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Tribune Extras Lecture and Letter Scries. 



are such that not only is DO stimulant of an alcoholic 

 character requisite, but any such stimulant even when 

 taken in very small quantity acts in a manner prejudi- 

 cial to the well-being of the organism. 



But it is illogical to argue from the excessive use of 

 spirituous liquors by all persons, to the moderate use of 

 some persons, and I shall endeavor to point out in what 

 the difference consists, fur that alcoholic liquors are not 

 only beneficial to, but are actually required by certain 

 classes of individuals, is not, I think, a matter for doubt. 



The experiments of Dr. Percy have been often 

 brought forward as proving something in regard to 

 alcohol which WHS not true of any other substance. 

 This observer injected strong alcohol into the stomachs 

 of dogs. Tho quantity ranged from two to six ounces. 

 Death followed, and upon examining the blood 

 and brain for alcohol, it was always fouod. The 

 presence of alcohol in the blood and brain, to 

 those who look superficially or ignorautly at 

 the matter has rather a horrible aspect ; but 

 when wo know that there is no substance capable 

 of being absorbed by the stomach and intestines which 

 cannot also by proper means be detected in the blood 

 and viscera, the subject loses much of its striking char- 

 acter. Dr. Percy used alcohol of 85 specific gravity, 

 which represents a mixture containing about 80 per 

 cent of absolute alcohol. As tlie strongest brandy con- 

 tains bnt about 54 per cent of alcohol, the concentrated 

 character of the liquor used by Dr. Percy is at once seen. 

 In one case six ounces were injected into the stomach of 

 a dog a quantity amply sufficient to cause death iu an 

 adult man. Tne amount of essential oil present in 

 onions is far less in proportion than the quantity of al- 

 cohol contained in the mildest wines, and yet we cannot 

 eat one onion witliout this oil passing into the blood and 

 impregnating the air exhaled in respiration with its 

 peculiar odor. Doubtless the brain of a person who had 

 dined heartily on onions would exhale the character- 

 istic odor of the vegetable. 



EFFECT OF DOSES OF ALCOHOL. 



Many other physiologists have detected alcohol in the 

 blood and viscera, of animals after its inject! m into the 

 stomach. I have several times performed experiments 

 with reference to this point, and have never failed to 

 recognize the presence of alcohol in the blood, brain, the 

 stomach, expired air, and urine or dogs to which [had 

 administered strong alcohol. But with liquors contain- 

 ing from 8 to 15 per cent of alcohol, such as the German, 

 French, and Spanish wines, I have never been able to 

 lind it in the solids, though detecting it easily in the 

 products of respiration. It, is not to bo doubted there- 

 fore that alcohol, like other substances, is absorbed into 

 the blood and e\erts its influence on the system through 

 t be inn li ii in of tins (In id. Pare alcohol is a violent poison. 

 In the dose of I' 1 * than one ounce I have seen it cause 

 death in a medium-sized dog, and many cases are on 

 record of fatal effects being immediately produced in 

 the human subject after comparatively small quantities 

 had been swallowed. When diluted its effects are not so 

 rapidly manifested, and from I his form when taken in 

 sufficient quant n-s the condition known as intoxication 

 is produced. Previous to this point being reached the 

 nervous and circulating system becomes excited, the 

 mental faculties arc more active, the heart heats fuller 

 and more rani. My, tlic lace becomes Unshed, aiid the 

 sense* are rendered more acute in their operation. If 

 now the lurther ingeMion is stopped, the organism soon 

 returns to its former condition without any feeling of 

 depression being experienced ; but if the potation* are 

 i-outinucd, the complete command of the faculties is lost 



and a condition of temporary insanity is produced. If 

 further quantities be imbibed a state of prostration, 

 marked by coma and a complete abolition of the power 

 of sensation and motion follows. Such is a brief ontlin" 

 of the obvious symptoms which ensue upon the use of 

 alcoholic liquors in considerable quantities. When taken 

 in amounts less than are sufficient to induce any marked 

 effect upon the circulatory and nervous systems, there 

 is, nevertheless, an influence which is felt by tlie indi- 

 vidual, and which is mildly excitatory of the phvsicil 

 and intellectual faculties. But there are other results 

 which follow ihe use of alcohollic liquors whicli are not 

 obvious to ordinary examination, and which, except in 

 a general way, are not perceived by the subject Himself. 



We know that a certain amount of tissue is decomposed 

 with every functional action of the organ to which it 

 belongs. Just as steam results from the combustion 

 of fuel, so thought results from the combustion of gray 

 nerve tissue, motion from the combustion of muscle, and 

 the force to secrete bile, from the combustion of the sub- 

 stance of the liver. We know very well that if fresh 

 fuel is not supplied to the engine from time to time 

 steam ceases to be formed, and the machine set in mo- 

 tion by it no longer works. The like is true of the body, 

 and were it not for the formative processes which are 

 continually going on whereby new material derived 

 from the force is deposited to take the place of that 

 which is consumed, death would very soon result. It 

 must be di-tiuctly understood, however, that ordinary 

 food does not directly furnish any force inherent iu tin- 

 body, but that it must first be converted into flesh and 

 brain and heart, etc., from the destruction of whu'h 

 organs the force peculiar to each is evolved. The p:-o- 

 cess by which food is converted into tissue is called pro- 

 gressive metamorphosis, and tUat by which the tissue of 

 organs is converted into force is called regressive meta- 

 morphosis. 



USE OF ALCOHOL IN DELAYING THE DESTRUCTION OF 



TISSUE. 



Now it is often advisable to diminish the destruction 

 of tissue without, at the, same time lessening the f.>rc3 

 which would otherwise be derived from its full continu- 

 ance, or it may be necessary to obtain a great amount 

 of force from an individual in a limited period. In alco- 

 hol we have an agent which, when judiciously n~cd, en- 

 ables us to accomplish both these ends, together with 

 others scarcely less important, which will be alluded to 

 more at length hereafter. The action of alcohol, in lim- 

 iting the destructive metamorphosis of tissue, \vi.l be 

 best illustrated by an example. Lot us suppose that a 

 workman laboring twelve hours a day upon a diet con- 

 sisting of 10 ounces of meat and 16 of bread, finds that he 

 loses weight at the rate of one ounce a day. Now in 

 order to preserve his health and perhaps even his life, 

 he must, either take more food or lie must 

 lessen the waste of his tissues. Meat and 

 bread are expensive, and he finds it 

 difficult to Obtain them; or, what is not at all improba- 

 ble, the quantity that ho ears is as much as he has any 

 appetite for or can digest. The alternative, presented to 

 him is to work less. If lie is his own master this would 

 be an eXL'ellent way of getting rid of the d;f!icnlty. He 

 \\onldshorlen tne period of his labor to ten hour-:, a:id 

 then, instead of losing weiglw, ho would hold hisow:i, 

 or perhaps gain an ounce a day. But it may !>: that this 

 alternative is not open to him ho must work 12 hours a 

 day. In this condition of affairs he takes a mug of porter 

 or a (-'lass of wine, or, what would be worse, a dram of 

 whisky, after his midday meal. He finds that ho is 

 pleasantly exhilarated, his vigor is increased, and 



