i48 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



among the lymphagogues. ' It is shown by experiment that in 

 this case, as when sugar is injected into the veins, the capillaries 

 exert a genuine secretory influence. In the latter case the 

 blood is extracted from the tissues by the dehydrating action 

 of the sugar. It seems probable that alcohol would operate 

 in a similar way. There are many things which suggest that a 

 sort of protoplasm poisoning is an early incident to the devel- 

 opment of the circulatory changes preceding paralysis. 



One must remember that even in the normal state the va- 

 riations in metabolism find other expressions than in the form 

 and reaction of the cells. Carazzoni^ has shown that the ratio 

 of solids in the cerebro-spinal fluids is greater in the morning 

 than in the evening in the percentage of 135 to 100 and is more 

 alkaline in the morning also. Substances injected into the ab- 

 dominal cavity make their way into this fluid after half an hour 

 or more which is, however, more slowly than their entrance into 

 the blood or even the aqueous humor, as would be expected. 



The theory that prevails tb some extent in this country 

 that the moderate use of alchohol serves to substitute to some 

 extent for proteids in the diet has apparantly been exploded by 

 Minra's researches.' A slight increase of albumen is regarded as 

 evidence that alcohol acts like chloroform as a protoplasm pois- 

 oning which may be expected as one of the incidents of early 

 stages of the pathological condition now under consideration. 

 (Cf. Heymans. Sur Taction toxique et antiseptique du chloro- 

 form etc. , Ann. Soc. med. Gand. 18 g2. ) 



EXTERNAL CHANGES. 



Macroscopically there was less alteration than might have 

 been legitimately expected. Plate A. illustrates the appearance 

 of the brain after the removal of the membranes. The mem- 

 branes were slightly adherent but not closely enough to pro- 

 duce decortication upon their removal. The characteristic 



^CentralblaUf. Phys. 8i6. 



^Centralblattf. Phys. VI. 14. 



'Ueber die Bedeutung des Alkohols als Eweisssparer in der Ernahrung des 

 gesunden Menschen. Zeitsch. f. Klin. Med. XX, 112. 



