G. GENERAL NATURAL HISTORY AND ZOOLOGY. 169 



approaching disease; 5th. That such injurious agencies as 

 may increase the weakening and disease-inducing influences 

 of tropical climates, of themselves irremediable, should be 

 avoided e.g.^ faulty diet, overfatigue, impure air, etc. ; 6th. 

 That to preserve health, a tropical climate should be frequent- 

 ly changed for the more temperate ones of higher altitudes 

 or latitudes. 20 A, July 1,18. 



EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL. 



The effects of alcohol have recently been tested in London 

 by experiments upon a healthy soldier. The course of treat- 

 ment was as follows : For the first six days no alcohol was 

 given ; for the next six days from one to eight ounces of al- 

 cohol were given in divided doses ; for the next six days wa- 

 ter alone ; and then for three days twelve ounces of brandy, 

 containing 48 per cent, of alcohol. The results are reported 

 to be as follows : No appreciable difference was perceived in 

 the weight during the course of the experiments, but the tem- 

 perature of the body was slightly raised. The pulse was ma- 

 terially affected, rising from 77.5 beats per minute before 

 taking the alcohol to 94.7 after the largest doses. 



Estimating the normal daily work of the ventricles of the 

 heart as equivalent to the lifting of 122 tons a foot, it was 

 found that during the alcoholic period the heart was com- 

 pelled to lift an excess of 15.8 tons, and during the last two 

 days, of 24 tons. The conclusion arrived at was, that alcohol 

 is utterly useless in health, and positively injurious in larger 

 quantities than two ounces daily. There, however, seemed 

 to be indicated an advantage in its use if employed in rous- 

 ing a feeble appetite or exciting a feeble heart. 1 A, June 3, 

 253. 



EFFECT OF A CONTINUED BREAD DIET ON MEN AND DOGS. 



According to experiments of Meyer, neither man nor dogs 

 can be fed economically upon bread alone, an immense quan- 

 tity of this substance being required to prevent the body 

 from undergoing waste. By the addition of a small percent- 

 age of flesh, a much less amount of total weight of food will 

 answer the desired object. A persistence in the bread diet 

 causes the tissues of the body to become more watery, and 

 the entire organization is less capable of resisting injurious 



H 



