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HAROLD L. HIGGINS 



and eighteen per cent in the ileum (Nemser, 1907). Alcohol is absorbed 

 also when given by rectum ( Carpenter (&), 1916) or when inhaled as vapor. 

 Alcohol is not absorbed so rapidly when taken with food as without; fat 

 especially seems to delay the absorption (Mellanby (e), 1919) ; the probable 

 explanation for this is that absorption from the stomach is not so rapid 

 as from the small intestine. 



While alcohol does not require any digestion and is readily absorbed, 

 it does influence the gastric digestion of other material (Kast, 1906). A 

 dilute solution of alcohol increases the hydrochloric acid concentration 

 without affecting the pepsin content of the gastric juice; less dilute solu- 

 tions act as irritants to the stomach and cause increased mucus formation 

 and often vomiting. But while alcohol may influence gastric digestion, yet 

 the net effects on the availability of the fat, protein and carbohydrate in 

 the diet is not interfered with ; i.e., the amount of undigested residue in 

 feces is not essentially different when alcohol is taken from when it is 

 not (Atwater and Benedict -(e), 1902). That is seen in the following 

 table: 



The absorption of alcohol is rapid; this has been demonstrated (1) 

 by the. early psychological effects from taking the drug (Dodge and Bene- 

 dict, 1915), (2) by its beginning to be burned in five to ten minutes after 

 ingestion (Higgins (a), 1916), and (3) by increase in the concentration of 

 alcohol in the blood (Mellanby (e), 1919). Very soon after taking alcohol 

 (one-half to two hours), the blood will show the maximum concentration. 



Excretion of Alcohol 



From two to ten per cent of alcohol taken by mouth is excreted as 

 such in the urine, the breath and the sweat (Atwater and Benedict, 1902 ; 

 Voltz, Baudrexel and Deitrick, 1912). The remaining ninety to ninety- 

 eight per cent is burned to CO 2 and H 2 O. Alcohol is absorbed di- 

 rectly into the blood without chemical change, and is excreted in part 

 unchanged by the kidneys, the lungs and the sweat glands. Alcohol is 

 also excreted in the milk of nursing mothers (Nicloux(a), 1899). The 

 amount excreted in the expired air and sweat is increased during muscular 

 work, with the increased respiratory ventilation and sweating. The 

 elimination of alcohol by the kidneys and lungs, also by the mammary 

 glands, is by diffusion, the percentage of alcohol in the urine and milk 



