TREATMENT. 63 



also reduce the rate at which blood-corpuscles are disinte- 

 grated, and at the same time they tend to render the walls 

 of the blood-vessels less permeable to fluids. 



But, of all remedies, I believe alcohol acts most rapidly 

 in this way, and in these particular cases most efficiently. 

 The properties alcohol possesses of hardening animal tis- 

 sues, and of coagulating albuminous fluids, are well known ; 

 and these properties must not be forgotten when its effects 

 in the animal body are discussed. Of course, when ab- 

 sorbed by the blood, it does not actually coagulate the 

 albuminous matters ; but it probably renders them less fluid, 

 and reduces their permeating property. Alcohol interferes 

 with the disintegration of blood-corpuscles ; and in cases 

 where this is going on very rapidly, and where fluid is pass- 

 ing through the walls of the vessels in considerable quantity, 

 in consequence of the walls themselves being stretched and 

 too readily permeable to fluids, alcohol is likely to be of 

 service ; but where these changes are occurring very rapidly, 

 and the patient's strength is fast ebbing, it may save life. 



Alkalies, on the other hand, tend to render formed 

 material more permeable to fluids, and thus facilitate the 

 access of pabulum to the germinal matter. They are often 

 useful in cases where there is shrinking and wasting of 

 textures which in the normal condition consist principally 

 of germinal matter. The value of potash, soda, lithia, and 

 their carbonates, as well as the salts of many vegetable 

 acids which become converted into carbonates in the system, 

 act beneficially in this way, as well as producing favourable 

 changes of other kinds. 



