ALCOHOLIC DETERIORATION OF TISSUE. 355 



Alcohol also increases the breaking down of proteid matter 

 in the body; the liver has much to do in preparing this 

 broken-down proteid for removal by the kidneys, and so 

 gets overworked. 



Another serious bodily deterioration produced by alco- 

 hol is fibrous degeneration: by this is meant an excessive 

 growth of the connective-tissue, which as we have seen 

 (p. 24) pervades the organs of the body as a fine sup- 

 porting skeleton for the more essential cells. Alcohol- 

 drinking causes this tissue to develop to such an extent as 

 to crush and destroy the cells, especially in the liver and 

 kidneys, which it should protect. So far as the liver is con- 

 cerned, the result is a shrunken, rough mass (hoi-nailed 

 liver, or gin-drinker's liver), with hardly any liver-cells left 

 in it. This not only prevents the proper manufacture of 

 bile and glycogen (p. 151), but the contracted liver presses 

 on the branches of the portal vein within it (p. 208) so as to 

 impede the drainage of blood from the organs in the abdo- 

 men. As a consequence, an excess of the watery part of 

 the blood oozes into the peritoneal cavity and accumulates, 

 causing abdominal dropsy (ascites). In similar manner the 

 superabundant connective tissue in the kidneys crushes 

 and injures the essential kidney substance, and interferes 

 with the proper function of the organ in excreting nitrogen 

 waste and water. The ultimate consequence is one form of 

 ' Bright's disease" a very fatal malady, characterized by 

 elimination of albumen in the kidney secretion; retention 

 of proteid wastes in the blood, poisoning the various 

 organs; and accumulation of water in the loose tissue bind- 



Explain for the liver. 



What is fibrous degeneration? Describe the results when it occur 

 in the liver. In the kidneys. 



are the characteristics of Bright's cjisease? 



