Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 5.djvu/100

 86 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

of their assertions. Dr. Debone, in his chemical lecture on alcoholism, recalled these good words of Plutarch : " Those who wish to approach woman to beget ought to do it before drinking wine, or at least after very moderate use ; because those who are begotten of drunken parents ordinarily become drunkards, as Diogenes once said to a disorderly and debauched young man : "Young friend, thy father begot thee in his drunkenness."

Observations made in Belgium and in France contrast in a remarkable way with the statistics where alcoholism is decreasing. In Sweden, from 1830 to 1834, the annual consumption of alcohol being about 23 liters to a person, there were 59 homicides and 2,281 thefts. From 1875 to 1878, the consumption being reduced to 5.5 liters, there were 18 homicides and 1,871 thefts. In Nor- way in 1814 there were consumed 5 liters to the person ; and there were 294 crimes to 100,000 inhabitants ; in 1876, the consumption being reduced to 2 liters, there were only i8o crimes. Sweden and Norway, therefore, prove that the reduction of alcoholism reduces crime. Mental alienation and other maladies and vices due to alcohol have also diminished. We regret that we cannot state the figures of this decrease. Inheritance of evils caused by alcohol has not been merely discussed by physicians. Before them the moralists saw in the ancestors merely a bad exam- ple. Today physiological heredity is admitted without doubt. Professor Debone proclaims it aloud. Alcoholism destroys the race in two ways : by augmenting mortality or by producing degenerates. The conviction is supported by indisputable figures cited for countries where increase of population is very high. Germany doubles its population in 91 years ; Sweden in 89 years ; Denmark in 73 years ; Austria in 67 years ; Norway in 51 years; while France would require 334 years.

What remedies may be proposed for this frightful evil? Debone says they are of two kinds : counsels given individually to those who are willing to hear, and coercive means applicable to all.

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELS.

One does not know how to approve too strongly the wisdom of those who are content to drink pure water. But if one does