4 j 8 A CTION OF AL COHOL. 



rejects beef-tea, milk, and other " nutritious sub- 

 stances." From what I have observed, I think it 

 possible that a patient suffering from low pneumonia, 

 or from a -very severe form of continued fever, or acute 

 rheumatism complicated with pericarditis and pneu- 

 monia, might be kept alive until the disease subsided 

 by alcohol alone, but not because the alcohol acts 

 like food and supports him and nourishes his tissues. 

 It is certain that the alcohol does not nourish the 

 tissues in the ordinary sense of the word, and if it 

 diminishes the waste of the tissues in these cases, it 

 must be admitted that it is difficult to conceive waste 

 more extreme than that which has taken place while 

 the patient has been taking large quantities of alcohol. 

 But the patient lives ; and so many account for the 

 result by concluding at once that the alcohol must be 

 a "supporter of life" although they are aware that 

 this same alcohol, administered in the very same 

 quantities in the healthy state, might destroy life. 



There is not a more important question in medicine 

 to be determined than the action of alcohol in disease; 

 for, while it has been conclusively proved that it is 

 not a food and does not directly nourish the tissues, 

 there cannot be the slightest difference of opinion 

 among practical men concerning its value as a remedy. 

 We differ widely in our views as to the extent to which 

 alcoholic treatment should be carried in a given case, 

 but almost all agree that in some cases alcohol ought 

 to be prescribed and in considerable quantities. 



