THE PHYSIOLOGY OF ALCOHOL. 



601 



This dose caused scarcely appreciable intoxication, and was accord- 

 ingly increased,* At about two grammes per kilogramme ligbt 

 intoxication with tendency to drowsiness became manifest. The 

 dose was still further increased until May 7th to 0th, when it had 

 reached 3"6 grammes per kilogramme. This produced character- 

 istic symj^toms of intoxication restlessness, incoordination of 

 muscles, which began with weakness and paralysis of the hind 

 legs and worked forward. Sleep followed in from twenty to 

 twenty-five minutes, and lasted from two to three hours. It 

 was deep and quiet, but both kittens could be awakened without 

 difficulty. 



During this time both purring and playfulness had been rap- 

 idly disappearing from the lives of the alcoholic kittens, and by 

 May 9th both had become obliterated, and both kittens were pic- 

 tures of demure and forlorn sadness. May 10th the alcoholics had 

 severe colds, with discharge of mucus from the eyes and nose. 

 Alcohol was discontinued until recovery could be effected, but 

 this proved impossible. Severe catarrh of the nasal passages 

 with conjunctivitis set in, the catarrh proving incurable and be- 

 coming chronic. 



The chief value of the experiment thus far is to be found in the 

 possession of control normal animals. None of these had been 



Fig. 4. Kittens, November 27, 1895 : 3, alcohol-diseased ; 4, normal. 



similarly affected. In fact, both 2 and 4 had improved greatly 

 under good treatment and healthful conditions. It seems thus 

 safe to conclude that alcohol, as administered, caused a sudden and 

 general breakdown in the two kittens ; but, while seen thus clearly 



* It was first attempted to have the kittens take the alcohol mixed with warm milk. 

 On their refusal to be thus imposed upon, it was given, diluted to twenty and thirty per 

 cent, by stomach pump, always after meals, the normals being given an equal amount of 

 water in the same manner. 

 VOL, L 44 



