ALCOHOLOGY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 109, 16 August 1910, Page 7

ALCOHOLOGY.

ALOOHOL AND PHOSPHORUS. (Published toy Arrangement). There are two very useful substances, and so may both be called "good gifts of God." How different, however, is the •treatment meted out to them! This thought is brought out just now by the fact that there is before Parliament this sesion a Bill (Phosphorus Matches Bill) to prohibit the use of white or yellow phosphorus. The reason for this is that the use of it is injurious to health and to life. We have no right to put any man, woman or child's life in jeopardy when it can be avoided. There may be times when life has to be risked, to avert some, greater calamity, or to attain some greater good; when, however, the use of • phosphorus in matches leads to disease, suffering and death, it should be 1 stopped, especially when its uses is not' absolutely necessary, and substitutes are available. The same applies to alcohol. Both substances are dangerous; both are useful. The phosphorus to.poison rabbits; the alcohol to stiffen hats or to drive motor ears. Now what is the cage against the former? It causes a disease called phosphorus necrosis, which entails much suffering and sometimes death to the person attacked. This has been known for a long time and various regulations are in force in England, at any rate, to endeavor to prevent the damage whilst continuing to use it for matches. These regulations strictly define how it may be used, the quantity —that is, really the phosphoric strength of the mixture(paste) used—and the a<*es of persons allowed to be employed, m the u«e. These regulations being found ineffectual, it is now proposed to abolish the use altogether, and let the matches and the match trade take care of themselves alter the Ist January, 1918. In Great Britain there are 4150 persons employed in the industry, and less than 1 per cent, of those so engaged suffer from phosphorus necrosis. During nine years, 1900 to 1908, there were only twelve cases reported at the Home Office. Note the charge—twelve cases of phosphorus necrosis among over forty millions of people. Yes; and if even, these few sufferers can be, saved we ought to do it. What, then, is the case against alcohol? Like phosphorus, in matches, it is not an absolute necessity, and we can get on very well without it; finding ample and safe substitutes in every place where its use is so dangerous. That it is doing great harm has been known for a very long time—for centuries; arid also regulations have been made so as, if possiblt, to use it without doing harm; and defining! how, where, when and to whom it may be dispensed. It is, however, when we come to compare the results from the use of these two substances that the difference is so apparent. Look at it! Over ten thousand sufferers from alcoholic disease (poisoning) were committed to gaol in 'New Zealand last year, without counting the great numbers more or less affected who were not judicially treated. In America they reckon that 5 per cent, of the population are dr.unkards and that was the rate reckoned by the secretary of the Licensed Victuallers in Christchurch some years since as being applicable to this country. That will give us 50,000 sufferers among us at the present time. Then, further, how many deaths result from alcohol yearly? Our deaths as per Year Book were 9043 for the year 1908. How many of these were caused by alcohol cannot be ascertained exactly, but we are safe in putting it down at 900. In Switzerland, and other plaees where correct records are kept, it is found the t tho deaths through drink are about 10 or U per cent, of the tota>. Any one who reads our newspapers can see that this estimate is moderate. Jt means that drink causes between two and three deaths a day; and when we have, as we do sometimes, that number mentioned even in the "Daily 'News" columns admittedly as the result of drink, it is plainly no exaggerated estimate. Putting it shortly: Phosphorous has 1 per cent., of those employed, mind, as sufferers; alcohol has 5 per cent, of the whole population seriously injure!; phosphorus has a dozen reported cases in nine years, in all Britain, mind, ar i we even in our limited population have nearly a hundred thousand actually apprehended while suffering from alcoholic disease; to this add the drink which causes deaths, and how does the case stand?, A man does riot need to come from Mars to see the folly of our procedure; a man from Porirua could see it. This is Parliamentary logic: abolish the use of phosphorus that injures a dozen; license and thus encourage the use Jl alcohol that kills thousands, injures tens of thousands in the same period of time. 1 suppose we like it and so tolerate it. • This is what the Son of Sirach said: "If thou give fully to thy soul the delight of her desire, she will mil'e thee the laughing-stock of thine enemies."