Drink Multiplies Weaklings
At the international congress against alcoholism in 1909, Prof. Taav. Laitinen, of the University of Helsingfors, presented facts showing that in abstaining families, 1.3% of the children were weaklings; whereas in drinking families, 8.2% were weaklings.3Statistics were also presented based upon 19,519 children in 5,736 families. Abstaining families lost 13% of children by death; the families of moderate drinking parents, 23%. (These moderate drinkers drank no more daily than corresponded to one glass of 4% beer.) Immoderate drinking parents lost 32% of their children. Professor Laitinen also showed, beyond the possibility of successful contradiction, that drinkers' children develop more slowly than the children of abstainers. This fact was based upon the study of 2,125 children from 2,125 families. It is a noble thing to save a drunkard, but it is a thousand times better to prevent a man from becoming a drunkard.