42 EFFECTS OF 



injury than concussion, produces loss of motion, 

 insensibility, dilatation of the pupils ; the respir- 

 ation becomes laboured and stertorous, is per- 

 formed at long intervals, at last altogether ceases, 

 and the patient dies. 



It forms an interesting matter of inquiry, 

 whether spirits when taken into the stomach 

 produce their effects on the brain, by being 

 absorbed into the circulation, or in consequence 

 of the sympathy that exists between these organs 

 by means of the nerves. The following circum- 

 stances lead me to conclude that, when taken in 

 large quantity so as to produce an immediate 

 effect, they act in the last of these two ways. 



1. In experiments where animals have been 

 killed by the injection of spirits into the stomach, 

 I have found this organ to bear the marks of 

 great inflammation, but never found any pre- 

 ternatural appearances whatever in the brain. 



2. The effects of spirits taken into the stomach in 

 the last experiment were so instantaneous, that 

 it is difficult to suppose that absorption should 

 have taken place before they were produced. 



3. A person who is intoxicated, frequently 

 becomes suddenly sober after vomiting, 4. In 

 the experiments which I have just related, I 

 mixed tincture of rhubarb with the spirits, know- 

 ing from the experiments of Mr. Home and Mr. 

 William Brande, that this, when absorbed into 

 the circulation, was readily separated by the 

 kidneys, and that very small quantities might be 

 detected in the urine by the addition of potash ; 



