Conclusions. 129 



portion was 1 to 2, i. e., 33, 63, and 4. 2 (See table 26, columns headed 

 "Period 6" and "Last period" and note signs for different measure- 

 ments.) Specifically, the changes in sign (superior to inferior) from 

 period 6 to the last period have been with eye-reaction time, faradic- 

 sensory threshold for both Z units and units, eye-movement time, 

 and lid reflex A'. There are also some changes from inferior in period 

 6 to superior in the last period, the reverse of those just given; these 

 are lid reflex L and L' and lid reflex A. 



From the percentile differences in the last period (in contrast with 

 period 6) certain quite definite conclusions can be drawn regarding the 

 effect of alcohol on this subject 4 hours after the dose of 30 c.c. had been 

 taken : 



(1) The reflexes are more active, their latency is shorter, and the 

 amplitude is increased. There are 12 percentile differences for the 

 effect of alcohol on the reflexes. It will be observed that in the last 

 period every difference except that for lid reflex A' shows relative facili- 

 tation, and the percentages are so large as to establish the observation. 



(2) The faster pulse and respiration rates continue, i. e., the direction 

 of the alcohol effect is here unchanged. The 7 values are in agreement 

 and there is no certain decrease in the alcohol effect found by comparing 

 the last period with the average of periods 2, 3, and 4. 



(3) The measured processes, word-reaction time, and progress in 

 memorizing, which were found to be superior in periods 2 to 4, are the 

 same in the last period. Eye-reaction time and mean variation, word- 

 reaction mean variation, faradic threshold Z and /5, eye-movement time 

 and distance, and number of finger movements in 8 seconds, all of which 

 showed depression in the earlier periods, are found to do likewise in the 

 last period. 



Facilitation in these experiments therefore seems limited to the 

 reflexes, and pending the accumulation of data with other subjects it is 

 best to forego further discussion of the matter here. 



Considering again periods 2, 3, and 4, we find that the results for all 

 of these are from 3 normal and 3 alcohol days, and that together the 

 three periods make a time interval following the dose which corre- 

 sponds fairly well to the sessions of the first series. An average of the 

 results of these periods is given in table 26. Of these 30 percentile 

 differences for the effect of alcohol, 27 (a ratio of 9 to 1) show inferior 

 functioning of processes after the dose. The exceptions are those which 

 the preceding consideration of the results would lead us to expect, i. e., 

 word-reaction time, progress in memorizing, and patellar reflex, A', 30 

 grams. 1 Before accepting this predominance at its face value, it is 

 desirable to know if the 9 to 1 ratio can in any way be due to the pecu- 



1 It was pointed out on page 43 that as the primary reflex decreases in amplitude, the secondary 

 one, which falls in the relative refractory phase, tends to increase. This inverse ratio between the 

 amplitude of such successive reflexes appears to be a normal phenomenon as well as an alcohol 

 result. 



