NARCOTICS AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 133 



his words are mostly memories, and his thought cells in the 

 forehead do very little new work. When alcohol begins to- 

 appropriate oxygen belonging to the body, the brain cells 

 are the first to suffer. Those cells of the brain which do 

 the highest kind of work suffer first. The thought cells in 

 the forehead are the first 'to be weakened. The highest 

 kind of work which they do is to make a person think of 

 the feelings of others before his own. Drink makes a man 

 selfish and he cares less for others' feelings and for what 

 they think of him. He does not care if his clothes and 

 face are dirty and if he is disagreeable to others. He is 

 easily made angry and often wants to fight over small 

 matters. 



The next actions to be affected are thoughts of right and 

 wrong. He steals without reason, and may commit murder. 

 Many a criminal has made himself half drunk so that he 

 could commit the crime from which he shrunk when sober. 



Finally, all the cells under the forehead are weakened 

 and the man cannot think at all. He does not think what 

 might be the result of his acts, but is as likely to throw a 

 lighted match into a pile of paper as into the stove. Many 

 accidents and fires are due to the lack of thought of drink- 

 ing men. 



258. Alcohol and motion. A person thus far under the 

 influence of drink is often very amusing in his talk. He 

 can still go about with a steady gait, but he cannot be 

 trusted to do business. If he stops drinking, the effects 

 will pass off in an hour or two. If he keeps on drinking, 

 the cells which cause movements of the muscles are next 

 affected. He cannot control his muscles, but walks with 

 an unsteady gait. His hands tremble and he talks thick. 

 He is now drunk. 



259. Alcohol deadens feeling. Next, the cells which 



