[Aztlan] Natural selection for Indian Alcoholism?

[Sid Hollander]

SNIP... anyone care to shoot holes in the following theory: Those
Indians who were regular consumers of alcohol would be somewhat more
protected from infectious diseases than non drinkers. After the massive
population reduction from the infectious diseases, the alcoholism trait
would have been naturally selected and unusually represented in the
remaining population.

END SNIP

Before I  take a shot. or two it would be helpful to have a feel for what
you mean by "regular consumers"  while talking about "alcoholism".   Or
perhaps you meant that "regular consumers" are synonymous with consuming
regularly and alcoholism.  With that in mind.  Ready, Aim...

Do you have a control group (i.e non drinkers) which you are basing your
conclusions on or do you know that  those that did not survive did not
drink?

Do you know the percentages of drinkers in the dead group versus the live
group.

Do you know the percentages of non-drinkers in both of those groups groups?

Dose present day experience document a higher rate of survival for "regular
consumers"/alcoholism of alcohol?  I dare say that skid row regulars do not
paint the picture of longevity in my mind.

I assume that an occasional/daily  glass of wine is not what we are talking
about.
-- 
Sid Hollander
Merida, Yucatan