THE CIRCULATION. 



grow larger when food touches it. The arteries of the 

 salivary glands will grow larger, and fill with blood for 

 the manufacture of saliva, when we smell food, thus "mak- 

 ing the mouth water." The arteries of the skin will grow 

 larger, and fill with red blood, when exposed to heat. The 

 arteries of the face will expand, and cause a blush, when 

 we feel shame. 



4, The apparatus which regulates the size of the arte- 

 ries belongs to the nervous system. 



EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON THE CIRCULATION. 



SECTION VIII. 1, The heart of a grown person beats 

 about seventy-two times in a minute. The total number 

 of strokes in a day is over a hundred thousand. In mak- 

 ing this number of strokes, it exerts force enough to lift 

 over a hundred tons weight one foot from the ground. 

 Alcohol makes the heart of a well person beat faster. 

 Very careful experiments made by Drs. Parkes and Wol- 

 lowicz show that the drinking of a moderate amount of 

 alcohol not more than two ounces in a day will add 

 to the force exerted by the heart four per cent, enough to 

 lift four tons weight one foot. 



This extra effort of the heart is unnecessary ; it is of no 

 use to the body; and, since it is made under an unnat- 

 ural stimulus, it is exhausting. 



2. The smaller blood-vessels are dilated by the influ- 

 ence of alcohol. The face is flushed ; and the internal 

 organs, if we could see them, would look redder. At first, 

 the flushing passes off after a certain time, and the blood- 

 vessels return to their natural size. But, after long use of 

 spirits, they remain dilated. The red nose is an index 

 of the state of many parts of the body. This is an unnat- 

 ural and unhealthy condition. 



