ALCOHOL. 215 



shorten the duration of life or induce disease in some 

 persons, while in others it undoubtedly produces gradual 

 and permanent changes, chiefly of a cirrhotic character, in 

 the blood vessels and viscera, such as the liver and kidneys. 

 These alterations, which may be slow and subtile in char- 

 acter, may not in themselves materially impair the health 

 or cause an ultimately fatal result, but they tend to weaken 

 vital organs and produce a condition of premature senility ; 

 so that if the patient be overtaken by any severe disease, 

 as, for example, by an acute infection like pneumonia, or 

 a chronic one like pulmonary tuberculosis, the resistance 

 of the body to the force of the disease is materially im- 

 paired, and the danger to the patient is seriously enhanced. 



"4. There are many persons whose constitutional in- 

 heritance is such that they should be particularly warned 

 against the use of alcohol, and in some such cases, as, for 

 example, among those who are subjects of well-marked 

 gouty diathesis, it is better that the use of alcohol should 

 ])e imperatively forbidden. 



"5. The abuse of alcoholic stimulation is invariably 

 injurious, although the extent to which evil influences 

 become manifest depends upon the constitution of the 

 individual, in connection with the two factors of heredity 

 and environment. 



" 6. There are a number of diseases in which the tem- 

 porary use of alcohol is of positive service, and there are a 

 number of cases in which it becomes a necessity in order 

 to prolong life. 



" 7. In many cases of malnutrition and malassimilation 

 of food, alcohol is itself a food, and its consumption under 

 proper direction results in an increase of body weight and 

 strength, and improvement of functional activity. These 

 results are accomplished in part through the action of the 



