ACTION OF ALCOHOL ON BLOOD. l6l 



tern (Chap. XVIII.) which makes the muscles of breathing 

 do their work, is ceasing to act, and extra stimulation 

 must be given it for a while until the bleeding is 

 stanched and blood has again commenced to collect in 

 the arteries. 



8. The Action of Alcoholic Drinks on the Circulation. 

 Alcohol in excess, injures the blood, the arteries, and the 

 heart. 



Even in moderate doses, it diminishes the power of the 

 blood to absorb oxygen, and thus decreases the oxida- 

 tions within the body, and lowers its working power and 

 its temperature. Large quantities of alcohol cause the 

 red blood-corpuscles to become shrunken and distorted, 

 and greatly diminish their efficiency as carriers of oxygen 

 to all the organs. 



9. The Action of Alcohol on the Plasma. Continued 

 alcoholic indulgence leads to an alteration in the blood- 

 plasma, lessening its tendency to form fibrin and to 

 clot. Hence even the slight wounds of tipplers are 

 apt to result in dangerous bleeding. The fibrin is so 

 scanty and the clogging up of the ends of cut blood- 

 vessels so slow (p. 138), that all surgical operations on 

 such persons are attended with special danger. 



10. The Action of Alcohol on the Arteries. Alcohol tends 

 to make fatty matter collect in the walls of the arteries. 

 The oil-drops take the place of the natural tough elastic 

 material. Thus the artery is weakened. In consequence, 



8. Action on the blood of even moderate doses of alcohol? How 

 does this affect the body ? Action on the red corpuscles of large doses 

 of alcohol ? 



9. Action on the blood plasma? Why are surgical operations on 

 tipplers especially dangerous? 



10. Action of alcohol on the arteries ? What is an aneurism ? 

 Usual result ? 



