180 EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL. 



Alcohol is burned in the body, but may also be found in the 

 breath, perspiration, urine, and milk. Alcohol has no effect 

 on proteid decomposition, but acts to spare fat from combus- 

 tion. The addition of 50 to 80 grams of alcohol to the food 

 has no apparent effect on the nitrogenous equilibrium. Alco- 

 hol in the body acts as a paralyzant on certain portions of the 

 brain, destroying the more delicate degrees of attention, judg- 

 ment, and reflective thought, diminishing the sense of weari- 

 ness (use after great exertion furnished to armies in the last 

 hours of battle), and raising the self-esteem ; it paralyzes the 

 vasoconstrictor nerves, producing turgescence of the skin, with 

 accompanying feeling of warmth, and thereby indirectly aiding 

 the heart." 



STIMULANTS. 



[WILLIAM H. HOWELL, Ph.D., M.D., Professor of Physiology, Johns Hopkins 

 University, American Text-Book of Physiology.] 



11 The well-known stimulating effect of alcohol, tea, coffee, 

 etc., is probably due to a specific action on the nervous sys- 

 tem whereby the irritability of the tissue is increased. The 

 physiological effect of tea, coffee, and chocolate is due to the al- 

 kaloid caffeine (trimethyl xanthin) and theobromine (dimethyl 

 xanthin). In small doses these substances are oxidized in the 

 body and yield a corresponding amount of energy, but their 

 value from this standpoint is altogether unimportant compared 

 with their action as stimulants. Alcohol also, when not taken 

 in too large quantities, may be oxidized in the body, and fur- 

 nish a not inconsiderable amount of energy. It is, however, 

 a matter of controversy at present whether alcohol in small 

 doses can be considered a true foodstuff, capable of serving 

 as a direct source of energy, and of replacing a corresponding 

 amount of fats or of carbohydrates in the daily diet. The 

 evidence is partly for and partly against such a use of alcohol. 



