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effect is to weaken self control and to excite the
passions, ending afterwards in muscular weakness and
insensibility.
6. The habit of drinking to excess leads to the ruin of
families, the neglect of social duties, immorality, disgust
for work, degradation, misery, poverty, theft, suicide,
crime and death.
7. Alcohol (taken in excess) produces the most various and
fatal diseases, including paralysis and even insanity;
diseases of the stomach and liver, heart and blood
vessels, kidneys and other organs ; and dropsy. It also
paves the way to consumption, as shewn by the fact
that the habitual frequenters of public houses furnish a
large proportion of the victims of this disease. It
complicates and aggravates all acute diseases; whilst
typhoid fever, pneumonia, erysipelas and accidents are
especially fatal to persons weakened by alcoholic excess,
and in whom the resistance to disease is thereby
lessened.
8. The sins of alcoholic parents are often visited upon the
children in the form of paralysis, epilepsy, idiocy, or
other brain troubles, by which such children are permanently
disabled, if not killed outright.
9. Ill short, alcoholism is the most terrible enemy to personal
health, to family happiness, and to national prosperity,
and even to the future of the race.
By Order of the Council,
J. Priestley, b.a., m.d., d.p.h.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Town Hall, Lambeth,
September, 1905.