DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION. 117 



for some days," constantly produced "a state of inflamma- 

 tion and nlceration in the lining membrane, and change 

 of the gastric juice." At the same time, St. Martin suffered 

 no pain, or other sensations, which indicated the true state 

 of things. 



Examinations of the stomachs of 'drinkers, after death, 

 show the same conditions. 



3, One of the most wonderful things about our bodies 

 is, that they will change so as to suit the conditions in which 

 they are. If a man has to work with his arms, they grow 

 large and strong. If the skin is exposed to the weather, 

 or to chafing, it loses its smoothness, and becomes hard. 

 The stomach w r as made to digest wholesome food. If a 

 man insists on making it a receptacle for burning liquors, 

 Nature straightway begins to adapt it to that use. The 

 delicate membrane grows tough. The mucus which nat- 

 urally moistens it becomes thick and ropy, so as to protect 

 the surface. Some of the little glands which pour out 

 the gastric juice are destroyed. Those which remain are 

 unhealthy. If the process is carried far enough, lie has a 

 pouch which gladly receives alcohol, but its usefulness as 

 a stomach is greatly impaired. 



4, If we put in a test-tube some gastric juice from the 

 stomach of an animal, and add alcohol to it, a white 

 powder appears, and settles to the bottom. This is pepsin, 

 which gives the juice its power to digest. Alcohol sepa- 

 rates it from the juice; so the drinker, with a stomach 

 perhaps already weak, is adding to his gastric juice that 

 which destroys, for the time, what activity it has. After 

 the alcohol passes out of the stomach, the pepsin is 

 dissolved again. 



5, The effect of alcohol on the intestine is similar to 



