ALCOHOL AND LONGEVITY 203 
does the consumption of alcoholic liquors in modera- 
tion influence the duration of life, either in an adverse 
or a favourable sense ? The answer is that, not only 
is there no thoroughly reliable evidence upon the 
point, but that it is impossible that satisfactory evi- 
dence can ever be obtained. 
THE INFLUENCE OF EXCESSIVE INDULGENCE IN 
ALCOHOL. 
It is stated by Professor Raymond Pearl* that the 
first person to attack the problem of the mortality 
of persons addicted to the immoderate use of intoxi- 
cating drinks was the distinguished actuary, F. G. P. 
Neison (1851). Neison’s material was drawn from 
schedules, filled out by medical men on the basis 
of personal knowledge and observation of individual 
cases, and it related only to excessive drinkers, or so- 
called drunkards. 
The actual number of individuals concerned was 357, 
and their mortality rate was found to be 3-25 times greater 
than that of the general population at the same ages. 
The actual duration of life of drunkards of various 
ages, as compared with the expected duration, is 
shown in the following Table: 
Ace of Drunkare. 
2 
20 year: 
"0 
40 
Actual > at'on - 
“ec* 4 Duration 
of Life. 
ars 
Ea 
* Cf. E. H. Starling, “ The Action of Alcohol on Man,” 1923, 
D. 220.