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chronic alcoholism was not frequent; the cases observed in the lunatic
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asylums were not numerous; in summary, declared Mr. Lannelongue, at |
that time, alcoholism presented no problem, not for society, not for the |
family, not for the race. |
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It is from the appearance of industrial alcohols made by distillation |
of grains, beets, potatoes, and molasses that alcoholism is born and grows |
with astonishing speed, bringing with it an increase in criminality, mental |
illness, and suicides. Such is the thesis supported by Mr. Lannelongue and |
many speakers from extremely diverse groups in the Chamber, without |
said thesis being seriously contradicted by anybody. |
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The work of the doctors and chemists has revealed the existence of |
ethanol and a whole series of other alcohols having different molecular |
compositions and higher boiling points; that's why they were given the |
name higher alcohols, which lends ambiguity, since it is proven that it is |
precisely these alcohols whose effects are especially harmful to the human |
organism. |
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Without claiming that spirits distilled from wine, pure ethanol, are |
completely innocent and can be misused with impunity, which would be an |
absurdity, we have the right to agree, following scientists such as |
Dujardin-Beaumetz and Audige, that their effects cannot be compared with |
those of industrial alcohols. |
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Dr. Lannelongue, after having declared that they have not been able |
to discover the harmful principle in ethanol, sought to determine the dose |
at which this alcohol becomes harmful to man. He estimates that an adult |
can consume 120 grams of it with impunity, which corresponds to about |
one liter of wine at 8 degrees per day, or to eight small glasses of |
Armagnac at 50 degrees. |
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The scientist/doctor combated the allegations of certain writers who |
accuse that spirits distilled from wine contain elements as dangerous as |
those known to exist in industrial alcohols. He quoted on that occasion the |
opinion of Lancereau which affirms that "brandies and homemade wine |
are not more dangerous than wine"; that of Laborde which claims in turn |
that "brandy from wine is well tolerated because it possesses
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(Translated by "Artemis" for your pleasure.) |