$8 ACTION OF ALCOHOL ON MUSCLES. 



mind and muscle, doing his work with one and simply 

 exercising the other. Thus both are kept in health. 



16. The Action of Alcoholic Drinks on the Muscles. In- 

 dulgence in beers, wines, or spirits never does any good 

 to the muscular system of a healthy person, and often 

 does great harm. The injury may be direct or indirect; 

 when indirect it is due to weakened will, impaired di- 

 gestion, enfeebled heart, or disease of organs whose func- 

 tion it is to carry waste matters away from the body. 

 How alcohol leads to these consequences we shall Study 

 in following chapters. 



The action of alcohol on the power of the muscles has 

 often been carefully studied. Experiments prove that 

 it is less on days in which spirits are taken (Chap. IX.). 



Continued indulgence in alcoholic drinks causes change 

 for the worse in the structure of the muscles. The con- 

 nective tissue and fat in them become too abundant and 

 take the place of the proper muscular substance. This 

 consequence is especially frequent in the muscular tissue 

 of the heart (p. 162). 



16. How may alcoholic drinks indirectly harm the muscular sys- 

 tem? What has been observed as to their direct action on muscular 

 power ? What changes in the structure of muscle are produced by 

 continued alcoholic indulgence ? In what organ are they most fre- 

 quently observed ? 



