A Harvard study of has found something that Dr Stuttaford had always said: a small glass of wine a day really does keep the doctor away. The study, of 21,000 men and women in Italy, has found that moderate drinkers are less likely to need medical treatment than their teetotal cousins.
In 1998, Dr Stuttaford, the Oldie's doctor, devoted a book, To Your Good Health!, about the beneficial effect of moderate drinking. In The Oldie, he wrote that 'ancient medical authorities, the Bible, and much reputable recent research all show that small quantities of alcohol can have a beneficial influence on the cardiovascular system, and even overall mortality'.
Dr Stuttaford himself drank half a bottle of wine in the evening, with another drink before dinner. He lived to a great age, dying this summer aged 87, and writing to the end. His last column appeared in the July issue of the Oldie.
Cheers, Dr Tom! Medical scholarship owes you a great debt.
