ALCOHOL. 221 



the muscle. The arteries may undergo the same change. 

 The kidneys are disordered, and one form of resulting 

 disease is known as Bright's disease. This is often caused 

 by moderate drinking. One form of consumption has been 

 proved to be due to the use of alcoholic drink. But the most 

 positive, and the most serious, effects of alcoholic drinks is 

 on the nervous system, of which more will be said later. 



Predisposition to Disease caused by Alcohol. In 



many cases where the use of alcoholic drink has not actually 

 shown a diseased condition there is marked weakness and 

 inability to resist or throw off disease. Drinkers are much 

 more subject to sunstroke and to many of the infectious 

 diseases. Yellow fever is almost surely fatal to the intem- 

 perate. Some forms of pneumonia are more likely to 

 attack the intemperate. The insidious nature of alcohol 

 and the evil effects of moderate drinking appear when the 

 body is attacked by disease. The body is found to be 

 undermined and sapped of its strength at the very time 

 when a reserve fund of vitality is needed to ward off the 

 attack of disease. 



Inheritance of the Effects of Alcohol Drinking. The 



evil is great enough when seen only in the individual who 

 indulges in the drink habit. But the inherited results are 

 often worse. First the craving for liquor is often inher- 

 ited. This craving may take a mild form, and a person 

 of good will power may resist it. But sometimes the 

 inherited craving takes the form called dipsomania, in 

 which at intervals the craving is so strong that it cannot 

 be resisted, while there may intervene considerable periods 

 when there is no desire whatever for strong drink. Then, 

 too, idiocy, imbecility, and epilepsy are common in the 

 children of intemperate parents. 



