66 Effect of Alcohol on Psycho-Physiological Functions. 



he is consistent in the two series in showing in general a decrease in 

 reaction time following the 30 c.c. of alcohol. 



The word reactions, 24 in number, separated from each other by 

 intervals of 10 seconds, required a much longer period with the same 

 attention and cooperation on the part of the subject than the eye 

 reactions did. The continuous repetition of the list of 24 words was 

 tiresome. No doubt the test would have been much improved from 

 the standpoint of the subject if the interval between reactions had been 

 made 5 instead of 10 seconds. The subject indicated by his general 

 attitude and remarks that he was always glad when this measurement 

 was over. The first-period values show a regular tendency to diminish 

 slightly from the first to the fifth day, the values being 481, 460, 459, 455, 

 and 429 a for the first five days in order, with 460 a for the sixth day. 

 This tendency is not as well borne out in the other periods of the same 

 days in the general averages for periods 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The three 

 alcohol days show a decrease from first to last, the values being 466, 456, 

 and 408 a. The decrease on the normal days is not so regular, the 

 values being 471, 474, and 466 a. These results suggest a clear practice 

 effect in the word reactions. 



It is important to note that the average reaction time for the last 

 period of a day is always shorter than that for the next to the last 

 period of the same day. For the normal days in order we have last- 

 period values of 463, 462, and 476 or, with an average of 467 er, and next 

 to the last period values of 489, 484, and 483 <r, with an average of 485 <r. 

 The last period is therefore on the average 18 cr shorter. For the alco- 

 hol days in order we have last-period values of 457, 444, and 375 a, with 

 an average of 425 a, and next to the last-period values of 469, 453, and 

 405 a, with an average of 442 a. For alcohol days the last period is 

 therefore on the average 17 cr shorter than the next to the last period. 

 The difference between the last period of the alcohol days and those 

 preceding is almost identical with that for normal days, notwithstand- 

 ing that the alcohol word reactions are shorter. Even on the alcohol 

 day, July 4, when the reactions in periods 3, 4, and 5 were so surpris- 

 ingly short, 391, 401, and 405 a, the last period is still 30 a shorter, being 

 375 a. These conditions are proof that the word-reaction test as used 

 was not well adapted to the alcohol research, for the subject's attitude 

 (e. g., his desire to finish the last word-reaction test) influenced the 

 reaction time to a very marked degree. 



The results obtained for the eye reaction are in exactly the opposite 

 direction to those for the word reaction, for in the measurements for 

 the eye reaction the values for the last period are always longer than 

 those of the preceding period, the average increase in the last period 

 being for both normal and alcohol days 13 a. It is therefore per- 

 fectly clear that in the measurement of the word reaction the subject 

 was not consistent in his attitude toward the task to be performed. 



