THE DIMINISHING USE OF ALCOHOL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1739, 13 January 1888, Page 3

THE DIMINISHING USE OF ALCOHOL.

We share tbe satisfaction of all our contemporaries m reflecting on the significance of a lees expenditure on alcohol. The expenditure on drink In 1886 was £122,905,785 as compared with £123,258.906 m 1885, or £363.121 less. Ten years before, la 1876, the highest expenditure was reached — viz, £146,288 759, or £4 9j per head, as against £3 7a 81 m 1886. It is deeply to be regretted, however, that the diminution io one year is not more than £363,121, la spito of all the teaching of medical science and personal experience. Not only Is the diminished amount drank still enormous, bat It is drank by an ever-diminishing number of peraons. For there is an everincreasing number of perrons who elihar totally abstain or drink exceedingly little. It Is drunk, too, m a wrong way. All casual drinking— drinking on an empty stomach — la bad, and makes directly for disease. We mast be thaukfal for any Improvement, however slight. Bat the disease Implied m the consumption of nearly 123 millions of moneys worth of alcohol is enormoas. A recent retarn to Parliament shows a steady and large decrease of alcohol consumption m workhouses. In the year ending Miohaeloaas, 1871, ihe total coat of Intoxicants used In workhouaes In England and Wales was £82,554. The cost for ISBS wao £44,820. In some workbouees with a large number of inmates, as Wandswortb, Lambeth, and Betnnal-green, no lntoiloanta at all were nsed. Similarly with several provincial workhouses. It cannot be too much impressed on guardians that there should be no interference with the medical officers m regard to tho prescription cf aicohol for the sick, nor upon the medical offioerß that thelre is the responsibility of prescribing it with oare. The Parliamentary returns show that iv workhouse practice, as In private, tbe profession Is alive to Us reßpoDaibiliUqa'--" Itfnoet," April 0