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59
THE FOLLOWING FACTS,
recognised by the Medical Profession and placarded all over France
by order of the Government, are published in order to carry out
the recommendation of the Committee, to bring home to the community
the fatal effects of alcohol on physical efficiency—
(1) Alcoholism is a chronic poisoning, resulting from the
habitual use of alcohol (whether as spirits, wine, or beer),
which may never go so far as drunkenness.
(2) It is incorrect to think that those doing hard work
sarily require stimulants.
(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 self-control while
his passions are excited; hence the number of crimes
which occur under its influence.
(4) Spirits 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, and to 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 an enemy to personal health, to
family happiness, and to national prosperity.
By order of the Town Council,
William Sandover, Mayor.
J. H. Crccker, Medical Officer of Health.
Town Hall, Richmond (.Surrey).
December, 1905.