CHAPTER X 

 ALCOHOL AND DIGESTION 







137. Summary of the action of alcohol. The action of 

 Strong alcohol outside of the body is threefold. First, it 

 takes away water from substances which it touches ; sec- 

 ond, it hardens and coagulates albumin ; third, as a result 

 of the first and second actions, it impairs or destroys the 

 life of cells and of ferments with which it comes in con- 

 tact. Alcohol harms the body in these ways and also has 

 special effects upon parts which it does not touch. 



138. Effects upon food. Alcohol produces changes in 

 food in direct proportion to its strength and amount. If 

 the alcohol be strong, and large enough in amount to satu- 

 rate the food, then it may harden the albumin and render 

 it more difficult of digestion. It may also prevent the 

 pepsin of the stomach from acting. The habitual drunk- 

 ard may take strong drink in sufficient amount and strength 

 to produce this change in his food. 



139. Effects upon the mouth. In the mouth alcohol 

 may take water from the epithelial cells, and give rise to 

 a sense of thirst. Although the alcohol may be mixed 

 with enough water to satisfy natural thirst, yet it causes 

 a false thirst to arise, which demands another drink. 



140. Effects upon the gastric juice. When it reaches 

 the stomach, a very strong alcoholic drink has a marked 

 effect upon the gastric juice. The essential digestive 

 agent in the gastric juice is pepsin, which is a lifeless 

 albuminous ferment. The alcohol in any common form 



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