Alcoholism. By G. Archdall Reid. (T. Fisher Unwin. 6s. net.)--
Mr. Reid propounds various opinions which will be more or less questioned in various quarters. He absolutely disbelieves in the utility of the forcible restraint of indulgence in alcohol. He even goes further;holding that these restraints will ultimately do more harm than good. His own remedy, indeed, is of the forcible order. He would not attempt to cure the drunkard, but he would prevent the drunkard from handing on his alcoholism to another generation. But the method which he proposes is, we venture to say, futile. The "artificial selection" which he recommends can only be attained by putting the drunkard out of the way. After all, we shall have to go back, if Mr. Reid is to be listened to, to the politics of Plato. This is a paradoxical book, but highly interesting.
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