ALCOHOL 357 



alcohol diluted with water were introduced into the stomach 

 by means of a tube ; fifteen minutes afterwards the tempera- 

 ture was 104-1, in forty-five minutes 102'4, in ninety 

 minutes 100- 9, in two hours and a half 100' 6 Fahr. The 

 following day the pyrexia returned, and increased till the 

 death of the animal. Very large doses lower the tempera- 

 ture as much as 8- 5 Cent., and if narcosis was induced before 

 fever began, quite prevented its development ' (Phillips). 

 Other experiments also show that doses sufficient to cause 

 unconsciousness dangerously reduce temperature of birds 

 to the amount of 5, of dogs 3, of rabbits 10, and of man 

 himself 2 to 3 Fahr. 



Digestion and nutrition, although injured by large, are 

 improved by small doses. Small quantities increase both 

 the oxygen absorption and the discharge of carbonic acid 

 from the lungs, supply the necessary amount of energy, and 

 so check metabolism of fat, but increase that of proteid, 

 thus increasing secretion of urine. If alcohol in small doses 

 is continued for a long period a tolerance is acquired, proteid 

 is spared, and the nitrogenous excess in the urine ceases. 

 Mere traces are removed by the lungs, skin, and kidneys, 

 but by far the larger proportion undergoes combustion in 

 the body, and, like other hydrocarbons, and especially when 

 used with suitable food, alcohol proves a source of heat and 

 vital energy. Schulinus' experiments on these points are 

 conclusive, and have been repeatedly verified. Animals 

 receiving measured quantities of alcohol, so soon as full 

 effects were produced, were killed by bleeding and insufflat- 

 ing air into the vessels. Fractional distillations of the blood 

 and viscera were made separately, and repeated investiga- 

 tions have demonstrated (1) that alcohol in small or 

 moderate quantity does not localise itself in any particular 

 organ, such as the brain or liver, but diffuses itself equally 

 in the system ; (2) that only the blood contains proportion- 

 ately more than other tissues ; (3) of the alcohol taken, the 

 greater part is decomposed within the organism, and the 

 amount eliminated by the lungs, skin, and kidneys, is in- 

 significant (Phillips). Binz' experiments show that not 

 quite three per cent, of moderate doses is excreted un- 

 changed. Alcohol is a true food, rapidly assimilated, and 



