46 APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY 



60. Effects of alcohol. (i) Prevents fermentation and 

 decay. While alcohol is the product of fermentation, it 

 has the power to prevent fermentation. The germs pro- 

 ducing alcohol will not grow when alcohol is present in the 

 proportion of 14 per cent. Germs of decay will grow in a 

 much larger percentage of alcohol, but no germs will grow 

 in a solution of one half alcohol. This fact is put to use 

 in preserving specimens of animals and vegetables in 

 museums, by placing them in spirits or alcohol. Since 

 decay is dependent upon germs, the alcohol, by preventing 

 their growth, prevents decay. It can also prevent the 

 digestive ferments from acting upon food. 



(2) Extracts water from tissues. Water and alcohol 

 mix very readily. An uncorked bottle of alcohol takes up 

 water from the air, and so becomes weakened. When 

 alcohol is in contact with a wet substance, it appropriates 

 some of its water, and the substance then shrivels and 

 becomes firmer. Strong whisky can produce the same 

 result in the body to a limited extent. 



(3) Hardens tissues. Alcohol also hardens many ani- 

 mal and vegetable substances by extracting their water and 

 by coagulating their albumin. In museums this fact is put 

 to use in hardening soft and delicate specimens of animals 

 and vegetables, so they may be preserved and examined 

 safely. It is not probable that this action occurs in the 

 body, for nature pours out an abundance of water to dilute 

 the irritating alcohol. 



Within the body the effect of extracting water from the 

 tissues and of hardening albumin is to produce a smarting 

 sensation which shows that the organs are being injured. 

 There would be no limit to this action and death would 

 soon take place if nature did not provide means for a 

 partial protection against the substance. When any part 



