Alcohol and longevity / by Raymond Pearl.

  • Pearl, Raymond, 1879-1940.
Date:
1926
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Alcohol and longevity / by Raymond Pearl. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    hitherto available. It is primarily due to this circumstance, in my opinion, that the results obtained are in certain respects different from those which have hitherto been obtained from a study of insurance records. Naturally such records cannot, in every case, have either the comprehensiveness as to detail, or the precise accuracy, of experimental laboratory records. We have tried, however, to make them as accurate and detailed as is humanly possible. All general statements such as “ moderate,” “ heavy,” etc., we have endeavored to quantify and complete, by getting the in¬ dividual’s own statement as to the amount meant by the gen¬ eral term used in that particular case, and the kind of alcoholic beverage or beverages generally used. With all such efforts it was impossible to get definite information on this point for many of the individuals included in the histories. The result is that the numbers whose records finally passed our critical standards are by no means as large as we should like them to be. On the other hand, it is probable that for the numbers we do have, the information as to drinking habits is more accurate and comprehensive than any elsewhere available. 3. For each individual in the statistics, the age is definitely known. In the case of individuals still living at the time the record was taken, the recorded age is their living age at that time. For persons who died before the record was taken, the recorded age is that at death. Also, of course, the sex of each individual is recorded. 4. For each individual included in the statistics the cause of death was recorded, if the person had died and it was pos¬ sible to obtain this information. In many cases the cause of death given in these statistics is that recorded on the original death certificate, from which our entry was copied. Where the person had died outside of Baltimore, or for some other reason it was not possible to obtain access to the original death