56o SCIENCE PROGRESS 



on the whole it emerges from the ordeal as not inferior in man}' 

 points. Thus, none of them disturb the digestive tract less, 

 and most of them exercise a more depressant effect on the 

 centres in the medulla oblongata ; for I think it may be taken as 

 proved that in ordinary therapeutic doses alcohol does not 

 depress the respiration, but, on the whole, tends to augment it 

 even when no excitement is induced. Where a slight narcosis, 

 sufficient to allay anxiety and induce rest is required, then, 

 alcohol deserves consideration, but it is less certain in effecting 

 a more marked depression, for which it cannot be compared 

 with the modern narcotics. 



The effects of alcohol on the circulation have long been a 

 matter of dispute, many clinicians holding that in failure of the 

 heart and vasomotor centre alcohol is of service, while others 

 have found that it may be dispensed with. The experimental 

 results have recently been discussed by Dixon, who suggests 

 that alcohol ma}- support the heart b}- acting as a food-stuff, 

 and may thus increase the blood-pressure and improve the 

 circulation. It is true that another observer has not been able 

 to satisfy himself that alcohol acts as a food for the heart, but 

 Dixon's results unquestionabl}" re-open the question of the 

 usefulness of alcohol in the treatment of acute circulatory 

 failure, in regard to which a sceptical attitude has more 

 recently been adopted by many of the leaders of the medical 

 profession. And in addition to any direct action on the 

 circulation, alcohol may prove of value in circulatory failure 

 through its narcotic action in the same way as opium, over 

 which it has the advantage of not inducing any embarrassment 

 of the respiration. 



To sum up, alcohol ma}- be of some value in therapeutics 

 as an adjuvant to foods, in order to render them more attractive, 

 and thus improve their digestion, and also possesses some food 

 value itself It acts as a cerebral depressant, and may be useful 

 in certain diseases in this way, and it may perhaps aid the 

 failing heart. A small dose exercises no definite demonstrable 

 poisonous effects on the tissues, and small repeated doses, though 

 suspect, have not been shown to be deleterious.^ If alcohol were 

 a new synthetic remedy fresh from Germany, it might probably 

 be hailed as a useful addition to therapeutics, but its popularity 

 as a remedy would be short-lived. Not because of its failure 

 ' But see footnote, p. 554. 



