356 ALCOHOL 



causing them to breathe air charged with it. Being highly 

 diffusible, it quickly enters the blood. It appears to form 

 with the haemoglobin a compound of diminished capacity 

 to take up and give off oxygen. Full or large doses, ac- 

 cordingly, interfere with oxidation of blood and tissue. Its 

 effects vary considerably with the dose and its concentra- 

 tion ; but even small doses quickly affect the central nervous 

 system. There is an apparent stimulation, as shown by 

 alertness and motor activity, but with larger doses this 

 primary stimulation is succeeded by dulness, depression, 

 passing into stupor and coma. Schmiedebergs' theory with 

 regard to the mode of action of alcohol is that the drug 

 ab initio exercises a depressant effect. This depression 

 first affects the cerebrum, in other words, the judgment and 

 controlling centres. This allows free play to the more reflex 

 centres, for all inhibition is lessened, in fact one may say 

 the brake has been taken off. As the depression spreads it 

 affects the centres in the inverse order of development, and 

 leaves the vital medullary centres till the last. 



On the circulation alcohol, in small doses, exerts a definite 

 stimulant effect, quickening the heart and increasing its 

 force, probably by direct action on the cardiac muscle. 

 Blood-pressure is also raised to some extent. With larger 

 doses both these effects are overcome, the heart being made 

 slower, and pressure falling. Respiration is indirectly 

 stimulated, for by causing loss of heat, alcohol promotes 

 quicker breathing to supply oxygen for compensatory heat 

 production. 



Observations on various classes of animals demonstrate 

 that alcohol in full doses lowers animal temperature. This 

 mainly results from (1) lessened oxidation ; (2) vaso-motor 

 paresis ; and (3) increased skin-circulation, and consequent 

 increased evolution of heat. As with most of the other 

 effects of alcohol, the lowered temperature is not, however, 

 of long duration. Magnan has shown that puppies lose 

 3 to 7 Fahr. when alcohol is added to their food. ' The 

 experiments of Binz and Bouvier on septicaemic fever in 

 animals gave singular results. In rabbits, for instance, 

 after injecting septic fluid, and inducing a febrile reaction 

 ranging from 102 to 105 Fahr., about three drachms of 



