The progressive death-rate in the alco holic families when three or more chil dren were born is shown in the following table:— Of the children comprised in the series, 219 lived beyond infancy, and of these, 9. or 4.1 per cent.. became epileptic: a proportion extremely high as compared with the frequency of epilepsy in the general mass of population, which, ac cording to Bruce Thompson, is less than 1 per 1000. W. C. Sullivan (Jour, of Mental Science, July. '99).
Case of alcoholism in a boy, aged 30 days, whose nurse had given him 1 7., drachms of brandy daily. He vomited regularly after nursing and slept very soundly all night. After ceasing to give the brandy, the infant lost weight for two weeks, but then gained rapidly. Follet (Archives de Med. des Enfants, Aug., 1902).
Chronic alcoholism diminishes the re sistance of the organism. while acute alcoholism aggravates the infectious diseases and quickly causes death. Small doses of alcohol have no action upon disease, either one way or the other. Yet the fact remains, that after illness. alcohol in moderate amounts is an excellent rebuilding stimulant. Mar cel Labbe (La Presse Med., Aug. 16, 1902).
Sex. — The proportion of females as compared to that of males has, until recent years, probably been, on an aver about one woman to six men. But during the past fifteen years or so there has been an enormous increase of chronic alcoholism among females, especially in England, France, and the States, though a considerable increase has been observed in other countries. The disease seems to be more inveterate in them than in males.
Out of 500 patients treated in the out door department of the Laennec Hospital, in Paris, 156 were females presenting symptoms of chronic alcoholism. Grand maison (British Med. Jour., Apr. 16, '97).
In more than two hundred female ine briates, the author has not been able in any way to reform more than 10 per cent.. of them, the results being less fav orable than in the case of male drunk ards. I. N. Quimby (Boston Med. and Surg. Jour., Oct. 2S, '07).
Age. — As a rule, about one-half the whole number have occurred between 40 and 50, though there has been an increase in adolescent life, from 1S to these younger chronic alcoholists specially developing an homicidal mani acal tendency (as noted by Magnan, in Paris). Even boys of 7 years and up
ward having been treated for delir ium tremens and chronic alcoholism in England, and children are sometimes sent drunk to school in Austria.
The use of alcohol by children is one cause of the depopulation of France. The conclusion reached is that it is as dangerous as is an excess of alcoholic beverages for an adult; for the adoles cent they are deadly, because they cause organic changes, hinder physical develop ment, and impair the normal faculties even to the extent of degeneracy. For these reasons, then, alcohol should be proscribed as drink for children. Lan cereaux (Jour. des Pratieiens, No. 42, p. 665, '96, second series).
[I have known eases originating over 70 and even over SO. There is an ine briate climacteric, beyond which period nervous periodicity, energy, and function fail in response to alcoholic excitation, placed by Parrish at between 40 and 50, and by Kerr 15 years later in life, be tween 55 and G5. NORMAN KERR.] Religion. — Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Mohammedanism predispose against alcoholism more than other religions.
Race.—Eastern peoples, generally, are more susceptible than Western to alco holism. The latter (also some savage races), with their intenser energy, take to alcohol more impulsively and die sooner from it. The Jewish community pos sesses a striking racial inhibition which has largely contributed to their marked general freedom from alcoholism.
Atmospheric and telluric conditions predispose a substantial number of per sons to alcoholism. The form of the alcoholism is to some extent modified by atmosphere and climate.
Education.—In civilized communities culture and refinement endow many in dividuals with a more delicate suscepti bility to alcoholic poisoning.
Occupation. — Occupations with a de pressant or exciting influence on the nervous system predispose to alcoholism.
Marital Relations. — Between single and married males there is little differ ence, but, in women, the proportion of spinsters is only one to from four to six married, widowed, or divorced women.
Temperament.—The nervous and san guine temperaments are, by far, the most susceptible to alcoholic toxication; the phlegmatic rarely yielding.