The Cry of the Children: The Edwardian Medical Campaign Against Maternal Drinking

In the Edwardian era, a medical campaign in Britain, driven by 14 doctors from the Society for the Study of Inebriety, linked maternal drinking to infant mortality and national decline. They provided evidence to a government committee, which concluded that alcohol abuse was associated with racial deterioration. Their efforts influenced the medical profession and led to hygiene and temperance instruction in schools. Journalist George Sims's campaign against the presence of children in public houses resulted in legislation prohibiting children under 14 from entering licensed premises. The campaign was based on the observation of increased female insobriety among the working class and was seen as a threat to the nation's future, ultimately leading to parliamentary legislation.