ALCOHOL AS A FOOD. 95 



learned that alcohol tends to injure seriously the con- 

 nective tissues, the muscles, and the skin. We shall 

 later learn that it acts quite as injuriously on many 

 other parts of the body ; for example, the heart and 

 the brain and the lungs. It is thus obvious that all 

 drinks containing alcohol are dangerous, and the more 

 so the greater the quantity of alcohol in them. For the 

 present, we will confine ourselves to the question 

 whether alcohol has any just claim to be called a food. 

 Foods are useful to build tissues, to supply strength 

 or working power, or to maintain our animal heat. 

 Does alcohol do any one of these ? 



8. Is Alcohol a Tissue-Forming Food? To this the 

 answer is certainly, no ; so far at least as useful tissue 

 is concerned. Its consumption often leads to excessive 

 and harmful overgrowth of connective tissue and fat, 

 but it does not lead to development of muscle or brain 

 or gland. 



9. Is Alcohol a Strengthening Food? To this the 

 answer is also no. Alcohol in small, doses is a stimulant 

 to brain and muscle, and may for a short time excite 

 them to overwork or to work when they should be rest- 

 ing. But as it nourishes neither of them, the final result 

 is bad. The brain and muscle are left in an injured 

 state. As regards the brain, the consequence is often 

 insanity (Chap. XIX.). As regards the muscles, very 

 careful experiments have been made on soldiers who 



alcoholic drinks are dangerous? In deciding the claims of alcohol 

 to be a food, what properties of foods must we recall ? 



8. What is said of alcohol as a tissue-forming food ? 



9. Is alcohol a strengthening food ? How may it lead to over- 

 work? Results? What were the results of experiments made on 

 soldiers as to the action of alcohol on the muscles ? 



