78 Effect of Alcohol on Psycho-Physiological Functions. 



For normal days there is no prominent change from period to period. 

 The averages for jS as given in the table are 191, 188, 179, 180, and 187 

 for periods 1 to 5, respectively. Period 6 is conspicuous in showing a 

 larger value (214), due evidently to the fact that on July 3 the threshold 

 level was considerably higher. The alcohol days show a decided differ- 

 ence with a marked rise in the threshold after the ingestion of the alco- 

 hol. Beginning with period 1, the /3 values for these days are 165, 211, 

 184, 180, 206, and 191, the average value after alcohol being 195, in 

 contrast to the average for normal days of 184. The rise in the thresh- 

 old is most pronounced in period 2, which represents an interval of 

 about 10 to 12 minutes after the taking of the dose of alcohol. Values 

 for Z show clearly that an increase in the strength of the current was 

 necessary to stimulate after the alcohol. The average Z value of 393 

 may be contrasted with the average of 356 for the non-alcohol days. 



In section in of table 13 the effect of alcohol is given in averages, 

 differences, and percentile differences. In periods 2, 3, 4, and 5, all 

 signs are plus. There is one zero, but most of the values are compara- 

 tively large if judged on the basis of the alcohol effect on other meas- 

 urements. The depressive alcohol effect is definitely prominent in 

 period 2, the increase in the strength of the current necessary to stimu- 

 late amounting to +32 per cent for /3, and 17 per cent for Z. In the 

 case of /?, which is of course the most trustworthy measurement, as was 

 stated previously, the depression decreases progressively in periods 3 

 and 4, the values being +10 and +7.3 per cent. The values for Z are 

 irregular. In connection with the results for periods 5 and 6, it is sig- 

 nificant that the first two normal days concluded with a very low 

 threshold, i. e., both show 153 $ t while the last normal day concluded 

 with almost the highest threshold found, 221 and 214 |8 for the same 

 periods. It is impossible, of course, to say whether the results for period 

 6 show, according to the statistical presentation, a large threshold due 

 to extraneous factors or are an alcohol effect. 



In conclusion, the ingestion of 30 c.c. of alcohol is found to decrease 

 the sensitivity of the nerve endings in the finger tips to electrical stim- 

 ulation by the faradic method, as was the case in the first series with 

 this subject. The decrease in sensitivity is of such an amount that on 

 the average an additional strength of electrical stimulation of 17 per 

 cent (j8) is required in order to arouse sensation. This depression is 

 most prominent in the periods immediately following the taking of the 

 alcohol, in which it amounts to 32 per cent |3, and 17 per cent Z. In 

 periods 3 and 4 the decrease is not so large as in period 2 or in period 5. 

 In period 6 the effect is in the opposite direction, indicating greater 

 sensitivity. 



