View report page

62
(2) It is a mistake to say that those doing hard work require
stimulants. As a fact no one requires alcohol as either
food or tonic.
(3) Alcohol is really a narcotic, dulling the nerves like
laudanum or opium, but it is more dangerous than either
in that often its first effect is to weaken a man's selfcontrol
while his passions are excited: hence the number
of crimes which occur under its influence.
(4) Spirits, as usually taken, rapidly produce alcoholism,
but milder alcoholic drinks as beer, and even cider,
drunk repeatedly every day, produce after a time
alcoholic poisoning with equal certainty.
(5) The habit of drinking leads to the ruin of families, the
neglect of social duties, disgust of work, misery, theft
and crime. It leads also to the hospital, for alcohol
produces the most various and the most fatal diseases,
including Paralysis, Insanity, diseases of the Stomach
and Liver, and Dropsy. It also paves the way to
Consumption, and frequenters of public houses furnish
a large proportion of the victims of this disease. It
complicates and aggravates all acute diseases; Typhoid
Fever, Pneumonia and Erysipelas are rapidly fatal in
the subject of alcoholism.
(6) In short, alcoholism is the most terrible enemy to personal
health, to family happiness, and to national prosperity.
Bacteriological Examination.
By arrangement with the Clinical Research Association,
medical practitioners practising in the Borough have been
afforded facilities for the bacteriological examination of
specimens from suspected cases of diphtheria, enteric fever,
and phthisis. The cost of the examinations is borne by the
Council. Practitioners may also, by arrangement with the
Medical Officer of Health, submit to the Association specimens
from patients suspected to be suffering from diseases other than
the three mentioned above.