SOLDIERS AND DRINK.

White Ribbon, Volume 23, Issue 275, 18 May 1918, Page 7

SOLDIERS AND DRINK.

EXPERT OPINION. EFFECT OF THE CIGARETTE. Evidence of military and medical officers regarding the* effect of drink on soldiers was placed before the Australian Senate’s Special Committee in Hobart recently, together with some statements with reference to cigarettes. Dr Goddard, medical officer at Claremont Camp, thought drink interfered with soldiers’ efficiency, and to a certain extent with their morale. Since September i, 1017, the number of men rejected was 115, of which 14 were suffering from alcohol. Such men were not fit to stand the strain of warfare. They were also much more likely to contract colds and pneumonia. The man who had a heavy night in town was not likely to do his work efficiently next day. The number of men in camp suffering from drink is not very large, but several times he had to treat these lads. Sin».e October 9, 1917, he had treated 37 rases, 16 of which were returned soldiers. Fdeven were under the influence of drink when they contracted disease. He had good reasons to believe alcohol was connected with 45 or 50 per cent, of the venereal cases. He preferred to see other things tried before prohibition. Tn some cases boys were rejected because of palpitation of the heart, due to excessive cigarette smoking. He had heard boys say they smoked forty in the day. Senator Grant: Do you favour regulating the supply of cigarettes or prohibiting their sale entirely? Witness: Something should be done to stop boys smoking so many cigarettes. Further questioned, the witness stated alcohol affected the vision, hastened fatigue, usually rendered pneumonia cases fatal, and lowered the powers of resistance of men suffering from shock and from wounds. Colonel Dr. \Y. \Y. Giblin, who had been at the Front in charge of a casualty clearing station for two and a half years, now Chief Military Medical Officer of Tasmania, said there was a little dr’iking in the camp, but it was chierly confined to those who drank prior to enlisting. These were turned out if their heal.h were seriously affected, Occasionally they

were boarded out in the hope of recovering. He favoured wet canteens and anti-shouting. It was advisable to close hotels when troops were passing through a port. He was convinced a large number were rendered inefficient through drink. Mrs Shoobridge, matron of the Red Cross Hotel at Hobart, said nearly all the returned soldiers passed through her hands. Drink affected them badly. Men and women shepherded soldiers when they knew they had cheques and stuck to them till the money was all gone. Re.urned men often drank to cure depression, and because they had no occupation. When repatriation was commenced these men should not be sent to isolated parts, but given industrial employment. Sergeant Duncan Mcßae, a returned soldier, stated when men were doing hard training lie effects of drink wore off very quickly. In Egypt drink interfered with discipline.