The low incidence of alcoholic cirrhosis in the islands of Lewis and Harris.

The annual incidence of clinically apparent cirrhosis of the liver from all causes in the islands of Lewis and Harris has been found to be 5.5 cases per 100,000 and alcoholic cirrhosis to be 2.76 per 100,000. Sales of alcohol in the island amount to 6.85 million pounds giving a per capita spending on alcohol of 283 pounds in 1984. The incidence of alcoholic cardiomyopathy was found to be 3.7 cases per 100,000 and there were 120 admissions per 100,000 with illnesses directly related to alcoholism. It was suggested that the very low incidence of alcoholic cirrhosis despite the high per capita spending on alcohol could be due to inherited factors, the pattern of drinking and the type of alcohol consumed.