance reform, have halted where Dr. Eush stopped over a hundred years ago.

In 1850 Dr. William B. Carpenter published, both in London and Philadelphia, an essay entitled, " The Use and Abuse of Alcoholic Liquors in Health and Disease," which had a valuable educational influence, but scientifically did not advance any farther, if as far, as Dr. Eush.

It remained for Dr. Magnus Huss of Sweden to make the next important step forward. He originated the word "alcoholism." Many apologists for liquor have attempted to maintain, and still attempt to maintain, that the drink problem is confined to what is designated as alcoholism, — the result of excessive and usually fatal drinking. Dr. Huss' book cites evidence proving conclusively that serious injury results from " moderate drinking." This book turned a furrow in the scientific field, the deepest furrow yet turned, demonstrating the inherently harmful nature of alcohol in any form and any quantity.1

Twenty-five years later, Dr. Benjamin Ward Eichardson of London in his "Cantor Lectures" advanced scientific data another step and intrenched his advanced position. His investigations were long continued, careful, scientific, and conclusive. He demonstrated that alcohol is an anaesthetic, not a stimulant, and that its action upon the organs and tissues, whether taken in " moderation " or in " excess," whether in the form of fermented, malt, or distilled liquor, is essentially that of a poison. These investigations led Dr. Eichardson himself to become a total abstainer. They laid the foundation of the general adoption of total abstinence as the rational policy toward drink. Dr. Eichardson may be called the Father of Scientific Total Abstinence.

Dr. N. S. Davis, one of the great practitioners of the day, put forth in America the pioneer teaching advanced by Dr. Eichardson in England, maintaining that alcohol is harmful to the human system in any quantity, in health or disease. The natural conservatism of the medical profession long retarded the spread of this teaching, but it has finally come to its own. The Great Committee on the American Pharmacopoeia in 1915 dropped liquors of all kinds from

1 Alcoholismus Chronicus. Stockholm, 1851.

the list of legitimate medicines. At the June, 1918, National Convention of the American Medical Association, the president of that Association, amid general applause, appealed to the entire medical profession to join in the prohibition fight as the most important means of promoting the public health.

Investigations of many scientific men followed those of Dr. Richardson, all leading to the same conclusion, that alcohol, instead of being beneficial and curative in its effects as medicine, is a dangerous impediment to curative processes, and causes a predisposition to contract disease. Among these investigators maybe mentioned Dr. A. C. Abbott of the University of Pennsylvania; Prof. C. H. Hodge of Clark University ; Dr. Reid Hunt of the U. S. Hygienic Laboratory; Dr. Stockard of Cornell Medical College; Prof. T. Laitinen of Helsingfors, Finland; Drs. Delearde, Massart, Bordet, and Metchnikoff of France, and others who might be named.

In confirmation of these general conclusions, a succession of investigations and observations in many parts of the world completed the demonstration that alcohol is the main ally of consumption, pneumonia, typhoid, cholera, sunstroke, and most of the diseases of the stomach, liver, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, nerves and brain. Among these investigators may be mentioned Drs. Crothers, Welch, and Chittenden of America; Muirhead, Horsley, and Woodhead of Great Britain; Bauderon, Bruardel, Bertillon, and Meirnon of France; Weichselbanm of Vienna; Henschen of Stockholm; Gnttstadt of Prussia, and Forel of Switzerland. Another series of investigations in the medical world cleverly demonstrated that alcohol is the principal cause of premature death. The pioneer in this line was F. G. P. Neison, English Actuary, who reported the results of his investigations on " Mortality Among Persons of Intemperate Habits " to the Statistical Society of London in 1851. A committee of the Harveian Society of London, appointed in 1879 to investigate the subject, reported in 1882. Another investigation of a similar character was conducted by a committee of the British Medical Association, 1885-86. The Danish Governmental Temperance Commission conducted a similar investigation. Switzerland figures for 1891-94 were reported by Dr. Frank in 1895. In 1901 Swedish figures were reported by Dr. Ekholm. E. L. Fisk has done similar work in America. In 1914 forty-three life insurance companies in America reported extensive investigations of a similar nature through a committee headed by Arthur Hunter.

An earlier study is by E. B. Phelps in America in 1910-11. The general plan in these investigations is to average the judgment of doctors, with practical experience, as to the part played by alcohol as a cause of death, and the result of all averages and estimates known showed it to be the greatest single cause of death. The most accurate and significant revelations are those taken directly from life insurance companies and fraternal and provident associations^ where records are kept separately. These show total abstainers to be in a class by themselves in mortality, in matters of health and longevity. The first life insurance company to keep a separate record for total abstainers was the United Kingdom Temperance and General Provident Institution, London, which was founded by total abstainers in 1841. Other companies at that time demanded higher rates for total abstainers on the ground that they gave up the strengthening effects of " strong drink." Among those following the example of the United Kingdom Temperance and General Provident Institution may be mentioned the Sceptre of London, founded 1864, the Scottish Temperance, Scottish Imperial, British Empire Mutual, Prudential, Order of Eechabites, Odd Fellows in England, Swedish Mutual, New England Mutual, Security Mutual (Binghamton, N. Y. ) , Connecticut Mutual insurance companies. These results of separate records of life insurance companies are confirmed by sick benefit societies and official statistics and tables, among which are those of Leipsic and other German statistics, and the Massachusetts and South Australia statistics. The concensus of these absolutely reliable records has startled the scientific world by the revelation that alcohol not only plays an enormous part as a great direct and indirect cause of disease and premature death, but may be found to be a greater cause than all other causes combined, especially during the years of man's greatest power and effectiveness — twenty to fifty.

Noontide.

The Noontide of Science Upon Alcohol came in with the world search for efficiency, physical and mental. In no field perhaps has scientific investigation, careful, rigid, exact, brought so surprising results. Everywhere alcohol is revealed as the greatest cause of man's inefficiency in all lines of endeavour. This might have been inferred from the effects of alcohol upon health, its relation to sickness, disease, and premature death. Direct investigations have overwhelmed the industrial and business world with the volume and conclusiveness of their records, until total abstinence is now the aim of armies, navies, railroads, and other organizations demanding high efficiency from their men.

Germans, in the quest for efficiency, have made exhaustive investigations into the effect of alcohol upon human capacity and efficiency. Prof. Emil Kraepelin, of the Universities of Munich and of Heidelberg, is looked upon as the pioneer investigator in this line. He began his work in the early eighties, and in 1892 published the result of careful investigations, demonstrating the serious loss of efficiency, physical and mental, from the use of alcohol even in moderate quantities. His pupils, Drs. Kurz, Fuerer, A. Smith, and Aschaffenburg, continued these investigations with similar results. Prof. S. Exner, however, had made earlier investigations in the same field in 1873, and arrived at the same conclusion, though the results were not generally known till presented by A. Smith in 1895.

Exner's experiments were followed up by Dietl and Vintschgan in 1876 and Danillo in 1883. Among other noted German investigators are Schmiedeberg, Bunge, Filehne. Extensive investigations along these lines were also made in Switzerland by Professor Kubin and Dr. Schnyder; in Norway by Professor Vogt; in America by the Bosanoff brothers. Careful, though less extensive, observations tending to the same conclusions were made by scientific men, extending back to the middle of the last century. Among these investigators may be mentioned Lichterfels, Frohlich, Eidge, Kramer, Crothers, Eeis, Kerr, Gustafson, Partridge, Schweinitz, Hyslop, Lewis, Thomeuf, Jacoby, Ladd, Abel, Billings, Cutler, Benedict, and Atwater. These studies covered the effect of alcohol on the intellect, the memory, the will, the emotions and the senses, including sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, muscular sense and reaction.

Special investigations as to the effect of alcohol upon the efficiency of children have been conducted by the authorities at Vienna through Professor Bayr and Dr. Frohlich; by the Italian authorities through A. Schiave and Dr. Arcelti; by the German authorities at Munich by Hecker and also at Bonn; and by the Hungarian authorities through Dr. Doczi. These all show the same general results as the investigations dealing with adults, though the loss of efficiency is naturally more marked in the young for the same proportion of alcohol.

Similar experiments have been conducted to show the effect of alcohol upon the vitality of animals, notably by Huss and by Hodge. These led to the same general conclusions.

Investigations into the causes of industrial accidents, inaugurated by employers and accident insurance companies, led to the conclusion that alcohol, in lowering the efficiency of operatives, is the principal cause of accidents. Prominent among these investigations are those of Zurich, Switzerland, conducted by the Building Trades Club, those at Leipsic by the Sick Benefit Club, those at Volklingen, Germany, among the steel workers.

The same conclusion of impairment of vigour and loss of efficiency has been reached in all lines of athletics. There is scarcely a military or naval service in the world where tests and observations have not been made, all showing the heavy toll of inefficiency that alcohol invariably levies in the numbers incapacitated for service, in rejections at enlistment, in the time spent on the sick list, in lack of endurance on the march, in loss of skill and precision in marksmanship, and in lapses of discipline. Investigation showed drink to be the chief cause of inefficiency in the Kussian Army in the war with Japan, and in the British Army in the Boer War. These investigations in the latter case were tlie principal cause of a new awakening, first in England, then in other countries. The governments of Europe, sobered by the responsibilities of the great war, are all seeking to reduce as fast as possible the use of liquor in armies and fleets, and ultimately among all the people.