INTEMPERANCE IN NEW ENGLAND. HOW SHALL 
WE TREAT IT? 
By Henry I. Bowditch, M.D. 
Read before the Boston Society for Medical Observation,'Feb. 19, 1872. 
At a recent meeting, I laid before the So- 
ciety a chart illustrative of certain cosmic 
and social laws regulating the prevalence 
of intemperance over the globe. I was 
enabled to prepare that chart after care- 
fully analyzing the statements contained in 
a correspondence that had been carried on 
between the Massachusetts State Board of 
Health and many persons (American minis- 
ters and consuls accredited to and resident 
in foreign countries, and some private per- 
sons of well-known ability), upon the all- 
important question of the use and abuse of 
alcoholic drinks. The correspondence was 
published in the last year's report of the 
State Board of Health of Massachusetts. 
While preparing the chart, I had frequent 
conversations with the Chief of the Police 
cf Boston and with others upon the work- 
ing of the Prohibitory and License laws in 
New England. I then received some rather 
significant facts from this city, and as they 
will illustrate the apparently imperfect influ- 
ence hitherto produced by legislation upon 
the prevalence of the vice of intemperance, 
at least in a large city like Boston, I pro- 
pose to speak of them in continuation of 
my previous communication. I am well 
aware that, strictly, according to our rules 
the subject should not be presented in this 
form to the Society. But the subject is of 
so much importance, and intemperance is 
so constantly thwarting the physician in 
his treatment of disease, that any paper 
having for its object the mitigation of this 
great evil can be never wholly out of order- 
in any medical society. 
There are thousands in New England 
who have an abhorrence of intoxication, 
and yet they do not assent to the doctrines 
of either of the great parties now contend- 
ing for total abstinence or its extreme re- 
verse, the general free sale and use, as a 
beverage, of every kind of intoxicating 
drink. These persons ask of both parties 
what they can do to stem the torrent of in- 
temperance; and they get little satisfac- 
tion from either. I cannot hope to do much 
toward a better solution of the problem, 
but I propose to lay before the Society 
facts above alluded to, which were given 
me by the Chief of the Police of Boston. Af- 
terwards I shall give some general views 
as to the position which, I think, this com- 
munity should take upon the whole subject 
of intemperance in New England. We 
need, I think, some law to restrain unscru- 
pulous men from selling all kinds of liquor 
to all persons, but we must have laws that 
can be thoroughly executed, not only in 
small towns and over a sparsely scattered 
population, but which will have a benign 
influence over our large cities. Hitherto 
we have not arrived at this desirable end ; 
for, notwithstanding all efforts, whether by 
total abstinence or license laws, drunken- 
ness has increased, at least among the low- 
er classes, in the large centres of business. 
In proof of the truth of this statement, let 
us look candidly at documentary evidence, 
and evidence which cannot be gain- 
said. The Chief of the Police in this city 
writes in his last report the following 
words :- 
" In looking over the comparative table 
of crime, one fact presents itself to the 
mind with peculiar force, and that is the 
alarming increase of the number of arrests for 
drunkenness." Of the 400,000 arrests dur- 
ing the last seventeen years, 225,000 were 
for drunkenness, besides some 28,000 "help- 
ed home for drunkenness," to say nothing of 
the 23,000 "assaults." "But the most 
startling feature is the steady increase of 
intemperance compared with the increase 
of the population." " Intemperance has 
increased in fourteen years one hundred 
and seventy-five per cent, in spite of law." 
In connection with this, it may be stated 
that I have seen tables prepared under the 
direction of chief of police, and from returns 
made by his subordinates, which indicate 2 
that the percentage of drunkenness and 
crime consequent on drunkenness was very 
large during the years 1861, '62 and '63, 
the first three years of the late war. During 
1863 it was higher than in any year before 
or since that time. In general, it may be 
broadly stated that in 1851 the percentage 
to the whole population of those " helped 
home drunk," "arrested for drunkenness," 
or of " disturbances suppressed," almost 
all of which arose from intemperance, was 
6'94; in 1863, it was 15'42, and in 1810, it 
was 12'01. 
Again, it is a singular coincidence, to say 
the least, that in July, 1868, when the li- 
cense law was in operation, there were less 
arrests for drunkenness than were made 
during either of the forty-eight months of 
the four years beginning Jan. 1866, and 
ending Dec. 31, 1869.* By dividing the 
months of the four years into classes, ac- 
cording to the prevalence of prohibition or 
of license law, we gain curiously significant 
and almost inexplicable results on taking 
the percentage of arrests for drunkenness 
to the whole population of the different 
years, which results are more clearly seen 
by the following table :-• 
Total number of Arrests for Drunkenness in 
Boston from June 1 to May 31, inclusive. 
been produced in some of the smaller towns 
of the State, where the people have, by 
vote, decided that no liquor shall be sold. 
Such towns have occasionally become real 
asylums for the salvation of drunkards, who 
have risen to a proper self-respect and have 
determined to give up the use of intoxicat- 
ing drinks, but fear that they cannot with- 
stand the temptations of a large city. 
Judge Pitman, in his letter accepting a 
nomination for the office of Governor, states 
that to a certain degree similar results have 
been arrived at in New Bedford. But even 
there, from all that I can learn, there are 
many secret ways, whereby liquor can be 
obtained by those who wish it. There are 
no open bars, but it cannot, I think, be de- 
nied that there are secret ones in that city.* 
Again, in some towns, where there are 
large manufacturing establishments, and in 
which there are foreigners working, the 
same results occur. In some towns, the 
citizens have voted to sustain the Prohibitory 
law in its entireness and in town meeting 
have decided not to allow any liquor to be 
sold ; nevertheless, in these vety places it 
can be bought at every corner. For exam- 
ple, in two of the medium-sized townships 
of New England, intelligent physicians, 
long residents therein, and both of whom 
deeply deplored the existence of intempe- 
rance, told me a short time ago that drunk- 
enness was never more rife than when, ap- 
parently, the Prohibitory law was in full 
force. One of them related this as an un- 
undoubted fact. In the other town another 
informant told me that apothecaries who, a 
few years ago, were prosecuted when sell- 
ing, as they believed, for medicinal pur- 
poses and with the most honest intent, 
could now sell as they pleased, even under 
the " enforcement "(!) of the Prohibitory 
law. I say enforcement, but as above 
stated, although the citizens of the town 
have voted that the law should be enforced, 
the selectmen do not in fact carry out that 
public vote, and the mass of the citizens 
virtually say " Amen." 
Surely, there never was a greater at- 
tempt of a whole people to hoodwink itself, 
as it were. Such promulgation of law, and 
at the same time such utter and open, daily 
and, I might say, hourly contempt for it, 
tend to lower the political morality of each 
citizen consenting thereto, to corrupt the 
whole community, and, in fact, to bring all 
law into less repute among the masses of 
Arrests. 
Population. 
Percent. 
Law in force. 
1866-7 
5819 
194,422 
2.99 
Prohibition. 
1867-8 
6085 
196,654 
3 09 
Do. 
1868-9 
Last six 
6817 
230,988 
2-95 
License. 
months of 
1869 
4889 
234,483 
4-17 
Prohibition.t 
In other words, it seems to be a fact that, 
during the years when the license law pre- 
vailed, there were fewer arrests for drunk- 
enness than previously under the prohibi- 
tion law-and very much fewer than during 
the subsequent six months when prohibi- 
tion was again in operation, with cider, it 
is true, allowed under certain restrictions. 
It is but right, however, to state that the 
annexation of Roxbury in 1868, whereby a 
large population, much of it rural, was 
added to the city, may have tended to Jessen 
the percentage of that year. 
While, therefore, it seems that neither 
prohibition nor license has had any real in- 
fluence towards stemming this strong cur- 
rent of intemperance in Boston-still, in 
the estimation of many, a good effect has 
* The Chief of Police informs me that, strictly speak- 
ing, until September, when licenses were first given out, 
there was neither prohibition nor license law in opera- 
tion. The police, however, acted always under the 
same orders. 
t Except cider under restrictions. 
* Correspondents in whose honor and truthfulness 
and means of information I have entire faith, assure me 
of this being a true statement of matters at New Bed- 
ford. 3 
the people. Nothing, surely, can be more 
fatal to the best interest of a republic than 
such a state of things, however caused. , 
The following fact also illustrates the 
results of prohibition in a large city :- 
A gentleman, intimately connected with 
a large pauper hospital, informs me that 
whereas many were formerly brought in 
drunk, in consequence of liquor bought and 
used at the dram-shop, quite as many, if 
not more drunkards are brought in now, 
while prohibition is in force, but that each 
man has his own whiskey-bottle in his coat- 
pocket. 
During a recent professional visit which 
I made to the eastern part of Maine, I asked 
of many persons at some stations where the 
train was stopped, and the uniform answer 
given was, " Liquor can always be obtained 
by any one who wishes for it." At one, 
at least, of the stations, ale was openly 
sold at open bars. One informant stated, 
while admitting the fact of the utter disre- 
spect paid to the law, that he thought, 
although it was violated everywhere, the 
people would never grant a License law. I 
believe many thoughtful persons agree with 
him. Some claim, and, as I think, justly, 
that the State has no right to license, for 
money, the perpetration of any vice. To 
"license" one to sell all kinds of liquor is 
virtually licensing to do what will promote 
intemperance, that is increase a gross vice. 
Thus we may say that, although in New 
England the law appears to be enforced in 
some places with tolerable success, so far 
as the open sale is concerned, it is not en- 
forced at all in others. I doubt if anyone 
will contend that it prevents anywhere the 
obtaining of liquor by those who are deter- 
mined to have it Meanwhile, as we learn 
from Boston that when there was the least 
law there were least arrests for drunken- 
ness, and when some relaxation of the law 
allowed the use of milder liquors there was 
less intoxication than before, we have a 
right to ask whether similar results would 
not follow further relaxation, and whether 
the permission to sell light ales and beer, 
and light wines would not, under certain 
very general rules, really be a promotion 
of temperance. 
As the Prohibitory law has thus failed of 
success, because the people do not sustain 
it, and, moreover, as no License law for the 
sale of liquor, has, as yet, commended itself 
to our citizens as being the best course 
possible, it remains to be seen whether 
some better plan may not be devised. I 
feel sure that the only foundation for our 
course in this matter is in as profound a 
study as we can make of the natural laws 
of the propagation of intoxication through- 
out the globe. That investigation I have 
made elsewhere as I have already hinted.* 
Generally it may be stated that from let- 
ters received from several correspondents 
resident in foreign countries, already allud- 
ed to in the beginning of this paper, I have 
been able to present some proof of the ex- 
istence of great cosmic and social laws gov- 
erning the vice of intemperance. The re- 
sult of my investigations and my thoughts 
upon the subject may be summarily stated 
in the following propositions :- 
First. Stimulants of some kind are found 
to exist and to be used at times to excess 
in every quarter of the globe.f To use 
stimulants, therefore, seems to be one of 
the strongest of human instincts. As such 
it cannot be prohibited, any more than we 
can annihilate any* other instinct. We can 
only curb it by reason or by law, if it trans- 
gresses the bounds of social life. 
Second. Intemperance is very rare be- 
tween the isothermal lines of 77° F. north, 
and south of the equatorial isothermal line 
of 82.4. It gradually increases on going 
northward (and southward probably), be- 
tween 77 N. and S. and 50° isothermal 
lines, which is the area for the natural 
growth of the grapevine. It becomes very 
rife above 50°, and, moreover, it is of a 
coarser, more brutal character than in either 
of the two previously named areas. 
Third. Intemperance produceslittie or no* 
crime at the equatorial area, rarely in the 
middle area ; whereas it is the great provo- 
cative of crime above 50 F. 
Fourth. Race has immense influence on 
the prevalence of intemperance. For ex- 
ample, the English race has entailed on this 
nation the incubus of two centuries of 
drunkenness, inherited from one genera- 
tion to another. England now overshadows 
Ceylon in the tropics, and Australia in the 
grape region, with these same habits, thus 
overriding all climatic law, at least for a 
time, till reason and conscience and wise 
laws can restrain it. 
Fifth. In Europe and in the other grape- 
growing areas of the earth, mild wines are 
used freely from babyhood to old age, and 
they do not seem to produce a nation of 
drunkards. 
Sixth.-Similar remarks may be made on 
lager beer and its effects. 
* Vide Third Report of the State Board of Health. 
Boston. 1872. 
t It is true that Commodore Wilkes states that he did 
find one set of savages which had no stimulating drink. 4 
Seventh. On the contrary, ardent spirits 
dwarf intellectually, morally and physical- 
ly the nation that uses them to excess. 
Eighth. Hence we should not classify all 
liquors as equally prejudicial to man. On 
the contrary, admitting a human instinct, 
we should allow the reasonable and free 
use of some stimulants and discourage the 
use of others. 
Ninth. We should in this country culti- 
vate everywhere the grapevine and permit 
the use of lager bier. We should open our 
ports to a free trade in mild, " unfortified " 
European wines, at least until we can make 
sufficient of our own to satisfy the necessi- 
ties of our people. 
Tenth. We should do everything we can 
to restrain the use of ardent spirits as a 
beverage, by moral suasion and if need be 
by stringent law. We should close "grog- 
shops." 
Eleventh. Moral suasion and education in 
the horrors of intemperance, too much neg- 
lected of late, I fear, in our pursuit of law 
as a prevention of intemperance, should be 
inculcated. 
Twelfth. Inebriate asylums should be 
established for the reformation of dipsoma- 
niacs, and repeated drunkenness should be 
punished as a crime. 
Thirteenth. The seller of liquor to a 
known drunkard should be signally punish- 
ed, and the offender should be made to pay 
the expenses of crimes or injuries resulting 
from the intemperance of his victim. 
Fourteenth. All adulterations of liquor 
should be punished signally and promptly 
as a high crime against society. 
Fifteenth, and finally, it would be the 
greatest blessing to this community if by 
large cooperative work by capitalists, Hol- 
ly Tree Coffee Houses could be everywhere 
opened. In these good food and good 
coffee and tea could be prepared cheaply 
for the people. These could be placed 
side by side by the two thousand grog- 
shops that now disgrace our city. Our cor- 
respondence proves that a great gain for 
temperance would be the result of such a 
movement.