354 THE HUMAN BODY. 



approach, and overlooked until they have firmly seated 

 themselves. They include, (a) deterioration of tissue; (b) 

 practical destruction of important organs; (c) mental and 

 moral enfeeblement. 



(a) Deterioration of Tissue due to Alcohol. A serious 

 structural change in the body produced by alcoholic excess 

 Is fatty degeneration. The oily matter of the body exists 

 in two forms: first, as adipose or fatty tissue collected 

 under the skin, and in less amount elsewhere, as on the 

 surface of the heart and around the kidneys; second, as 

 minute fat-droplets in the interior of various cells and fibres. 

 Some forms of alcoholic drinks tend to increase the 

 adipose tissue, and may lead to undue accumulation of it 

 about the heart, impeding the action of that organ. A 

 more important and frequent result is an increase of fat- 

 droplets in the cells of the liver and the muscular fibres of 

 the heart, the oily matter replacing the natural working 

 substance. A heart which has undergone this change is 

 commonly spoken of by pathologists as a "whiskey heart;" 

 for although fatty degeneration of the heart may occur 

 from other causes, alcoholic indulgence is the most frequent 

 one. Fatty liver or fatty heart is rarely if ever curable; 

 either will ultimately cause death. It is probable that in 

 both cases the fatty degeneration is due to over-stimulation 

 of the organ. Most wines and spirits quicken the beat of 

 the heart, leaving it less time for repair between its strokes. 



Why are chronic alcoholic diseases often unnoticed in their curable 

 stages? What main forms do they include? 



In what forms is the oily matter of the body found? How do some 

 forms of alcohol affect the development of adipose tissue? What 

 may result? How does alcohol produce more serious changes in the 

 fatty matter of the body? What is meant by a " whiskey heart"? 



What is the consequence of fatty liver or fatty heart? To what 

 is the fatty degeneration in these organs due? Explain for the heart. 



