IO2 APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY 



of the food, then the products of incomplete oxidation 

 resemble those produced by alcohol ; but they usually pro- 

 duce no more than a sick headache or an attack of bilious- 

 ness, although under aggravated and repeated conditions 

 they may endanger life. (See p. 34.) 



In the third place, the effect of a continual excess of 

 food is to injure the liver cells permanently. Even the 

 wasting away and hardening called "gin drinker's liver" 

 may be caused by intemperate eating. Intemperance in 

 eating differs from the intemperance of strong drink in 

 the quantity of effects produced rather than in their kind. 



SUMMARY 



1. Alcoholic drinks take water from the mucous mem- 



' brane of the mouth and so increase the thirst, even 

 if the body contains sufficient water. 



2. In any considerable amount alcohol hardens the pepsin 



in the stomach, and so prevents its acting upon the 

 food. 



3. Alcohol irritates the mucous membrane of the stomach 



so that it becomes inflamed and unable to produce 

 the gastric juice. Then the intestine is overworked 

 in digesting what the stomach should have digested. 



4. Alcohol is quickly absorbed by the intestine. It is 



quickly destroyed, probably by oxidation, before it 

 passes the liver. 



5. Because oxygen is used in the destruction of alcohol, 



incomplete and poisonous products of the oxidation 

 of albumin are formed. These go through the whole 

 body and greatly increase the harm done by alcohol. 



6. Bitters, and essence of ginger contain much alcohol. 



7. When starch and sugar are eaten in large amounts, 



they use oxygen which should oxidize the albumin. 



